Pete Ricketts, a Republican, currently holds this Senate seat and is running for re-election. It’s widely expected to stay in Republican hands. Pete Ricketts, a Republican, has taken $445,585 in donations linked to AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobbying group. 3 candidates show no AIPAC-linked donations in available records, including Robin Richards. Dan Osborn, an independent, shows a record of donations linked to AIPAC, but the exact amount is still being confirmed. The November ballot lists 5 candidates: one Republican and one independent.
Key issues in Nebraska
Major issues facing Nebraska, based on 2025–2026 reporting. Compare them with what each candidate says they focus on below.
Property tax relief — Property taxes remain the dominant issue as lawmakers debate caps and school funding.
Ballot measures — November voters face measures on online sports betting, school sports, and legislative term limits.
Minimum wage fight — The attorney general is suing Omaha and Lincoln over ordinances restoring voter-approved wage rules.
In-state tuition ended — A federal court ended in-state tuition for undocumented students under a 2006 state law.
FEC campaign finance data through Oct 14, 2026. Campaign dollars, by source.
Pete Ricketts R
Dan Osborn I
Robin Richards Nebraska Working People
Mike Marvin Legal Marijuana NOW
Chuck Conboy America First
Raised
$13.4M
$9.8M
—
$28K
—
Individuals
$2.7M20%
$9.4M96%
—
$28K100%
—
PACs & parties
$1.9M15%
$204K2%
—
$0
—
Self-funded
$6.3M47%
$50%
—
$0
—
Other
$2.4M18%
$183K2%
—
$0
—
AIPAC-linked*
$446K
—
—
—
—
Outside spending†
—
—
—
—
—
* AIPAC-linked money is already counted in the rows above — it flags the pro-Israel share, not extra money.
† Independent spending on ads for or against a candidate. It never goes to their campaign.
“Individuals” covers both small-dollar (under $200) and large donors.
Who are the biggest donors?
Every donor ranked by how much they gave, from the candidate’s own FEC filings — individuals, PACs, and party committees all in one list. Expand a candidate to see theirs, then tap any name to learn more about the donor.
Why are so many gifts exactly $10,000? That’s the legal maximum a PAC can give one candidate for the whole cycle — $5,000 for the primary plus $5,000 for the general — so many PACs give the max. Individuals can give up to $3,500 per election.
Pete Ricketts1128 donors
FINANCIAL POSITION
Campaign raised$13.4M
Campaign spent$12.8M
Cash on hand$1.1M
FEC 2026 through 09/30/2026
CANDIDATE-CONTROLLED MONEY
Individuals20%
PACs / committees15%
Self-funding47%
Share of campaign receipts. FEC 2026.
ROUTED CONTRIBUTIONS
Total routed through conduits$2K
Share of individual giving0.1%
Individuals gave through these conduits. Conduit is routing layer, not legal donor. General platforms (ActBlue, WinRed) are payment processors, not networks. How conduits work →
Self-funded$5.3M
Party committee$62K
Individual$21K
Individual$14K
Individual$14K
Individual$14K
Individual$14K
Individual$14K
Individual$14K
Individual$10K
Individual$10K
Trade association PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Trade association PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Trade association PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Trade association PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Trade association PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Trade association PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Labor PAC$10K
Trade association PAC$10K
Membership PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Corporate PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Leadership PAC$10K
Showing the 50 biggest of 1128 donors. The other 1078 gave $2.8M combined.
Plus $216K from small donors giving under $200 each — those aren’t itemized by name.
These figures come from the candidate’s own itemized FEC reports (2026 cycle, through the coverage date above), with amendments applied and refunds netted. Joint fundraising transfers are left out of the ranking: they’re pass-throughs, and the individual donations behind them are listed above. Bank interest, vendor refunds, and other non-donation receipts are excluded. Donor names are as reported — the same person can appear twice if their name was recorded differently. Independent spending on ads is never included here — see the Outside spending column.
Related news
October 19, 2026
Anti-incumbent PAC adds $174K attacking Flood, Ricketts, Rounds; ~$1M of its September money still hidden
Retire Career Politicians, a Democratic-aligned hybrid PAC run by compliance pro Christopher Koob (MBA Consulting Group; ex-DSCC/DNC), added $173,991 in new independent expenditures opposing Mike Flood (NE-1), Pete Ricketts (NE-Sen), and Mike Rounds (SD-Sen), while backing Democrat Chris Backemeyer (NE-1). Its disclosed funding runs through other PACs — mainly $200K from Way Back PAC — but roughly $1M behind the current ad blitz is undisclosed until the October Monthly report due Oct 20; the PAC's September report also drew an FEC information request on Oct 14.
Senate Leadership Fund adds another $8 million for Ricketts in Nebraska, bringing its total to $15 million
The Senate Leadership Fund plans to spend another $8 million through Election Day to help Sen. Pete Ricketts (R), who faces an unexpectedly strong challenge from independent Dan Osborn. That brings SLF's total planned spending in the race to $15 million — $7 million already spent through the previously undisclosed Cornhusker Majority PAC. The move signals how worried Republicans are about holding a once-safe seat with three weeks to go.