Nebraska Democrat Cindy Burbank defeated anti-abortion pastor Bill Forbes in the state’s Senate primary, giving independent Dan Osborn a clearer path against Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) in November.

Burbank was bolstered by some late spending from the state’s Democratic Party, which is backing Osborn in the Republican-heavy state. She’s expected to drop out of the race following her primary victory Tuesday.

“William Forbes is not running to serve Nebraskans. He is running to trick voters,” Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb said in March. “The Nebraska Democratic Party made a deliberate, principled decision not to field a candidate in the US Senate race.”

Her win helps boost Osborn, who came within seven points of defeating GOP Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024.

And it ends what has been a weird, prolonged battle in the state, which included accusations from Osborn allies that Forbes was only running so he could stay on the ballot and split the Democratic vote in the fall to boost Ricketts. Ricketts has denied any association with Forbes.

Burbank was initially axed from the ballot entirely by the GOP secretary of state because she had no intention to run this fall, but she sued the state in order to get her ballot access restored.

A group of House Republicans discussed pushing to pass a new party-line bill before the summer recess begins in closed-door meetings Tuesday, according to five people granted anonymity to describe the private conversations.

The bill would be in addition to the immigration enforcement bill now moving through the GOP-controlled Senate under the filibuster-skirting budget reconciliation process. The agenda for such a bill — the third reconciliation measure since the Republican trifecta began last year — is unsettled but could include a variety of conservative policy initiatives.

Asked if Republicans can meet a summer timeline for the legislation, Speaker Mike Johnson said, “I do,” as he left the House floor Tuesday.

Inside the gatherings, some Republicans raised concerns about the messaging around the first two reconciliation bills and the need to be careful ahead of the midterms, the people said.

Republicans have struggled to sell the “big, beautiful bill” they passed last year to the public, with many lawmakers now referring to it as the “working families tax cuts” bill, while the legislation currently moving through the Senate is mired in a debate over White House ballroom costs.

Amid Johnson’s optimism, GOP leaders are trying to sort through whether it’s feasible to pass another bill before the scheduled summer recess begins July 23. Both chambers would first have to approve an identical budget resolution, meaning the fractious House and Senate would have to agree on the broad outlines of what the bill would do — a process that took months during last year’s drafting of the megabill.

Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who is in charge of reconciliation planning with House chairs, said they were moving “aggressively” but did not have a timeline to share at the moment.

Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), who has pushed for the additional party-line bill as chair of the Republican Study Committee, said he was optimistic it could be done.

“We have achieved every objective and goal that we set out to do, and we will achieve this one as well,” he said.

A key moderate Republican lawmaker said Tuesday he would not support a White House security funding request that could pour as much as $220 million into President Donald Trump’s controversial ballroom project.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) dismissed the prospect that the House would approve $1 billion in new Secret Service spending as part of a pending party-line bill that otherwise funds immigration enforcement agencies.

“Not happening here,” he said in an interview.

Pressed on whether he supports the idea, he responded directly, “No.”

Fitzpatrick’s vote and those of like-minded centrists will be crucial to getting the overall $70 billion package through the House, given the slim GOP majority.

Secret Service Director Sean Curran lobbied Senate Republicans for the funding Tuesday, explaining that only a subset of the funding would potentially be used on the ballroom, but met a skeptical reception nonetheless. Curran and other White House officials are expected to continue making the case in the coming days, saying the money is needed to secure the ballroom project and other venues frequented by the president.