NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS MAY HAVE EXCESS $1 BILLION TO USE IN UPCOMING BUDGET

LINCOLN- Nebraska’s Tax Rate Review Committee met to hear the latest report on the financial status of the next state budget, which covers fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25. Gov.-elect Jim Pillen will use the information to draft his proposed budget, though it ultimately will fall to the Legislature to pass a budget package.

State Sen. John Stinner of Gering, who chairs the Appropriations Committee, said state law limits the cash reserve from going above 16% of projected revenues. The current $2.3 billion reserve would amount to about 35% of total revenues.

Legislative Fiscal Analyst Keisha Patent said Nebraska experienced an “extraordinary” two years of revenue growth. In October, the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board increased overall revenue projections for the next two fiscal years by roughly $1.8 billion. This added more than $620 million to the reserve, bringing it to its current estimate.

The report also projected a 4.5% increase in the state’s general fund for fiscal year 2023-24, bringing it to $5.3 billion. The fund is expected to jump another 1.6% to $5.4 billion for 2024-25. The current general fund is set at about $5.1 billion.

Pillen campaigned on several promises sure to color his budget recommendation. He pledged a massive overhaul of education funding, changing the state’s funding formula to allocate school funding on a per-student basis, rather than by district. He also strongly supported tax reform, although he was less specific on how he planned to achieve it.

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CHILD WELFARE CASELOADS GROW IN OMAHA AREA AFTER TROUBLED PRIVATE CONTRACT ENDS

OMAHA- Nebraska ended a contract for managing Omaha-area child welfare cases over the Kansas-based contractor’s continuing failure to meet state caseload limits, among other problems.

Unfortunately, the situation has worsened in Douglas and Sarpy counties, according to state records and reports from current and former workers. 

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services figures show that barely one in three Omaha-area child welfare workers handling ongoing cases in September had caseloads at or below the limits set in state law, while more than 80% of those in most other areas of the state complied with the limits. 

The state limit for the number of cases a worker may have at one time is 17. The state average at the moment is 30 cases per person with highs of 38-39.

“We are 100 times worse than a year ago,” claimed one veteran child welfare worker. Two workers who quit in recent months said rising caseloads are adding to the pressures of an already stressful job and forcing case managers to work more overtime. 

Overtime has shot up 90% since taking over the cases. For September, overtime costs equaled 7.4% of salary costs in the area. 

High caseloads can mean children and parents don’t get seen, services don’t get arranged, court reports don’t get written well and more. 

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NEBRASKA GOVERNOR ELECT JIM PILLEN NAMES TRANSITION TEAM

LINCOLN- Newly elected governor-elect Jim Pillen has named several officials who will aid Pillen in his transition into his first term as Nebraska's 41st Governor.

The Republican gubernatorial nominee won the governor’s seat by an overwhelming margin during the general election, defeating his opponent, State Sen. Carol Blood, by nearly 25 percentage points.

Pillen named attorney Dave Lopez as his transition director. Lopez formerly served as Nebraska’s assistant attorney general under both Jon Bruning and Doug Peterson. 

Others named to Pillen’s transition team included campaign manager Kenny Zoeller, who will serve as transition policy director; deputy campaign manager John Gage, who will serve as transition communications adviser; and Ann Jablonski, who will be transition scheduler. 

More appointments will be announced during Pillen’s transition period, which will last until January, when he officially takes office. 

Gov. Ricketts tweeted out his support to Pillen, saying that he looks forward to working with him closely. Gov. Ricketts is currently in Japan being honored for his work to strengthen the agricultural relationship between the state and the country. 

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NEBRASKA COMMISSION APPROVES CASINO OPERATOR LICENSE FOR OMAHA WARHORSE COMPLEX

OMAHA- The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission approved a gaming operator license for the future WarHorse Gaming casino, racing and entertainment complex located at Horsemen’s Park in Omaha.

Ho-Chunk CEO Lance Morgan and Nebraska Horsemen Benevolent and Protective Association CEO Lynne McNally requested the license to be approved to secure $700 million in financing and keep on track with the complex’s renovation and expansion.

The financing will pay for the WarHorse complexes in Omaha and Lincoln as well as a five-story parking garage and more than 1,400 gaming positions, McNally said in an interview. 

“We want to be able to hire everybody that wants to work. We have the means to help you get here,” she said. 

On a 5-1 vote, the commission granted the gaming license which is contingent upon the developers meeting a number of conditions. Commissioner Jeffrey Galyen was the lone dissenting vote. Commissioner Shane Greckel abstained. Commissioner Shelby Bakenhus was unable to vote because she did not attend the meeting in person.

