Republican Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer defeated independent candidate Dan Osborn in a competitive race to win reelection to a third Senate term, multiple outlets reported.

Fischer is projected to hold on to her Nebraska senate seat in a narrow victory over Osborn, according to a Fox News Decision Desk projection announced at 11:50 p.m. Decision Desk HQ also called the race for Fischer who is leading her independent challenger by less than three percentage points with 61% of votes reported.

The FOX News Decision Desk projects Republicans will secure Senate control with at least 51 seats, clinching the majority with a decisive win in Nebraska, where Sen. Deb Fischer defeats independent Dan Osborn. pic.twitter.com/LApxUZuxyq

— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 6, 2024

Fischer’s victory is a sigh of relief to Republicans who flipped West Virginia and Ohio to take control of the U.S. Senate.

The Osborn campaign surprised political observers by narrowing the contest within a few percentage points in a red state where registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats by a two to one margin. A New York Times Siena College poll from Oct. 23-26 found that Fischer led Osborn by just two percentage points with 5% of voters undecided or refusing to answer.

National Republican groups poured money and resources into the Nebraska senate contest that traditionally would have been doled out to Republican candidates running in battleground states, a sign that the race may have been closer than expected for Fischer’s campaign.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, spent more than $500,000 in support of Fischer and the Senate Leadership Fund, closely aligned with Republican Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, poured more than $3 million into the state. Former President Donald Trump and Republican Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley participated in radio ads in support of the Fischer campaign.

The Fischer campaign routinely criticized Osborn for declining to say which party he would caucus with if elected to the Senate. Osborn claimed that as an independent candidate he would form his own “independent caucus” despite every independent senator currently serving caucusing with Democrats.

A left-wing Democratic super PAC sent out a text message to voters on Oct. 29 claiming Osborn would caucus with Senate Democrats.

The Nebraska State Democratic Party notably did not run a candidate and Osborn rejected an endorsement from the party in May.

Nebraska Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts comfortably defeated his Democratic opponent Preston Love. Ricketts was appointed to the Senate by Nebraska governor Jim Pillen in January 2023 following Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse’s resignation to lead the University of Florida.

(Featured Image Media Credit: Screenshot: Senator Deb Fischer/YouTube)