Senate hopeful's 'treading water' narrative crumbles under $500K campaign payouts to family
Independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn repeatedly said his family is "treading water" financially because of rising grocery and gas prices last week, but federal campaign finance records show his campaign...
By Fox News · Fox News
Independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn repeatedly said his family is "treading water" financially because of rising grocery and gas prices last week, but federal campaign finance records show his campaign has paid more than $500,000 to members of his family since launching his Senate bid. Speaking at a Capitol Hill press conference on Sept. 24, Osborn said, "My family, we're treading water here, and it feels like every day it's hard to keep your head above water" because of the economy and rising grocery and gas prices. Later that day, during an NBC News interview, he made nearly identical remarks, again describing his family as "treading water." Americans for Public Trust, a government ethics watchdog that has previously scrutinized Osborn's campaign spending, estimates Osborn and members of his family received nearly $480,000 from his campaign and affiliated PACs through the first quarter of 2026. The organization told Fox News Digital that figure does not include additional campaign spending disclosed in Osborn's second-quarter filing, which was filed in July. Fox News Digital's review of that filing found additional payments to family members that pushed the total above $500,000. NEBRASKA SENATE CANDIDATE SEEMS TO CONFIRM AUDIO CLAIMING TRUMP SUPPORTERS' LIVES 'SUCK SO F---ING BAD' The largest share of those payments went to Osborn's wife, Megan Osborn, who has worked for the campaign since its launch. Campaign finance records also show payments to the candidate's daughter, Georgia, who Osborn has described publicly as a part-time dancer who still needs help paying her bills. His daughter has been paid by the campaign for work including event staffing and campaign activities, alongside other relatives and entities tied to his family. Amid the scrutiny, Osborn's wife stepped away from consulting firms she had a stake in, which were receiving thousands of dollars from Osborn's campaign coffers, including from his 2024 war chest, even though that campaign was def…