Dan Osborn
Dan Osborn | |
---|---|
Personal details | |
Born | March 29, 1975 |
Political party | Independent |
Other political affiliations | Democratic (before 2016) |
Spouse | Megan Osborn |
Children | 3 |
Military service | |
Branch/service | |
Unit | USS Constellation (CV-64) |
Dan Osborn (born March 29, 1975) is a U.S. Navy veteran, steamfitter, industrial mechanic, labor union leader, and independent candidate in the regular 2024 United States Senate election in Nebraska.[1]
As president of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 50G, Osborn led the strike at Kellogg's Omaha plant in 2021.
Early life
[edit]Dan Osborn was born on March 29, 1975.[2] His mother was a seamstress,[3] and his father, Gary, worked for Union Pacific Railroad, loading cargo.[4] When Dan was seven, his family moved to Omaha after his father was transferred.[3] Gary Osborn also served as a Dodge County Commissioner.[5]
After an accident, Gary was moved to the railroad company's management side and transferred out of state.[4] Dan stayed in Omaha to finish up high school and lived on his own starting at age 16, paying rent with odd jobs.[4] He graduated from Roncalli Catholic High School in 1994.[3][6]
Military career
[edit]After high school, Osborn enlisted in the United States Navy. He served four years as storekeeper (SK) aboard the USS Constellation (CV-64) aircraft carrier, completing two Western Pacific cruises and two Exercise RIMPAC cruises.[6]
Osborn later joined the Nebraska Army National Guard. He attended the 19K Tanker school at the Idaho Army National Guard and served in the Tennessee National Guard.[3]
Union leader
[edit]In 2004, Osborn began working as an industrial mechanic at the Kellogg's Omaha plant.[7] He eventually became president of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 50G.[8] He rose to national prominence when he led the 2021 Kellogg's strike at the plant.[7][9][10] The strike, which was prompted by a two-tier system of pay and included other plants across the country, lasted 77 days.[1]
Kellogg's later fired Osborn.[11] He is employed doing boiler maintenance and repair work at Boys Town and is a member of Steamfitters and Plumbers Local 464.[12]
2024 U.S. Senate candidacy
[edit]Osborn Independent for U.S. Senate | |
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Campaign | 2024 U.S. Senate election in Nebraska |
Candidate | Dan Osborn |
Affiliation | Independent |
Announced | October 5, 2023 |
Headquarters | Omaha, Nebraska |
Website | |
osbornforsenate |
Both incumbent Republican U.S. Senators from Nebraska are running for reelection in 2024, one in a special election and one in a regular election. Osborn is running in the latter, in which there is no Democratic nominee, against the incumbent, Deb Fischer, and says he can represent working and middle-class constituencies better than wealthy, establishment politicians.[13]
Osborn officially announced his candidacy as an independent on October 5, 2023. He garnered the 4,000 signatures from Nebraska voters for eligibility by March 2024.[1][6][14][15][16] In August he submitted more than 12,000, securing his place on the ballot.[17]
Osborn was a registered Democrat until 2016.[1] Democrats elected not to run a candidate in the race, and Osborn said he would not seek their endorsement.[1][18][19][20] The Democratic state party chair said the party considered running a write-in candidate.[20] Democrats have claimed Osborn led them on, but he says he was clear about not accepting endorsements from any political party.[21] He says he wants to create an independent caucus in the Senate rather than caucus with either party.[22] He has called the current system a "two-party doom loop".[23] The Reform Party of the United States endorsed Osborn in September 2024.[24]
Osborn says his priorities are protecting small businesses, family farmers, and workers.[13] He supports raising the national minimum wage and a lower tax rate on overtime work; guaranteeing access to abortion; facilitating union organizing; protecting gun rights; securing U.S. borders and exploring ways to legalize some undocumented workers; legalizing and taxing marijuana; and improved railroad safety. He has said he supports a "libertarian approach" to hot-button issues and that government should be kept out of private lives. He believes in a "right-to-repair" of consumer goods such as cars and electronics.[25]
Asked about his prospects in the race by the New York Times, Osborn said: "I've gone up against a major American corporation. I stood up for what I thought was right, and I won." Of the major candidates in the 2024 United States presidential election he said (before Joe Biden withdrew): "I think they're both too old. I think they're both incompetent. There's a good chance I won't vote for president."[1]
Osborn has raised more campaign funds, mostly small-dollar donations, than any independent candidate in Nebraska history.[26]
Traditionally a safe Republican seat,[27] the race has been called unusually competitive thanks to Osborn's candidacy, and potentially important in determining partisan control of the Senate.[28][29] An August 2024 poll by Split Research showed Fischer with a slight lead (39%-38%) over Osborn, within a 3% margin of error, while 23% of voters said they were still undecided. The poll led the Nebraska Examiner to call the election a tight race.[30]
Personal life
[edit]Osborn lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with his wife, Megan; they have three children.[31] He is Catholic.[32]
See also
[edit]- List of third-party and independent performances in United States Senate elections
- Red states and blue states
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Weisman, Jonathan (February 18, 2024). "A Union Leader in Nebraska Tries to Leap to the Senate on Labor's Strength". The New York Times. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ von Kampen, Todd (March 20, 2024). "Osborn bucks Democrats, GOP in independent Senate bid against Fischer". The North Platte Telegraph.
