If it walks like a Democrat and talks like a Democrat, it probably is a Democrat. Such is the mantra that voters should apply to Nebraska “independent” Senate candidate Dan Osborn.
Osborn is running against Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts and telling voters that he is truly independent from the two-party system. When asked if he philosophically aligns with the Democratic Party on most major issues, Osborn outright said he would agree with that characterization. Among his biggest hits, Osborn wants to codify Roe v. Wade and force all states to allow essentially unlimited abortion, and he sided with open borders activists in Minneapolis over the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers whom those activists were harassing.
Recommended Stories
CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS ACCUSE NEBRASKA SENATE CANDIDATES OF RUNNING SHAM CAMPAIGNS TO AID DAN OSBORN
Osborn is ostensibly to the right on issues such as border security and gun rights, but when the rubber meets the road, he will almost certainly come down on the side of Democrats. We know this for a variety of reasons, aside from his previous agreement with the notion that he aligns closely with Democrats. For one, Osborn is a former labor union leader backed by left-wing labor union leaders. He has constantly praised “independent” Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. He fundraises on ActBlue, the Democratic Party’s fundraising platform, and has received donations from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) PAC.
If that is not enough for you, consider how the Democratic Senate primary in Nebraska played out. Cindy Burbank pledged that, if nominated, she would step aside and not run in the general so as to allow Democrats to consolidate voters behind Osborn. Democratic primary voters then nominated her, Burbank did as she promised, and the Nebraska Democratic Party endorsed Osborn in the process.
NEBRASKA SENATE HOPEFUL DAN OSBORN DECRIES PLATNER BUT WON’T URGE HIM TO QUIT
If it walks like a Democrat, talks like a Democrat, fundraises on Democratic platforms, and had the Democratic primary bent to its will, it would be hard to describe it as an “independent” campaign, wouldn’t it?
This is all a cynical play by Osborn and Democrats to pull one over on Nebraska voters, since the Democratic Party is swimming against the current in Republican Nebraska. Therefore, the best Democratic candidate is one who rejects the Democratic label while still essentially being a Democrat, relying on Democratic funds, and holding Democratic positions. Osborn can talk about being independent all he wants, but everything about him and his campaign shows that he would be just as “independent” in the upper chamber as Bernie Sanders is.
