Senator Deb Fischer’s first and so far, only opponent, Omaha labor leader Dan Osborn spoke publicly about his race for the first time Thursday.

Osborn making the case that Fischer’s been in office long enough, that Washington is a mess, and that he’s just the guy to make things right.

In addition, more than once Osborn added he’s running as an Independent.

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Complaining that Washington is broken but insisting he can fix it U.S. Senate hopeful Dan Osborn who is running as an Independent against two-term Republican Deb Fischer, wasted little time going after the state’s senior senator.

Dan Osborn, Senate Candidate (R): “I'm not asking for a career in politics I think we should have two-term limits. The person I'm running against promised two-term limits when she first started out in the Senate. Now she is running for her third term. Not that anybody's keeping track.”

Fischer, who was not immediately available for comment, has won two landslide elections, both against Democrats including former Governor and Senator Bob Kerrey.

Osborn's Independent bid arguably an even longer long shot although Nebraska Democrats, still without their own candidate, are considering as we first reported, a statewide first.

Jane Kleeb, NE Democratic Party: “There is a possibility that we will support Dan as an Independent. As a party the only way that we're going to win statewide is with Independents and Democrats coming together.”

As of January 1, Fischer had raised over $6.5 million dollars and had over $1.4 million in the bank. Since announcing his campaign three weeks ago Osborn says he's raised $62,000 to take on Fischer, opting not to challenge multi-multi-millionaire Sen. Pete Ricketts who is also running next year.

Joe Jordan, NCN: “Did Pete Ricketts’ money scare you off?”

Osborn: “I wouldn’t say it scared us, but we definitely took that into consideration, you know the amount of money his family has. We do feel he can certainly buy his way into offices.”

The 48-year-old Osborn who says he gained “national attention" two years ago as a labor leader heading up a "successful strike" at Kellogg's in Omaha saving "500 middle class jobs, he’ll need 4,000 valid signatures by next September in order to make the ballot as an Independent.