By Osborn Campaign Releases New Ad
The campaign of Nebraska independent U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn released a new ad on Thursday that opens with a quote from his opponent, Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE). The ad features Ricketts saying, “If you legalize marijuana, you’re gonna kill your kids.”
The comments are from 2021, when Ricketts was Nebraska’s governor. He made the remark at a press conference ahead of a vote in the legislature on a bill to legalize medical cannabis. That legislation ultimately failed.
Nebraska voters approved medical marijuana legalization ballot measures in 2024.
Although the ad opens with the Ricketts marijuana quote, it is otherwise focused on the senator voting in favor of funding cuts to Medicaid while receiving campaign contributions from insurance companies.
Osborn’s Position on Cannabis Reform
Osborn has often discussed his support for cannabis reform in detail. His campaign website says, “In 2024, 71 percent of Nebraska voters voted to legalize medical marijuana but Pete Ricketts has sabotaged the will of the people at every turn.”
The website also says Ricketts “spent $500,000 on ads lying about medical marijuana” and “lobbied against legislation that would have properly regulated it.”
“I will stand up for patients and caregivers to make sure people can get the medicine that helps them,” the campaign website says.
Background on the Race
Osborn is running as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Ricketts, a Republican.
The Ricketts quote featured in the ad was originally delivered while he was serving as Nebraska’s governor, before his time in the Senate. The 2021 press conference where he made the remark was held ahead of a legislative vote on a medical cannabis legalization bill that did not pass.
The Osborn campaign’s ad comes as the race between the two candidates continues. Osborn’s campaign has emphasized his support for cannabis reform, contrasting his position with Ricketts’ opposition to medical marijuana legalization.
