GOV. JIM PILLEN EMBARKS ON FIRST TRADE MISSION TO VIETNAM

LINCOLN- In a trip aimed at growing Nebraska's trade opportunities abroad, Gov. Jim Pillen will lead a delegation to Vietnam, beginning Sunday and stretching throughout the week, that includes the Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton and University of Nebraska at Omaha Chancellor Joanne Li.

The delegation is set to make stops in several cities throughout the country, meeting with Vietnamese trade officials, watching product demonstrations, and visiting the Vietnam University of Agriculture. "Vietnam is an important and growing export market for Nebraska processed feed like corn gluten, soybean meal, and distillers grains," Pillen said in a press release announcing the trade mission.

Nebraska's exports to Vietnam in 2021 totaled around $946 million, according to the press release. Vietnam, it went on to say, consumes substantial amounts of dairy products, eggs, beans, and beef from Nebraska. Pillen's delegation will also include other ag-related business, academic, and government representatives, some of whom previously visited the nation in January to discuss business and educational opportunities.

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CENTRAL NEBRASKA UTILITIES SAY MERGER WOULD BE HELPFUL TO MASSIVE NEW FERTILIZER PLANT, BUT WATER USERS DIFFER

GOTHENBURG- On Friday, officials from Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District and Dawson Public Power announced plans to merge the two organizations, claiming that it will be more economically beneficial and help greatly in the construction and logistical planning of a new $750 million liquid fertilizer plant. The fertilizer plant, titled "Project Meadowlark," is expected to consume massive amounts of electricity, more than is required for the entire City of Kearney.

A merged public power district, according to officials from both organizations, would be able to generate and distribute clean, renewable energy more efficiently, as well as provide the electricity needed to operate the fertilizer plant. Central Public Power General Manager Devin Brundage, in a press release, claimed that the merger will help the plant find the best "carbon-free energy" alternative required to operate the Meadowlark Project.

The proposed merger was originally introduced in 2020, and is still pending after state approval was rejected by the Nebraska Power Review Board. Local boards in Dawson and Central have both approved the merger, but state approval is required for its completion. Another opponent of the merger, a small group of local irrigators, also filed a lawsuit against the two power districts, claiming that it will dilute the power of water users to continue to irrigate their crops. To get around these roadblocks, Central's Board of Directors is set to authorize the filing of a petition to amend its charter, and therefore allow the merger to be completed without state approval.

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ARMING SCHOOL STAFF AND A 'STAND YOUR GROUND' LAW BEING CONSIDERED IN NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- State Sen. Tom Brewer, who previously introduced LB77, a controversial bill that allows for the permitless concealed carry of handguns, stated in a weekly update that he plans on introducing a new 'stand your ground' bill in the Nebraska Legislature, as well as one aiming to arm teachers.

Before the next legislative session starts, Brewer says he seeks to hold interim studies on the issues, where educators, law enforcement, and security personnel will be able to testify. Sen. Brewer said Nebraska needs to consider "letting public and private schools decide at the local level whether to use off-duty police officers, private security guards, or even key specially trained staff and faculty as armed responders in case of a deadly threat."

Currently, Nebraska law prohibits anyone other than law enforcement from carrying a firearm at a local school. In the update, Brewer indicated that he had asked Sen. Dave Murman, the chair of the Legislature's Education Committee, to consider prioritizing the interim study. Brewer also brought up a potential 'stand your ground' bill, insisting that such legislation, despite what critics say, does not encourage more violence.

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NEBRASKA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ESTABLISHES PRIORITIES FOR NEW COMMISSIONER

LINCOLN- With just over a week on the job, Brian Maher has a list of priorities to tackle as Nebraska's new education commissioner. On Friday, the State Board of Education took several hours to create a general outline of performance objectives and expectations for Maher, who assumed on the role on July 1st. Maher was selected for the role after former Commissioner Matt Blomstedt announced his resignation earlier this year.

The list drafted for Maher will act as a starting point for his work in the state, and will be reevaluated in eight months. Steve Joel, who managed the search for the new commissioner with the Omaha firm McPherson and Jacobson, presented several challenges that Maher will face during his tenure as commissioner at the meeting and helped to draft the list of objectives. One of the main issues, according to Joel, will be academic recovery in Nebraska schools following the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw test scores drop considerably.

