Brian Bengs knows that any independent run for elected office — much less one for the U.S. Senate — is a daunting task.
So when he was considering this winter whether to start a campaign in South Dakota, Bengs sought advice from the man who did it best last year: Dan Osborn, the union worker turned independent in Nebraska who ran a surprisingly strong race against an incumbent senator.
Osborn spoke highly of his experience in 2024, Bengs recalled, and encouraged the South Dakotan to run. Months later, Bengs launched his own independent bid.