Democratic logos at a Nebraska Democratic Party fundraiser at the Omaha Hilton on Nov. 8, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)
LINCOLN — Nebraska Democratic U.S. Senate candidate William Forbes told CNN that he voted for President Donald Trump and attended a training session earlier this year for conservative candidates, activists and staff.
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CNN reports that Forbes, an anti-abortion pastor and registered Democrat from Paxton, said he attended a leadership training session in January organized by the Leadership Institute, a right-leaning organization based in Virginia that trains Republicans to run and help conservative campaigns. The Nebraska Republican Party had recommended and promoted the event. Forbes also told CNN he had voted for Trump in multiple elections.
In a follow-up text with the Examiner on Monday, Forbes said, “CNN just got played like a cheap fiddle by Dan Osborn and his desperate crew … I’m a real Democrat in the mold of JFK and Ben Nelson.”
The CNN interview with Forbes adds to weeks of candidate-related controversy in the race, with competing candidates calling several “plants” to help major candidates. Forbes told CNN he went to the conservative-backed event because he was “trying to get information from everybody.”
Forbes previously sidestepped a question from Examiner about whether he wanted to address allegations of his being “loyal” to Ricketts. In the CNN interview, he said he ran because there was no Democrat on the ballot.
“I’m the only Democrat, and the Democrats are going for Dan Osborn,” he told CNN. He also grew frustrated about being pressed about his voting history, saying, “You’ve asked me who I voted for three times.”
Forbes continued to attack Osborn by saying, “Voters here want a strong Democrat who reaches across the aisle and actually unites people — not another phony independent puppet like Dan Osborn.”
Ricketts’ campaign and national Republicans have called Osborn a “fake independent.”
“After a decade of Pete Ricketts dumping millions into Nebraska and destroying our safety net, wrecking our rural communities, and pushing his extreme agenda, Nebraska Democrats can’t afford to fall for this nonsense,” Forbes said. “It’s time for Nebraska Democrats to unite behind a real Democrat who puts Nebraska first.”
Nebraska Republican Party Chair Mary Jane Truemper, who declined to comment for the CNN story, told the Examiner Monday that the NEGOP “does not know Mr. Forbes, has no relationship with him and has no knowledge of his motivations for entering the Democratic primary.”
“The January event referenced in CNN’s reporting was a Leadership Institute training, an educational program open to anyone interested in attending,” Truemper said. “While the Nebraska Republican Party recommended the event to our members and supporters, it was not a party-sponsored event. … These trainings are broadly available and not exclusive to Republicans.”
Truemper said, “Forbes made his own decision to attend … any suggestion that his attendance at an open educational event reflects coordination with or endorsement by the NEGOP is simply false.”
Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb said in a statement, “Forbes is a Ricketts plant because he’s scared of a head-to-head match with Osborn.” The state’s minority party is recommending that its voters support Cindy Burbank in its Senate primary. Osborn’s campaign manager, John Dolan, said in a statement that it was “painfully obvious” that Ricketts’ campaign would use “their classic dirty tricks.” Ricketts, the Republican incumbent senator, has denied any involvement with Forbes.
The CNN story also touched on Forbes’ Facebook page, which showed someone “traditionally aligned with conservative causes.” In one sermon on his Facebook page, he blamed “radical feminism” and “left-wing media” for shaping public opinion on abortion. Forbes called then-President Joe Biden, “dementia Joe” in another sermon.
Nebraska Republicans have separately tried labeling Burbank as unserious, pointing to her signaling that she might drop out to support Osborn. The NEGOP filed a formal complaint to boot her from the ballot, alleging she was not a “good-faith candidate” and that she had no plans to serve if elected, which she disputed. She was briefly kicked off and sued her way back on the ballot.
The state’s majority party also has highlighted that Burbank paid for the filing fee for third-party candidate Mike Marvin, who has been accused of being a plant to help Osborn. Marvin has denied being a plant. Osborn’s team has denied involvement with Marvin as well.
Ricketts and Osborn are currently in a heated race for one of Nebraska’s two Senate seats, in a race considered Ricketts’s toughest general election matchup of his career. Ricketts served two terms as governor before being appointed to the seat in 2023 and winning a special election in 2024.
Nebraska’s primary election is May 12. The general election is Nov. 3.
This story is provided by States Newsroom, a nonprofit state news network and Blox Digital content partner.
