Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) traveled to Nebraska on Sunday to campaign for Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) at a steak fry luncheon celebrating the state’s agricultural heritage, drawing a standing-room-only crowd as he mixed humor with a pointed warning about the stakes of the 2026 midterms.
“I’m a United States senator, though every day I try to rise above that,” Kennedy told the crowd. “It’s so good to be out of Washington and back in America.”
Kennedy paid tribute to the state’s farmers, telling attendees, “Without farmers, you’d be hungry. You’d be naked. You’d be sober.”
He also drew laughs comparing his home state to Nebraska. “There are differences between Louisiana and Nebraska,” Kennedy said. “For one thing, we eat things that you would call an exterminator for, to get out of your backyard. When you pass a ditch here in Nebraska, you look at it and say, ‘Oh, there’s a ditch!’ In Louisiana, we see dinner. So, I want you to come visit my state. We have the best food in the world as long as you don’t ask too many questions. I shouldn’t say this, but I love Nebraska better than sex. Not really, but I love Nebraska!”
Beyond the jokes, Kennedy struck a more serious tone about the political fight ahead. “All of the good work we’re doing in D.C. is at risk because the D.C. Democrats have lost their minds,” he said. Kennedy and Ricketts pointed to Republican achievements including cuts to business regulation, reduced illegal immigration, legislation aimed at lowering new housing costs, higher tax refunds, and the preservation of tax cuts under the One Big, Beautiful Bill.
Osborn hot mic remarks surface
The rally came days after Ricketts’ opponent, Dan Osborn, who is running as an independent with Democratic Party backing, was caught on a hot mic making disparaging comments about Nebraska Republicans. In the recording, Osborn referred to a hypothetical supporter as “Billy Bob in fucking Red Cloud, Nebraska,” saying “all he knows is he’s on the winning team” and that “their lives probably suck so fucking…”
The remarks, which surfaced publicly, have become a flashpoint in the race, with Ricketts’ allies pointing to them as evidence of contempt for rural Nebraska voters. Osborn is challenging Ricketts, the Republican incumbent, in a contest that is being closely watched as part of the broader battle for control of the Senate.