"That topic really going to be looming large on minds of school boards, communities, and parents," said Joel. Other challenges drafted on the list include budget challenges, enrollment declines, retirement for educators, and staffing shortages. The list has still not been formally adopted by the Board. Maher's knowledge of internal operations within the school system will also be challenged, and Maher will be expected to gather data about teacher certification, among other things. In response to the proposed list, Maher said he was looking forward to tackling the issues contained therein. "I think there are some really important points here," he said.

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AFTER MOST RECENT VISIT SEN. BREWER SAYS UKRAINE CAN WIN THE WAR, BUT IT WILL TAKE TIME

LINCOLN- State Sen. Tom Brewer, upon returning from his third trip to the war-torn country of Ukraine, said he believes the embattled nation can win, but "it's going to take them a whole." The decorated army veteran, who was wounded twice while serving in Afghanistan, spoke of his time visiting with Ukrainian military leaders, calling the battlefield on which the war is being waged "medieval."

Brewer said that his first two trips to the country were mostly for religious and humanitarian reasons, while his latest trip was more focused on seeing the front lines firsthand and offering counsel to soldiers and military leaders. He also wanted to see if the billions of dollars of American aid and equipment were being used correctly. "A lot of the time forward," he said, "it's just understanding what's going on. How is the American taxpayer dollar being used?"

Brewer traveled to Ukraine alongside a friend of his, Noah Philson, as well as a Lincoln-based television reporter. According to the senator, there were several times on the frontline when the situation became quite perilous. "I think we walked that tightrope probably as close as you want," he said, "There were days that were pretty hairy." Brewer also said that he believes the Ukrainian counter-offensive has not played out as efficiently or expeditiously as was previously planned, despite billions in American aid.

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$12 MILLION LAND PURCHASE SOUGHT BY CITY OF OMAHA TIED TO PLANNED NORTH OMAHA BUSINESS PARK

OMAHA- Nebraska's largest and most populous city is in the final steps of purchasing a $12 million tract of land that would fulfill the long-awaited effort to create an industrial business park in northeast Omaha. The proposed purchase, which would encompass 67 acres near 14th and Locust Streets, is on this week's Omaha City Council agenda. Sen. Justin Wayne, a North Omaha resident and long proponent of the business park, said he believes the move, while costly, will bring hundreds of jobs to one of the most historically disadvantaged areas of the city.

"This is a first step toward developing the business park in North Omaha," said Wayne. Over the past two years, the Nebraska Legislature has allocated nearly $90 million to develop one, and perhaps even two, business parks in the North Omaha area. Broader legislation over the years has also set aside around $400 million, which is set to be invested into distressed areas of North and South Omaha.

When asked about the potential $12 million purchase, an aide from Mayor Jean Stothert's office said that the city intends to partner with a still-to-be-announced developer who will be awarded the funds to develop the business park. Additionally, according to Spokeswoman Carrie Murphy, the city intends to build a new truck route that will run from North Omaha toward downtown, with an access road connected to the planned business park.

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EXCAVATION OF FORMER SCHOOL MAY REVEAL REMAINS OF UP TO 80 NATIVE AMERICAN CHILDREN

GENOA- Nebraska's State Archeologist is set to begin excavation of the long-closed, but historically significant, Genoa Indian Industrial School, which was part of a national system of more than 400 Native American boarding schools that attempted to violently integrate Indigenous children into white culture by separating them from their parents and heritage, as well as subjecting them to harsh punishments. The yet-undiscovered bodies of around 80 Indigenous children are expected to be found.

The former Genoa Indian Industrial School, which rests just under 90 miles west of Omaha, was opened in 1884 and was home to around 600 students from more than 40 Native American tribes around the country. For decades, researchers and archeologists have attempted to find the remains of the 80 children, who were placed in an unmarked cemetery surrounding the boarding school following their deaths.

Judi Gaiashkibos, the executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs and daughter of a Genoa Indian Industrial School student, is also involved in the search. Gaiashkibos believes finding the bodies will offer healing to the Indigenous community, and will help bring their voices to the surface. "It's an honor to go on behalf of my ancestors and those who lost their lives there" she said, "and I feel entrusted with a huge responsibility."

