Overview
- Forbes, who issued a statement Tuesday to KETV, denied being a Ricketts plant and called himself a “real Democrat” in the mold of JFK and Ben Nelson as Ricketts’ campaign also denied any role.
- CNN reported Monday that Forbes voted for Donald Trump multiple times, attended a GOP-backed leadership training, and preached conservative views in now-deleted sermons on abortion, Black Lives Matter, and “cultural Marxism.”
- Nebraska Democrats skipped fielding a nominee to boost independent Dan Osborn, then recruited Cindy Burbank to oppose Forbes in the May 12 primary after he filed just before the March deadline.
- After a Republican challenge led the secretary of state to remove Burbank for not being a “good-faith” candidate, the Nebraska Supreme Court reinstated her earlier this month and party leaders say they will support her.
- Democrats warn that a Forbes nomination could siphon votes from Osborn in a low-population state, where small shifts could help Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts keep his seat.