Deb Fischer Of Nebraska

Two “Independent” Senate Candidates In Nebraska And Montana Give Hope To Democrats!

Ronald 3 Comments

Presently, there are two Independents in the US Senate–Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Angus King of Maine, who both join the Democratic caucus.

In the upcoming Midterm Congressional Elections of 2026, two strongly Republican states have Independents running who give hope to Democrats that if they were able to be elected, they would clearly join the Democratic caucus, while reserving their independence as Sanders and King have done for many years.

These are Dan Osborn, age 51, in Nebraska, and Seth Bodnar, age 47, in Montana, and if either were to win the Senate seats in their states, it would insure that Democrats would control the Senate majority with their help and support on most issues.

This, along with the many potential Democratic Senate candidates who are in their 30s, 40s, and early 50s, would make the US Senate vastly younger in membership for the near future.

Osborn is a US Navy veteran, industrial mechanic, former labor union leader, who challenged incumbent Republican Senator Deb Fischer in 2024, losing by only 7 points, in a race no one thought would be anywhere near that close.

Osborn is now challenging Senator Pete Ricketts, former Governor, who is finishing out the term of former Senator Ben Sasse, who resigned in 2023. Osborn is running as a “rugged guy”, portrayed in similar terms as Graham Platner, who is running for the Maine Senate seat race as a Democrat against Maine Governor Janet Mills, for the opportunity to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins.

Osborn is running on a populist platform, promoting small businesses, family farmers, and workers, and the Democrats, who have not run candidates in recent times in Nebraska, decided they would support him informally, and not have a Democrat in the race. Early indications show a nip and tuck race in polls, so Osborn just might win as an Independent, and bring relative youth to the Senate.

In Montana, Seth Bodnar, age 47, former President of the University of Montana, is running as an Independent, with no strong Democratic opponent for what will be an open seat, as Republican Senator Steve Daines decided not to run for reelection, and endorsed former US Attorney Kurt Alme minutes before the primary deadline.

Bodnar is a US Military Academy graduate who served in Iraq, and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. He was encouraged to run as an Independent by former Democratic Senator Jon Tester.
So there is a reasonable chance that Bodner could win the Senate race as an Independent, but with leanings toward the Democratic Party agenda, and would likely join the Democratic caucus in the Senate as an Independent.

US Senators 70 And Over: Most Ever!

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The US Senate has 16 members over 75, more than ever before in US History.

They include:

Chuck Grassley (R) Iowa—92
Bernie Sanders (I) Vermont—84
Jim Risch (R) Idaho—83
Angus King (I) Maine—82
Richard Blumenthal (D) Connecticut—80
Ed Markey (D) Massachusetts—79
Peter Welch (D) Vermont—78
Mazie Hirono (D) Hawaii—78
Jack Reed (D) Rhode Island—76
Elizabeth Warren (D) Massachusetts (76)
Ron Wyden (D) Oregon—76
Patty Murray (D) Washington—75
Chuck Schumer (D) New York—75
John Boozman (R) Arkansas—75
Deb Fischer (R) Nebraska—75
Jim Justice (R) West Virginia—75

Risch, Markey, and Reed are running for reelection this fall, which means they would be in their early to late 80s over the next six years term.

This list does not include the following, who are retiring at the end of this year:

Mitch McConnell (R) Kentucky—84
Dick Durbin (D) Illinois—81
Jeanne Shaheen (D) New Hampshire—79

And there are four US Senators who range from age 70-75, and will be in the high 70s during their term if reelected this fall.

Susan Collins (R) Maine
John Cornyn (R) Texas
Shelley Moore Capito (R) West Virginia
Lindsey Graham (R) South Carolina

So one fifth of the US Senate (20), not counting the three Senators who are retiring, fit the definition of “senior citizens”, over the age of 70!

Nine are Republicans, nine are Democrats, and there are two Independents (Sanders and King)

Clearly, there is a dire need for a “youth movement” in the US Senate, as well as in the House of Representatives!

Predictions On 119th Congress (2025-2027) Races

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This author and blogger senses that the Democrats will regain control of the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress, since the Republicans have had a disastrous two years under Speaker Kevin McCarthy for nine months and then Speaker Mike Johnson, having the fewest accomplishments in legislation in more than a century.

While it is very difficult to project on 435 House races, it seems likely that some Republican seats in New York and California are likely to go to the Democrats, along with some gain of seats in the South, specifically in Alabama and Louisiana.

Likely, the majority will be, however, only on a few seats, as is now the situation.

The Senate will likely see a slight Republican majority, with the retirement of Joe Manchin, insuring that a Republican will replace him.

However, if all Democrats running for reelection, and those running to replace fellow Democrats, seem likely to win, that sets up a possible 50-50 Senate, which the Vice President would organize.

It depends on whether Republicans Ted Cruz in Texas, Rick Scott in Florida, and Deb Fischer in Nebraska can keep their seats. If any of them lose, we would see a Democratic controlled Senate.

If however, Democrats Jon Tester in Montana or Sherrod Brown in Ohio lose their seats, the Republicans would have the majority of the Senate.

13 Democratic Women Senate Candidates, 11 Running For Reelection, And 2 New Candidates Competing in Arizona And Nevada In 2018 Midterms

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In 2018, the US Senate has 23 women serving in the body, including 17 Democrats and 6 Republicans.

11 of the 17 Democratic women face reelection challenges in November.

These include the following:

Dianne Feinstein of California
Mazie Hirono of Hawaii
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
Debbie Stabenow of Michigan
Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
Tina Smith of Minnesota
Claire McCaskill of Missouri
Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota
Maria Cantwell of Washington State
Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin

Additionally, two women are running for election to the Senate:

Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona
Jacky Rosen of Nevada

Also, Jenny Wilson is the Democratic nominee in Utah, competing against former 2012 Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney for the seat of retiring Orrin Hatch, but seen as having no real chance to overcome the well known Romney, much admired in Mormon dominated Utah.

At this point, six weeks before the midterm elections, all of the seated Democratic women Senators seem likely to be reelected, with the most contentious challenges being Claire McCaskill in Missouri and Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota.

The odds on the two women running for election in Arizona and Nevada also look good at this point.

So the odds are heavy that there will be 25 women in the Senate in 2019, with 19 being Democrats and 6 Republicans.

And in the cases of Wisconsin and Arizona, the Republican challengers are women, so already we can add Arizona as a state which will have its first woman Senator. Additionally, Nebraska’s Republican woman Senator, Deb Fischer, has a Democratic opponent who is female, so that assures that seat will continue to have a woman as well.