Cindy Burbank Withdraws from Nebraska Senate Race Amid Legal Uncertainty
In an unexpected turn of events, Democratic Senate candidate Cindy Burbank has officially announced her withdrawal from the Nebraska Senate race. The decision comes after Burbank filed the necessary paperwork on Friday, declining the nomination she secured by winning the Democratic primary election in May.
However, the process may not be straightforward. Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, who had previously attempted to prevent Burbank from entering the primary ballot following her public declaration to exit the race, has hinted at potential legal challenges. According to a spokesperson for Evnen, he intends to consult Attorney General Mike Hilgers, seeking clarity on whether the office must honor Burbank’s decision to decline the nomination.
This isn’t Burbank’s first confrontation with Evnen’s office. In March, she was removed from the primary ballot by Evnen, who labeled her as not being a “good-faith candidate” after she expressed support for independent candidate Dan Osborn over Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts, contingent upon her winning the Democratic nomination. Burbank challenged this decision in court, and although her case was initially dismissed by a Lancaster County judge, the Nebraska Supreme Court later reinstated her candidacy.
After her victory in the Democratic primary, Burbank reiterated her intention to step down from the Senate race, aiming to pave the way for Osborn. She also publicly endorsed independent candidate Austin Ahlman for the 1st Congressional District.
Efforts to obtain comments from Ricketts’ campaign, Burbank, Osborn’s campaign, and Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb were unsuccessful, as none had responded by the time of this article’s publication.
