Nebraska Senate Candidate Appears to Confirm Leaked Audio Criticizing Trump Supporters

Independent Nebraska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn appeared to confirm leaked audio on Wednesday in which he suggested that supporters of former President Donald Trump have lives that "suck so f---ing bad." The audio, obtained by the Omaha World-Herald, features a voice that sounds like Osborn's demeaning Trump supporters.

"Billy Bob in f---ing Red Cloud, Nebraska, who lives next door to the f---ing Trump store as you pull into town and is waving the Trump flag … all he knows is he’s like on the winning team," the voice in the recording states. "He’s been so effective at taking Billy Bob and his wife Mary Jane or Mary Jo and telling them, look we’re winning. You’re on the winning team. And that’s all they care about, because their lives probably suck so f---ing bad."

When questioned about the recording on CNN's "Inside Politics with Dana Bash," Osborn responded, "It sure sounds like me," but characterized the comments as potentially out of character and lacking specific context. He added, "I talked to a tremendous amount of people and, again, I don’t remember the context of this one particular conversation, but it certainly does sound out of character for myself."

Osborn explained his remarks by referencing discussions about "disenfranchised" voters. "I talked to a lot of Trump voters and … I’m talking about people are pissed off, people are disenfranchised, especially, and that’s what Trump captured in Nebraska," he said. "He captured people who are angry about the political system and Trump ran outside of that as an outsider. That’s what people like about Trump. It’s why I’m running again as an independent running outside the political system, because I’m tired of the two-party doom loop."

He also apologized to anyone offended by the remarks, stating, "if somebody was offended by this, certainly I would apologize to those people that might be offended, but I got to tell them I feel their pain. I absolutely feel the pain. We’re all angry right now and sometimes when you’re angry you say some things."

Incumbent Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Nebr., Osborn's opponent, criticized the candidate's remarks. "I've been to Red Cloud. I've been to every corner of Nebraska. The people Dan Osborn is mocking are the hardest working people in America," Ricketts told Fox News Digital. "They don't need a candidate who looks down on them. They need a senator who fights for them. That's what I do every day."

Earlier in the month, Fox News Digital reported on other leaked audio in which Osborn appeared to suggest he would distance himself from progressive stances to appeal to Republican voters. "The state is made up of 50% Republicans, 26% Democrat, 24% independents. So my win numbers, mathematically, I have to get probably 10-15% of Republicans to win this race. How am I going to do that by f---ing saying, ‘Oh, I love trans people, and they should be able to play in sports?’" he was heard saying.

In a separate clip, Osborn also stated, "I have people recording me, so I can’t say I want to abolish ICE. I can’t say those words. I’ll be f---ed."

Despite Osborn's claims of running as an independent, Fox News Digital reported in May that his campaign received significant funding from left-wing donors and organizations, and he has frequently supported other Democratic candidates' campaigns.