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As control of the Senate hangs in the balance, many eyes are on Dan Osborn, of Nebraska. He’s a dream candidate for the Democrats: a mechanic in the food-processing industry, a former president of his local union, and a veteran of the Navy and the Army National Guard. But Osborn isn’t a Democrat; he’s running as an independent. Polls show a close or tied race with the Republican incumbent, Pete Ricketts, an heir to a financial fortune. David Remnick talks with Osborn about leading a strike at a Kellogg’s plant, how Donald Trump’s tariffs are affecting voters in an agricultural state, and Osborn’s decision to not caucus with either party if he wins the seat.

Further reading:

• “Can the Democrats Take Back the Senate?,” by Amy Davidson Sorkin

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