Dan Osborn and Sen. Pete Ricketts meet in heated debate ahead of election
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KLKN) – More than 200 Nebraskans gathered to watch a debate between Sen. Pete Ricketts and Dan Osborn on Tuesday night.
The two candidates are going head-to-head for the midterm election.
For the first time in the race, the pair stood before voters at the Heartland Event Center in Grand Island.
Osborn is running as an independent candidate and is the sole challenger to incumbent republican Ricketts.
Both were heated, throwing jabs at each other over various topics.
Ricketts claimed Osborn is secretly working for the Democratic Party and referred to him as “Democrat Dan” several times throughout the event.
But Osborn argued that he will work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
One of the first topics up for discussion was the war in Iran.
“A country that chants, ‘death to America’ cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon,” Ricketts said. “We have to continue to put pressure on them. That means sanctions, that means blocking their ports, that means finding other ways to get oil out of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Osborn agreed that Iran shouldn’t be allowed to have nuclear weapons, but argued that the decision to go to war must come from Congress.
“We were promised no new foreign wars, but here we are 185 days into a new foreign war and Nebraskans are paying the price,” Osborn said.
The war has caused a jump in oil and gas prices over the past several months.
Many Americans are worried about affordability.
The cost of beef is climbing, and cattle ranchers are struggling to build up their herds.
President Donald Trump pushed to bring in 300,000 metric tons of imported, tariff-free beef to relieve stress on consumers.
But that idea got pushback from both Ricketts and Osborn.
“I think this is where Sen. Ricketts and I will see eye to eye: that this is a colossal mistake for our cattle ranchers,” Osborn said. “I’m always going to stand for the producers, the hog farmers and the cattle ranchers.”
Ricketts said he “told President Trump that short-term solutions to try and address the costs we all want to bring down for folks, are not going to work, and they’re actually bad for our cattle ranchers.”
Along with beef, tariffs have been a big talking point. Ricketts said he will fight for businesses and farmers.
“I have seen firsthand how our allies are disadvantaging us when it comes to tariffs,” he said. “They have high tariffs on our products, and we have low tariffs on theirs and it’s not fair.”
But Osborn again argued that the power of tariffs should be given back to Congress.
“Homeownership is becoming unattainable for the future generations and it’s because tariffs are driving this,” Osborn said.
A Channel 8 reporter spoke with Nebraskans who watched the debate.
Some said Ricketts brought specifics to back up his claims, and he was strong in his arguments.
Others said they’re tired of political attacks and believe Osborn is more in tune with the problems of people in Nebraska.
During his closing statement, Ricketts argued he has a proven track record of delivering for Nebraskans.
He said that experience will help him make even more progress if he’s reelected.
Osborn said his strength lies in running as an independent.
He said his purpose will be to serve everyone in Nebraska and to work past the divisive nature of politics.