With further access being granted, the complex is expected to be in full swing in early 2024.

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MIKE FLOOD BEATS PATTY PANSING BROOKS IN NEBRASKA'S 1ST DISTRICT; ADRIAN SMITH WINS IN 3RD

LINCOLN- Motivated Republicans in northeast Nebraska showed up in droves to push U.S. Rep. Mike Flood to a second victory over state Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks.

Flood won a full two-year term, surprisingly to some, by a bigger margin than he attained in the June special election that sent him to Congress just months ago.

"There was a question in front of Nebraskans," said Flood, "Do you want to go down the same path as Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden or do you want a new path for America and Nebraska?"

They chose a new path, claimed Flood during his acceptance speech, saying that Nebraskans offered him a "vote of confidence."

Some believe that the recent redistricting may have cost Pansing Brooks the race, since the area of Sarpy County moved into District 1 has historically voted overwhelmingly Republican. According to reports, the district contains 68,000 more Republicans than Democrats.

After calling Flood to concede, Pansing Brooks stated, "We thought we were going to pull it out and we're going to do it. We were sort of surprised by the numbers. But it's been an amazing journey and a blessing."

In Nebraska's largely rural 3rd District, U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith had almost no trouble resecuring his seat in Congress. Defeating Democrat David Else and Legal Marijuana Now Party member Mark Elworth Jr., Smith took home 78% of the vote.

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BACON TOPS VARGAS, BRINGS HOME 2ND DISTRICT U.S. HOUSE WIN FOR FOURTH TIME

OMAHA- On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Don Bacon won his fourth term in Congress, leading state Sen. Tony Vargas by just over 4 percentage points.

By focusing on inflation and higher gas and food prices, Bacon was able to sway voters despite the Supreme Court's ruling on Roe V. Wade over the Summer.

Bacon told a group of 300 supporters on election night that he would, along with other House Republicans, push President Biden toward energy independence and a more secure border.

The congressman criticized his opponent, Sen. Tony Vargas, throughout his campaign for unsuccessfully attempting to raise the income taxes for Nebraska's highest earners.

Vargas appeared at around 11:30pm on Tuesday night for the first time that day, and told a cheering crowd that he didn't want to rush the results, especially in eastern Omaha. However, to Vargas' dismay, the Associated Press called the race at around 1:30am, declaring Bacon to be the winner.

Vargas, in a statement, thanked his supporters and said he would continue to fight for Nebraskans in the Legislature. "My parents worked hard so my brothers and I could get an education and decide what we wanted for our lives," said Vargas, "That's why I work as hard as I possibly can, every day...and while this wasn't the outcome we'd hoped for, our work is not going to stop tonight.

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PROTEST BY MEDICAID BIDDER NOT EXPECTED TO DELAY START OF NEBRASKA MANAGED CARE CONTRACTS

LINCOLN- Nebraska Medicaid officials have delayed signing new contracts with private companies to manage most of the state’s $1.8 billion Medicaid services until a protest filed by a losing bidder is resolved.

The Department of Health and Human Services said that despite the hiccup, there should still be plenty of time ahead of the January 1, 2024 deadline to choose three winning bidders.

Community Care Plan of Nebraska, doing business as Healthy Blue, filed a protest last month of the department’s announced intent to award new Medicaid managed care contracts to three other companies. Healthy Blue currently holds one of the contracts. 

DHHS has announced they expect to give the awards to Molina Healthcare of Nebraska, Nebraska Total Care and United HealthCare of the Midlands. Molina Healthcare is the only one not currently under contract.

State Medicaid Director Kevin Bagley told state lawmakers that Healthy Blue had been in third place after evaluators reviewed and scored all of the bids. To further solidify this position they conducted oral interviews in which Molina Healthcare replaced Health Blue.

Bagley called the selection process a, "very robust and clean process." Healthy Blue may now discuss the situation with DHHS director Dannette Smith or take the issue to court.

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BEN SASSE FACES 'HUGE HILL TO CLIMB' AS UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PRESIDENT

GAINESVILLE- In a discussion with students and staff, Ben Sasse further learned how large the battle is going forward as the University of Florida's president. 

“The University of Florida has a long history of not being welcoming to people like myself,” said Oscar Santiago Perez. 

