Deb Fischer, the Republican incumbent, faces a stiff challenge from a union leader, Dan Osborn, running as an independent. Her latest ad calls him a “Democrat in disguise.”

Put plainly on the Plains: Nebraska’s Senate race stands to become this cycle’s out-of-nowhere shocker that neither side saw coming. “This was not on my BINGO card,” says one Democratic strategist working on other Senate races.

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) has taken the lead ahead of independent challenger Dan Osborn, offering Republicans a momentary sigh of relief as they look to hold on to the Senate seat that has unexpectedly put the GOP on edge.

Nebraska’s Senate race stands to become this cycle’s out-of-nowhere shocker that neither side saw coming. “This was not on my BINGO card,” says one Democratic strategist working on other Senate races.