Fox News Decision Desk expects Republican Deb Fischer to retain the Senate seat despite an independent challenge

The Fox News Decision Desk predicted that incumbent Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., will win reelection and successfully fend off a challenge from an independent candidate.

Independent candidate Dan Osborn, a union leader and mechanic, tried to unseat the senator by accusing her of representing lobbyist interests rather than those of Nebraskans.

No Democratic candidate was nominated to run for the Senate.

The SOROS-linked dark money group is backing an independent candidate from Nebraska in the crucial Senate race

Osborn (left) challenged Fischer's re-election bid and ran as an independent. (Reuters)

Fischer was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and re-elected in 2018. Her latest victory will see her serve a third term in the upper house.

Some of the issues listed on Osborn's campaign website centered around supporting veterans and workers and legalizing marijuana. According to his website, he does not support federal limits on abortion and supports what he called “appropriate gun safety measures,” but reiterated his support for the Second Amendment.

His candidacy was a late warning for Republicans, as top constituencies saw some movement and a loosening of Republicans' grip on the election.

The Nebraska Supreme Court is preparing for an abortion showdown with competing ballot measures on Election Day

Fischer served two terms as a senator. (Reuters)

Both the Cook Political Report and Sabato's crystal ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics decided to change their ratings of the race from “Solid” or “Safe” Republican to “Likely Republican.”

While Fischer and the Republicans still had an advantage, the race was ranked next to that of Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, in every ranking system, which was considered fairly competitive.

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Dan Osborn, independent candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks during a press conference announcing he will not accept party or political endorsements at his home in Omaha, Nebraska, May 15, 2024. (Nikos Frazier/Omaha World-Herald via AP)

Sabato's Crystal Ball also placed the Nebraska Senate race in the same category as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, but Cook had moved the Texas matchup to a more competitive ranking.

However, some of Osborn's donors courted controversy toward the end of the race. The candidate was heavily supported by two outside super PACs, both of which received significant contributions from a controversial dark money group called the Sixteen Thirty Fund, run by the left-wing political consulting firm Arabella Advisers in Washington, DC.

The fund does not disclose its donors, but according to the website of billionaire George Soros' group, the Open Society Foundations, it has donated more than $75 million to the Sixteen Thirty Fund between 2016 and 2022.

George Soros, billionaire and founder of Soros Fund Management, speaks during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, May 24, 2022. (Jason Alden/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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One of the PACs supporting Osborn had also received financial support from Democratic megadonor and Vice President Kamala Harris backer Reid Hoffman, who co-founded LinkedIn.

Osborn reportedly promised to form an independent caucus if elected rather than negotiate with Democrats or Republicans in the Senate. All independents who are currently represented in the upper chamber along with the Democrats.

Fischer's victory prevented Republicans from taking back the Senate majority in 2025.

Get the latest updates on the 2024 election, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital Election Center.