Santiago Perez, a member of the student senate and the university’s LGBTQ advisory committee, reminded Sasse of the infamous Johns Committee, the Florida legislative panel that tried to purge gay people from UF and other campuses in the 1950s and ‘60s. He referred to Sasse’s well-publicized stand against same-sex marriage, and the senator’s efforts to dismiss the resulting criticism as part of the culture wars.

“If Dr. Sasse is confirmed,” he said, “I hope he understands he will have a huge hill to climb — a hill of trust.”

Sasse has said he would meet with the university’s LGBTQ presidential advisory committee, and its members said they are ready to work with him.

Despite this, Faith Corbett, a student government member and leader in UF’s minority party, predicted distrust of Sasse will remain.

Sasse said later that he appreciated the counsel and acknowledged the task before him. He said he embraced and respected all people and pledged to divorce himself from partisan politics as UF’s 13th president.

But following weeks of high emotions over his selection for that job, many are waiting to see exactly how well he’ll address the deep rifts created by his candidacy. If the state’s Board of Governors confirms his selection as expected this week, he’ll begin his presidency in early 2023.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS QUESTION $131 MILLION FUND BUILT WITH UNUSED PUBLIC ASSISTANCE MONEY

LINCOLN- Despite claims by state officials that there is a plan behind the fund meant to help impoverished Nebraska families, it has topped over $131 million this year.

Stephanie Beasley, director of Children and Family Services for the Department of Health and Human Services, said the money represents the accumulation of unused portions of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families federal block grants. The block grants provide public assistance to families and help pay for a number of programs. 

The dollar amount was mentioned in a legislative hearing on October 1st. This angered Omaha area lawmakers Machaela Cavanaugh and John Arch.

“We have people who are hurting in our communities across the state and we’re sitting on $130 million and that does not sit OK with me,” said State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha. “We are in a crisis.” 

“We just see an opportunity here,” Arch said. “We want to see those dollars well used and within the federal guidance. We have some opportunity to improve services and create some innovative services.”

Beasley said that thus far they have identified family support coaching, emergency housing stability and kinship child care assistance as priorities. 

The eligibility levels cannot be decided by DHHS, the levels must be determined by the legislature.

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TINY NEBRASKA TOWNS GET A BOOST

EMERSON- Small Nebraska cities such as Emerson have been receiving funding in efforts to improve the cities and benefit their residents.

Emerson was awarded $33,000 which is planned to help revamp the downtown area. 

“It will basically bring new life into our downtown,” said Village Clerk Beth Bonderson. “We’ll have a full main street, with cars and business.” 

Emerson is among five more small Nebraska communities set to receive a federal community development block grant funding administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. The latest batch of towns will receive a total of $182,500. 

The CDBG funds are a program of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development intended to help communities enhance public health and safety, economic well-being and quality of life. The projects are expected to benefit people of low and moderate incomes.

The awards also benefit:

• Arthur in Arthur County, $43,500 to develop an environmental study that leads to flood plain amendments.

• Bellwood in Butler County, $25,500 for a planning project that addresses property deterioration.

• Clearwater in Antelope County, $53,000 for a downtown study aimed at creating a vibrant commercial district.

• Newcastle in Dixon County, $27,500 to prepare a guiding document officials can use when deciding on public and private land developments.

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RICKETTS SHELLS OUT $3.8 MILLION ON POLITICS IN HIS FINAL YEAR AS NEBRASKA GOVERNOR

LINCOLN- Governor Rickett's time in office has come to end, but his influence on the state will still be felt for many years to come.

In the last 11 months alone, Ricketts has spent over $3.8 million on campaign donations. His 2022 contributions have included over a dozen six-figure donations to various campaigns and political groups both in and out of state, according to state and federal disclosure filings.

Ricketts’ largest contribution this year came just before the May primary election: a $775,000 donation to the political action committee Conservative Nebraska. In total, Ricketts gave nearly $1.28 million to the PAC.

Ricketts, who is barred by term limits from seeking reelection, also donated $100,000 directly to Pillen’s campaign in January. Ricketts has not donated any money directly to Pillen’s campaign since his victory in the primary.

Along with many other contributions made to local groups, Ricketts also recently shelled out thousands to several groups outside Nebraska, including $250,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and over $255,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Another non-Nebraskan contribution was $250,000 to Show Me Values, a conservative PAC based in Missouri.

Although Ricketts has not contributed directly to the state GOP, he did donate $20,000 to the Douglas County Republican Party in October.

