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Transcript: What Sen. Pete Ricketts and Dan Osborn said at Nebraska State Fair debate

Andrew Smith World-Herald Digital Director
Sep 1, 2026
Sep 1, 2026 Updated 1 hr ago
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Here's the full transcript from the Nebraska State Fair Senate debate between Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts and nonpartisan candidate Dan Osborn on Tuesday night.

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Photos: US Senate debate between Sen. Pete Ricketts and Dan Osborn

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and Dan Osborn, nonpartisan candidate for U.S. Senate, participate in a debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., participates in a Senate debate with Dan Osborn, a nonpartisan candidate, at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

Dan Osborn, nonpartisan candidate for U.S. Senate, participates in a debate with U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

Attendees watch as U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and Dan Osborn, a nonpartisan candidate for Senate, participate in a debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

News Channel Nebraska's Dave Griek moderates a U.S. Senate debate between Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and Dan Osborn, a nonpartisan candidate, at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

Dan Osborn, nonpartisan candidate for U.S. Senate, participates in a debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., participates in a debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., participates in a debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and Dan Osborn, nonpartisan candidate for Senate, participate in a debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

Attendees watch as U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and Dan Osborn, nonpartisan candidate for Senate, participate in a debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

Attendees watch U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and Dan Osborn, nonpartisan candidate for Senate, participate in a debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts and registered nonpartisan Dan Osborn participate in a Senate debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

Dan Osborn, nonpartisan candidate for U.S. Senate, participates in a debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and Dan Osborn, a nonpartisan candidate for Senate, participate in a debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts and nonpartisan Dan Osborn shake hands after participating in a Senate debate at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD

andrew.smith@owh.com