‘It’s certainly a challenge for Nebraska families’: GOP senator who supports war in Iran on its economic impact 4:56

Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska is fighting a reelection battle that has proved tougher than anyone expected, with independent Dan Osborn as his opponent. Nebraska usually votes reliably Republican, but the race is now competitive, and CNN's Inside Politics links that shift in part to the money troubles residents face because of the war in Iran. Ricketts, who supports the war, conceded in an interview with Dana Bash that the economic impact is "certainly a challenge for Nebraska families."

He nonetheless defended the conflict as a matter of national security. In his view, Iran must be blocked from obtaining nuclear arms, because it is a country that chants "death to America." Ricketts warned that Iran, having killed tens of thousands of its own people, would take the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans. He labeled Iran the foremost state backer of terrorism and said he believes a good number of people recognize the threat this poses to Americans.

The contest pits a Republican incumbent against an independent challenger, and the war in Iran is one of the reasons the outcome is uncertain. The interview was published September 29, 2026, and lasts 4:56. It sets the senator's support for the war beside the economic worries of voters in a state that Republicans ordinarily carry with ease.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CNN’s reporting. Read the full story at CNN →