Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts and Gov. Jim Pillen are leading their respective challengers in Nebraska, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll released Saturday, October 31, just days before the November 3 midterm elections.

The survey of 809 likely Nebraska voters found Ricketts leading independent challenger Dan Osborn 49% to 43%, a six-point advantage. Pillen holds a larger lead over Democratic challenger Lynne Walz, receiving 53% support compared with Walz's 40%.

Republicans also hold a 54%-35% advantage over Democrats on the generic congressional ballot, suggesting a substantial gap between the parties among likely voters in the state.

The Senate contest has drawn national attention because Osborn, a former labor union leader, has sought to challenge Ricketts without running under either major party's banner. Osborn previously mounted a competitive independent campaign against Republican Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024, coming within approximately six percentage points of defeating her.

Although Osborn has described himself as independent of both parties and has said he would not caucus with either Republicans or Democrats if elected, questions about his political alignment have remained central to the campaign. Democratic groups and donors have supported his candidacy as an alternative to running a traditional Democratic nominee.

Ricketts, a former two-term Nebraska governor, entered the Senate in January 2023 after being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Republican Sen. Ben Sasse. He subsequently won a special election in November 2024 and is now seeking a full Senate term.

Pillen, who succeeded Ricketts as governor in 2023, is seeking another term against Walz, a Democratic state lawmaker. The latest survey places the incumbent governor 13 percentage points ahead, making his contest the wider of the two statewide races measured.

The poll was conducted October 23-29 among 809 likely voters. Its findings offer a snapshot of Nebraska's political landscape immediately before Election Day, with Republicans holding leads in the Senate, governor's race, and generic congressional ballot.