Overview
- Cindy Burbank submitted a formal declination form requesting removal from the November ballot and posted a message saying she has withdrawn her Senate bid.
- The Nebraska Secretary of State, Bob Evnen, said his office will ask the state attorney general whether it must honor Burbank’s late withdrawal before taking action.
- If the declination is accepted the general election would likely become a head-to-head matchup between Republican incumbent Pete Ricketts and independent Dan Osborn, whose signatures were verified for the ballot.
- The Nebraska Democratic Party has not filled the vacancy and Burbank did not endorse Osborn when she announced her withdrawal, though party leaders have previously signaled support for a coalition backing Osborn.
- The move changes the campaign math in a reliably Republican state where no Democrat has won a Senate seat since 2006, and it could consolidate anti-Ricketts voters if officials permit the ballot change and parties coalesce behind Osborn.