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NEBRASKA WILL RECEIVE $139,000 OUT OF $16 MILLION IN DATA BREACH SETTLEMENTS

LINCOLN- The State of Nebraska and a collection of other states have gotten three settlements worth more than $16 million over data breaches that compromised millions of Americans’ personal information.

Attorney General Doug Peterson said the official number for Nebraska is $139,279. Nebraska was one of forty states involved in the settlement process.

In September of 2015, credit reporting firm Experian reported it had experienced a data breach when an unauthorized person gained access to part of its network storing personal information on behalf of cellphone company T-Mobile. More than 15 million people, including 4,790 Nebraskans, who submitted credit applications with T-Mobile were affected.

Experian settled with the states for a total of $12.67 million, while T-Mobile settled for $2.43 million. Both companies also agreed to several measures to increase their oversight and security measures.

Experian will also be offering free credit monitoring services to those affected, as well as providing two free copies of their annual credit reports.

Experian will also pay $1 million to resolve the multistate lawsuit pertaining to a 2012 breach. T-Mobile currently has an ongoing investigation into a 2021 data breach that is also expected to bring a payout to Nebraska.

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NEBRASKA COVID CASES ARE UP FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK

LINCOLN- The number of Covid cases in Nebraska ticks up for the third week in a row. Many have begun to point to the low levels of boosters received in the state.

Only 9.9% of people 18 and over in the United States have received the latest booster, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nebraska’s figure is 9.6% 

“That’s a very discouraging and disappointing statistic,” said Dr. Mark Rupp, chief of the infectious diseases division at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “I would hope that the population would take advantage of this newest bivalent booster to try to do everything they can to keep themselves healthy and protected as we go into the respiratory virus season.” 

When it comes to the latest COVID booster, Nebraska’s vaccination rate among adults ranks 32nd highest among the states. 

Nebraska posted 1,783 new virus cases last week, up from 1,383 the previous week and the third straight weekly rise.
Nebraska added 12 new COVID deaths last week, bringing the toll for the pandemic to 4,562 confirmed or probable deaths. The state has seen 535,000 positive COVID tests. 

Nebraska hospitalizations due to COVID were relatively flat last week, with a daily average of 137 hospital beds occupied by COVID patients. A combination of COVID, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) nationally have recently strained pediatric hospital bed capacity.

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NEBRASKA ON PACE FOR SECOND-WORST WILDFIRE YEAR EVER, 2023 OUTLOOK IS DIM

LINCOLN- A combination of worsening drought and consistently strong winds, have lined up 2022 as the second-worst wildfire year to date in Nebraska.

The State Fire Authority predicts that 2023 will follow the pattern unless precipitation greatly increases over the remainder of fall and into the winter. 

“It’s weird. We’re not in a normal pattern. And it doesn’t seem like we’re going to break that pattern any time soon,” said Matt Holte, fire program leader for the Nebraska Forest Service. 

So far this year, about 200,000 acres of grasslands, cropland and forests have burned in the state, Holte said. That compares with about 502,000 acres blackened in 2012, the previous record holder.

The fires of 2012 — another drought period — scorched an area larger than Douglas and Sarpy Counties combined, blackening large swatches of forest south of Chadron in the Pine Ridge and north of Ainsworth along the Niobrara River.

This year will be remembered for its large and fast-moving fires led by two, the Road 702 and Road 739 fires in April. Pushed by high winds, the fires quickly spread, outracing fire lines and fire crews. One fire burned 22 miles across pastures and crop fields. 

The 2022 fire year has inspired a greater awareness about the dangers associated with wildfires — three firefighters died this year — and the need to train and coordinate fire-fighting attacks has only been heightened.

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REPORT ON STATE TAX INCENTIVES SHOWS COSTS OUTWEIGH BENEFITS

LINCOLN- The projected tax breaks provided by the Nebraska Advantage Act far outstripped the tax revenue benefits of the program, a new report from the Revenue Department states.

In the report, the Department stated that the estimated tax credits to be provided by the Nebraska Advantage Act in fiscal year 2022-2023 were $93.4 million more than the generated tax revenue.

During a hearing at the Nebraska Capitol, the report was detailed to the Legislature, and state Sen. Tom Briese was disheartened by the news. "I'm not convinced it's a winning proposition for the average Nebraska taxpayers," he said, "To me, it's a subsidy."

Sen. Briese went on to state that the program appears to benefit a small number of companies and a small number of Nebraskans, not the whole state.

Rebecca Firestone, of the Open Sky Policy Insitute, shared a similar sentiment. Firestone sees programs like the Nebraska Advantage Act as economic incentive devices that fail to pay for themselves, and instead act as a "drain" on revenue to support schools, health care, and other state-run programs.

