Dan Osborn, an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in Nebraska, appeared to confirm audio recordings where he criticizes Trump supporters' lives as "suck[ing] so f---ing bad." In the recordings obtained by the Omaha World-Herald, Osborn suggests that these individuals support Trump merely because they perceive him as part of the winning team due to their difficult circumstances. When questioned about this on CNN's "Inside Politics," Osborn acknowledged that it sounded like him but claimed it was out of character and not reflective of his true views. His Republican opponent, Senator Pete Ricketts, criticized Osborn for mocking hard-working Nebraskans who support Trump.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.45, but 2 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 1 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 17434: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-18
Independent Nebraska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn appeared to confirm leaked audio on Wednesday in which he suggested people who supported President Donald Trump have lives that "suck so f---ing bad."
uncertain
that → appear → lives
In audio obtained by the Omaha World-Herald, Osborn seemed to be heard demeaning Trump supporters in Nebraska, claiming they only support the president because he's "on the winning team."
asserted
he → obtain → team
"Billy Bob in f---ing Red Cloud, Nebraska, who lives next door to the f---ing Trump store as you pull into town and is waving the Trump flag … all he knows is he’s like on the winning team," the person who appeared to be Osborn said.
asserted
who → e → team
"He’s been so effective at taking Billy Bob and his wife Mary Jane or Mary Jo and telling them, look we’re winning.
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we → take → them
You’re on the winning team.
asserted
You → ’re → team
And that’s all they care about, because their lives probably suck so f---ing bad."
asserted
lives → ’ → ?
When asked about the audio on CNN's "Inside Politics with Dana Bash," Osborn said, "It sure sounds like me," but added that it sounded "out of character" for him.
asserted
it → ask → him
"I talked to a tremendous amount of people and, again, I don’t remember the context of this one particular conversation, but it certainly does sound out of character for myself," Osborn said.
asserted
Osborn → talk → myself
"I’ve always lived by the golden rule, treat others like you want to be treated, and if somebody was offended by this, certainly I would apologize to those people that might be offended, but I got to tell them I feel their pain.
uncertain
I → live → pain
I absolutely feel the pain.
asserted
I → feel → pain
We’re all angry right now and sometimes when you’re angry you say some things."
asserted
you → ’re → things
During the interview, Osborn emphasized that the audio was not what he truly thought of Trump voters and instead a discussion on the "disenfranchised" voters.
asserted
he → emphasize → voters
"I talked to a lot of Trump voters and … I’m talking about people are pissed off, people are disenfranchised, especially, and that’s what Trump captured in Nebraska.
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Trump → talk → Nebraska
He captured people who are angry about the political system and Trump ran outside of that as an outsider
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Trump → capture → outsider
," he said.
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he → say → ?
"That’s what people like about Trump.
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people → ’ → Trump
It’s why I’m running again as an independent running outside the political system, because I’m tired of the two-party doom loop."
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I → ’ → loop
Fox News Digital reached out to Osborn's campaign for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
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Digital → reach → response
Osborn's opponent, incumbent Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Nebr., told Fox News Digital: "I've been to Red Cloud.
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I → tell → Cloud
The people Dan Osborn is mocking are the hardest working people in America.
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Osborn → mock → America
They don't need a candidate who looks down on them.
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who → need → them
They need a senator who fights for them.
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who → need → them
That's what I do every day."
Earlier this month, Fox News Digital obtained audio of Osborn suggesting that he would appeal to Republican voters by distancing himself from progressive issues.
"
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he → do → issues
The state is made up of 50% Republicans, 26% Democrat, 24% independents.
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state → make → Republicans
So my win numbers, mathematically, I have to get probably 10-15% of Republicans to win this race.
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I → have → race
How am I going to do that by f---ing saying, ‘Oh, I love trans people, and they should be able to play in sports?’" Osborn said.
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Osborn → go → sports
"F--- no, Jane, that’s not how I win.
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I → ’ → ?
I win by s---ing on the party."
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I → win → party
In another clip, he was heard saying, "I have people recording me, so I can’t say I want to abolish ICE.
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I → hear → ICE
I can’t say those words.
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I → say → words
I’ll be f---
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I → f → ?
Though Osborn has insisted that he was "independent" of the two parties, Fox News Digital reported in May that Osborn's campaign was predominantly funded by left-wing donors and activist organizations like ActBlue.
uncertain
campaign → insist → ActBlue
Osborn has also predominantly supported other Democrats' campaigns.
asserted
Osborn → support → campaigns
The Aporia