- ^ a b c d "Dan Osborn Independent for Senate". Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ a b c Goldstein, Luke (April 25, 2024). "The Newcomer From the Shop Floor". The American Prospect. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
- ^ Bamer, Erin (September 22, 2023). "Independent candidate to challenge Deb Fischer for Senate seat". The North Platte Telegraph. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Dan Osborn, Navy Veteran and Industrial Mechanic from Omaha, Announces U.S. Senate Run". The Bull. September 21, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ a b Schweizer, Errol (October 11, 2021). "Why Are Kellogg's Workers On Strike?". Forbes. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Thakker, Prem (December 4, 2023). "Shock Poll Shows Independent Nebraska Union Leader Beating Republican Senator". The Intercept. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
- ^ Kaplan, Juliana (November 7, 2021). "Meet the 18-year Kellogg's veteran who's leading workers in a month-long strike that's still going: 'What's at stake here is the American middle class'". Business Insider. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Rodrick, Stephan (November 30, 2021). "Cereal Killers: How 80-Hour Weeks and a Caste System Pushed Kellogg's Workers to Strike". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
- ^ "Kellogg Fired a Union Leader for Watching Netflix at Work. Now He's Running for Senate". Bloomberg.com. January 10, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
- ^ Shanker, Deena (January 10, 2024). "Dan Osborn Was Fired for Watching Netflix at Work. Now He's Running for Senate". BNN Bloomberg. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ a b Early, Steve (December 6, 2023). "Two Working-Class Candidates Launch U.S. Senate Runs". Labor Notes. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Plummer, Kate (December 5, 2023). "Shock Poll Gives Challenger Lead in State Donald Trump Won by 19 Points". TIME. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
- ^ Hammel, Paul (September 21, 2023). "Omaha steamfitter/union leader Dan Osborn to challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Deb. Fischer". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Early, Steve (March 13, 2024). "Dan Osborn Challenges Nebraska's Political Establishment with a Blue-Collar Agenda". Barn Raising Media. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- ^ Sanderford, Aaron (August 20, 2024). "Dan Osborn turns in signatures to appear on ballot against U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer • Nebraska Examiner".
- ^ Jordon, Joe (January 8, 2024). "Despite gun divide Dems leaning toward Osborn for Senate". central.newschannelnebraska.com. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Sanderford, Aaron (October 6, 2023). "Union leader Dan Osborn kicks off nonpartisan U.S. Senate bid in Omaha". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ a b Sanderford, Aaron (June 1, 2024). "Dan Osborn might not face Democratic Senate write-in candidate • Nebraska Examiner". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ Kirst, Seamus (July 28, 2024). "Can a Mechanic Running as an Independent Steal a Senate Seat From Republicans?". Rolling Stone.
- ^ https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/13/dan-osborn-independent-senate-nebraska-00151967
- ^ Roarty, Alex (September 23, 2024). "A Candidate Who Wants to End the 'Two-Party Doom Loop' Appears to Be Getting Help From Dems". NOTUS. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ Evans, Jordan Willow (September 13, 2024). "Reform Party Endorses Dan Osborn for Nebraska Senate Race". Independent Political Report. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ Swett, William (February 21, 2024). ""They want us divided"..." York News-Times. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ Hoff, Maya Marchel. "Nebraska steamfitter running for U.S. Senate against GOP incumbent is gaining traction". USA TODAY. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ Becka, Tom (October 16, 2023). "This Is Not An Endorsement … But …". Omaha Daily Record. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Adeosun, Adeola (September 1, 2024). "GOP Senate incumbent gets worrying sign in state Trump won by 19 points". Newsweek. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
- ^ Faris, David (September 3, 2024). "Could Nebraska Cost Republicans the Senate?". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
- ^ Sanderford, Aaron (September 4, 2024). "Fischer and Osborn might be in tight race, as both tout union endorsements • Nebraska Examiner". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
- ^ "Dan Osborn's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ Osborn, Dan (September 24, 2024). "I'm a Catholic. We h…". r/Nebraska. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Osborn for Senate campaign website
- Len's Political Notes
- 1975 births
- 20th-century American politicians
- Activists from Omaha, Nebraska
- American trade union leaders
- Living people
- Military personnel from Omaha, Nebraska
- Nebraska Democrats
- Nebraska Independents
- Politicians from Omaha, Nebraska
- Trade unionists from Nebraska
- Candidates in the 2024 United States Senate elections