Firestone pointed out that the Nebraska Department of Revenue estimated that, in 10 years, the Advantage Act would have a cumulative revenue loss of $1.4 billion. However, a Revenue official told the Legislature that the report doesn't capture the secondary impacts of creating more jobs and economic investments in the state.

On the other hand, Jen Creager of the Great Omaha Chamber of Commerce, a group that supports 'performance-based' tax credits for businesses that create jobs, said the Advantage Act and similar programs help "level the playing field" with other states.

"Thirty-plus years of these programs have increased the economic diversity and viability of Nebraska through new jobs and a broader tax base," said Creager, "Look at Nebraska's economy in the 1980s and look at Nebraska's economy today."

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan stated that she'd always been skeptical of tax incentive programs, but understands that are necessary because of the state's high income and property taxes.

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'AWKWARD' PROCESS BEGINS TO HIRE A NEW CLERK OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- The retirement of long-time Clerk of the Legislature Patrick O'Donnell has opened up the chance for some interesting changes to the administrative office, and also some new, unforeseen challenges.

Thus far, three candidates have already applied for the post, and a finalist will be selected by the Legislature's Executive Board. However, five of the nine voting members on the Executive Committee won't be around anymore to cast their vote come January 4th, the start of the new Legislative session.

Because of this, State Sen. Dan Hughes described the situation as "awkward", and stated that "it's up to the next Legislature to approve a new Clerk."

State Sen. John McCollister, a current member of the Executive Board, recommended that the Legislature hire a new Clerk prior to the beginning of the next session to ensure that a "functioning" Clerk is in place.

Sen. McCollister went on to say that hiring a new Clerk soon, rather than later, would help avoid some potential "political wrangling" that may come about since the new Legislature is expected to be "a different kind of body."

Fourteen new senators will be seated on January 4th, with many expecting a conservative shift in light of this week's election results.

McCollister, an independent Republican who has criticized former President Donald Trump in the past, has gotten the cold shoulder on several occasions from his party members, leading him to believe that he may not have the clout to hire a new clerk before January 4th.

However, McCollister argued that the Executive Board has the authority to operate "on its own" when the Legislature is not in session, so he may be able to rush the selection of a new Clerk.

Sen. Hughes, on the other hand, stated that his goal "for the good of the institution" is to have a clerk finalist who can be unanimously selected by the nine-member Executive Board.

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AGING STATE PENITENTIARY IN LINCOLN SPRINGS ANOTHER LEAK, FORCING RELOCATION OF INMATES

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, a water leak in the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln prompted the relocation of around 140 inmates.

Just thirteen months ago, another leak shut down water service entirely in the prison, leaving 1,300 inmates without running water.

Nebraska Department of Corrections officials said Wednesday that most of the 140 relocated inmates were housed in the prison gymnasium overnight, but more permanent housing for them is still being sought. Repairs are underway, said the Department

The leak, discovered Tuesday afternoon, flooded a lower-level mechanical room and covered the floor of the affected housing unit. The Penitentiary was placed on a modified lockdown because of the impact on utilities and will remain so until the leak and flooding are repaired.

Visits to inmates have been called indefinitely, and portable toilets and bottled water were hauled in and have been distributed.

State Prison officials, alongside Gov. Pete Ricketts, have used the aging Penitentiary as a means to argue for the construction of a newer, larger prison in Nebraska. The Nebraska Legislature is expected to debate the proposal as part of the next state budget.

The State Penitentiary was originally opened in 1869, and has been remodeled and repaired countless times since then. Still, in 2021, officials estimated that a further $12.5 million was needed to entirely repair every issue.

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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION RACES COULD DECIDE FUTURE ROLE OF BOARD, NEXT EDUCATION COMMISSIONER

LINCOLN- Four historically quiet races for the Nebraska State Board of Education have been spiced up this year by fears about sex education and social studies.

Currently, Conservatives believe that the current Board is stacked against them 7-1 or 6-2. Several candidates have stated that their goal is to get that ratio closer to 4-4. "I don't see it as pushing to the right," said Matt Innis, a conservative activist, "I see it as bringing common sense."

Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb described Republican attempts to gain more control of the Board as "extreme," and said the races this year are unlike anything the state has ever seen.

In all four Board races, educational issues have been a large topic of debate. From critical race theory to the threat of fascism and health standards, almost every nationwide talking point from both sides of the aisle have come up in Nebraska's Education races.

