In Nebraska, a race is on

"A Face in the Crowd" is the prophetic 1957 movie about a charismatic drifter "discovered" in an Arkansas jail. The face belongs to "Lonesome" Rhodes, a scoundrel whose folksy act catapults him to national prominence. "Lonesome" (Andy Griffith) abuses women, but the crowd only sees a lovable spinner of down-home yarns. He deflates after getting caught on an open mic mocking his followers as idiots and fools. Maine's Graham Platner was a face in the crowd, sold to Democrats as a salt-of-the-sea oysterman who actually came from a privileged background. The senatorial candidate survived his sordid history of mistreating women until a plausible accusation of rape finally did him in. American politics feasts on stories of candidates from humble backgrounds who know what it means to be a working stiff. Some such contenders are uncovered as bums or phonies. But some are the real thing. They would include Dan Osborn of Nebraska. He is the steamfitter and former union organizer from Omaha running for the senate as an independent against Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts. Osborn now has a decent chance of prevailing in November. His is not a new face. He had run in 2024 as an independent who did surprisingly well against Republican incumbent Deb Fischer. Osborn lost by only 7 points in a state that Donald Trump carried by about 21 points. Osborn clearly has appeal. After the election, Osborn launched a PAC called the Working Class Heroes Fund. Its stated mission is to support candidates like him, regardless of party label. With Ricketts an heir to a family fortune exceeding $1 billion, Osborn has predictably framed the race as between the "billionaire class" and the working class. One of his challenges, though, is to minimize the extent to which Democrats openly want him to win. Nebraska Democrats are not running their own candidate and urge their contributors to back Osborn. To prevail in a conservative state like Nebraska, Osborn needs support from disaffected or moderate Republicans. If elected, he vows not to caucus with either party. And he criticizes Democrats for their focus on white-collar professionals. Working in his favor is the fact that many Nebraska Republicans are not hard right. Omaha Rep. Don Bacon, for example, is a Republican moderate known for often criticizing Trump. His is a swing district, nationally known as the "blue dot." Seeing himself at a disadvantage among MAGA Republicans and Democrats desperate for a win, Bacon decided not to seek another term. Former Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse is a traditional conservative known for his intellect and courteous manners. Sasse was one of only seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict Trump for inciting the Capitol riot. He is now bravely confronting Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Trump's job approval rating in Nebraska is evenly divided or slightly underwater. And so a working man fixed on pragmatic solutions would seem a serious challenger. Arizona Democrats have Katie Hobbs running for reelection as governor. The product of a middle-class family, Hobbs put herself through college. While secretary of state in 2020, she earned national renown for defending Arizona's election results against phony claims of voter fraud. As governor, she has lured business to her state, which explains her directing ads toward Republicans and independents. Many Arizonans, meanwhile, remain incensed at Trump's shabby treatment of the late Republican icon John McCain. McCain's widow, Cindy McCain, has publicly endorsed Hobbs against her Republican opponent, Andy Biggs. Tied hand and foot to Trump, Biggs tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Moderate Democrats do have a good shot at winning this November. Electorates may have grown weary of faces in the crowd, entertainers offering colorful tales and little more. Follow Froma Harrop on X @FromaHarrop.