Poll: Ben Sasse Surges to 6-Point Lead in Nebraska GOP Senate Primary

Conservative Nebraska Senate candidate Ben Sasse has opened a six-point lead over Shane Osborn in a new poll his campaign commissioned two weeks before the May 13 Nebraska GOP Senate primary.

Sasse leads with 31% of the vote while Osborne has 25% and Sid Dinsdale has 22%. 

According to the National Review, which obtained the internal data, though the candidates have similar favorability ratings, more Nebraskans view Osborn unfavorably, with 25.8% viewing Osborn unfavorably while 18.4% view Sasse unfavorably. Dinsdale is viewed unfavorably by 12%. 

Osborne’s unfavorables have gone up since he has attacked Sasse, who has been endorsed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Mike Lee (R-UT), for being soft on Obamacare even though Cruz, who led the defunding efforts, and Lee, who was the architect of the strategy, endorsed Sasse. In addition, Palin, who has staunchly opposed Obamacare and its “death panels,” joined Cruz and Lee at a rally for Sasse last Friday.

Sasse surged in the race after a video of him calling out the GOP establishment for not fighting to defund and repeal Obamacare went viral during the defunding debate last year.