Marni Hodgen, a State Board candidate from Omaha, thinks the state has adopted a "very complacent role in our society" when it comes to education. 

Deb Neary, another candidate from Omaha and current Board member, believes the state has done a great job of encouraging education and improving test scores. "Nebraska's public schools are in the top 10 in the country, no matter what," said Neary, "You look at them in the ACT's, and you do the comparables, or in the national report card."

Helen Raikes, a Board candidate from Ashland, is trying to spread a message of nonpartisanship. "I want Nebraskans to remember who they are area," said Raikes, "Nebraskans are no these angry, hate their schools, tear them down people. We are nonpartisan, respectful, and independent. We do things our own way."

The four Republican candidates for the Board have been criticized for their comments about teachers, critical race theory, and sex education standards. 

Hodgen, who began homeschooling her children to avoid mandatory masking at the beginning of the pandemic, stated that she "didn't understand why there was this need to have kids not only talk about puberty in third grade, but to have to be able to define what sexual orientation means."

Former Nebraska Education Commissioner Roger Breed fired back at the candidates for "demonizing" teachers during a nationwide teacher shortage.

Breed stated that he hopes Nebraska voters can see the organized Republican efforts "for what it is, a narrow, high-money-backed agenda that is not necessarily for the best in public education in Nebraska."

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NEBRASKANS FACING DELUGE OF POLITICAL MAIL: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

LINCOLN- With the election less than 24 hours away, a gargantuan number of political mailers have been clogging Nebraska mailboxes. 

Matching the record year of spending on state and local races, candidates have stated that they've had more resources to send out increased numbers of direct mail postcards and flyers. 

Well-funded campaigns for the State Board of Education have fueled a deluge of bizarre campaign literature, which may stretch the truth a bit.

One of the most surprising mailers received by Nebraskans this year was from The Nebraska Federation for Children, who sent a postcard depicting a shirtless, long-haired man they believed to be Legislative candidate George Dungan. However, the picture depicted one of Dungan's friends, not the candidate.

Preserve the Good Life, another large PAC in Nebraska, sent several mailers targeting Republican Legislative candidates. In one of these, Preserve the Good Life claimed that Christian Mirch, opponent of Senator Machaela Cavanaugh, was the Douglas County Chairman of former President Trump's campaign. Problem is, he was not. 

Mirch's campaign sent out mailers this year claiming that "Cavanaughs support Mirch." However, the Cavanaughs portrayed in the mailer, OPPD board member Mike Cavanaugh and MUD board member Tim Cavanaugh, are not related to Senator Machaela Cavanaugh.

According to Randall Adkins, a political scientist at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, using hyperbole helps mailers grab attention. It's also very easy to target specific demographics in the state, so some candidates have found it useful to have different mailers for different demographics, ages, and genders.

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NEBRASKA HOUSE CANDIDATES STILL FIGHT VOTER CONFUSION AFTER REDISTRICTING

PAPILLION- For years, Sarpy County has acted as a large counterweight to Democrat's edge in Douglas County, with some calling it the "red firewall."

Historically, both Districts have been part of Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, but the Legislature's once-a-decade redistricting has shifted Papillion and La Vista into the 1st Congressional District.

The move has generated a great deal of confusion for voters in the area, and it's the second time in two decades that a slice of Sarpy County has moved districts. 

Around 70,000 voters from these towns were shifted into the 1st District, and more than 75,000 Nebraskans were transferred out of it and placed into the largely rural 3rd District.

These changes prompted U.S. Rep. Flood and his Democratic opponent Sen. Pansing Brooks to scramble to let voters know that they'd be the candidates for Congress in that area prior to the special election last summer.

Flood won the special election, replacing U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry until his term ends in January. Voter turnout was very low, 16% lower than a typical primary election, perhaps because of the new redistricting.

Since the special election. Flood and Pansing Brooks have been doing all they can to let voters in the area know they're running in the 1st District. "I need you to go to your neighbors," Flood told voters last Wednesday, "I need you to grab a yard sign. I need you to go to the people in the 1st District and say, 'Hey, by the way, we're in the 1st District.'"

Pansing Brooks and her campaign manager, Chris Triebsch, stated that they believe the redistricting may help her win tomorrow's election, especially if suburban women in the area are motivated by the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe V. Wade.

Flood fired back at these claims, stating that Nebraskans care more about food and fuel costs than abortion. Flood also stated that he and Don Bacon, if reelected, will act as "fiscal checks" on President Biden's administration.

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