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS REFLECT ON, LOOK AHEAD FROM CONTENTIOUS 2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

LINCOLN- Following a contentious legislative session, Nebraska lawmakers have been enjoying a little time off before beginning to prepare for the 2024 session. While the Legislature will hold interim studies and hearings in the fall, the official action is on pause — at least for a while — after state lawmakers adjourned June 1. Some laws took effect immediately and others will be enacted later this fall; some legislation is being challenged in the courts or via petition.

Senators offered various points of view when reflecting on the 2023 session. Sen. Aguilar highlighted that he secured funding for multiple projects such as Fonner Park. Sen. Albrecht said she was proud of her work in the abortion arena. Sen. Archs' proudest moment was all the hurdles the body overcame. Sen. Blood was proud of the accomplishments within the judiciary committee. Sen. Brandt is proud of the care and attention shown to farmers.

Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh was most proud of everyone that participated in the legislative process and looks forward to a productive 2024. Sen. Fredrickson was proud of the Legislature's choice to prioritize mental health. Sen. Lowe said he is expecting rule changes in 2024 and looks forward to adapting to that challenge. One thing mentioned by almost all senators is their excitement to work together as a body to continue to produce what is best for the people of Nebraska.

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SEN. PETE RICKETTS, AT NATO SUMMIT, URGES MEMBER COUNTRIES TO PAY THEIR SHARE

LINCOLN- Speaking from the site of this year’s NATO Summit, Sen. Pete Ricketts called for the member countries to fulfill their defense spending commitments. Ricketts, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, was part of a bipartisan congressional delegation attending the summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The delegation is being led by U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis, co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group. The delegation visited the U.S. Army Base in Pabrade, Lithuania, and spoke at an afternoon press conference. They were also slated to meet with NATO leaders during the trip. During the press conference, Ricketts congratulated the European members of the alliance for their quick response to Ukraine following the Russian invasion.

But he also called for all NATO members to fulfill their pledges to commit 2% of their gross domestic product to defense spending. He noted that members had agreed to that level of spending in 2014 but, as of last year, only seven members had done so. On Friday, Ricketts and 34 Senate colleagues sent a letter urging President Joe Biden to push for a “more concrete level of commitment” by NATO members.

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DOUGLAS COUNTY BOARD ADOPTS BUDGET EXPECTED TO KEEP CURRENT PROPERTY TAX RATE

DOUGLAS COUNTY- Douglas County’s property tax rate likely will remain the same next year under the budget the county board approved, but many taxpayers will owe more because of increases in their property’s valuation. The board voted to approve a $554.2 million budget for fiscal year 2023-24. That includes $51.6 million in federal pandemic relief and stimulus funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), most of which the board has set aside for mental health needs.

Excluding the county’s ARPA money, the budget increases spending by 4.9% over 2022-23. The general fund portion of the budget, without the ARPA money, is $263 million, up 5.4% from last year. The board voted 5-1, without discussion Tuesday, to approve the budget. Board members Chris Rodgers, Mike Friend, P.J. Morgan, Maureen Boyle and Roger Garcia voted yes. Board Chair Mary Ann Borgeson voted no.

Douglas County Budget and Finance Director Lori Pirsch said the rise in spending is “driven by increased labor costs and criminal justice and health care operations and a 15% increase in road and bridge project spending.” The county’s property tax rate would remain at just over 29.5 cents per $100 in valuation, although the rate won’t be set in stone until September, after final valuations are certified.

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MAJOR GOP DONOR TOM PEED HOSTS HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN McCARTHY IN LINCOLN AT DINNER

LINCOLN- U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy made a trip this week to Nebraska to dine with major GOP donor Tom Peed. Dinner was held at the Casa Bovina steakhouse in northeast Lincoln which is owned by Peed's son. Though McCarthy’s political and committee staff wouldn’t share his reason for coming, several political observers with GOP connections said the California Republican was in town raising money for the Congressional Leadership Fund, which he leads.

Federal fundraising records show the Peed family has given more than $10 million to the fund over the past two election cycles, in 2020 and 2022. Sandhills gave the fund another $6.5 million over the same span. The 2022 data showed both Tom Peed and his wife, Rhonda, among the group’s top 20 national donors. The fund raises money outside of GOP House candidates’ campaigns and spends it independently on House races.

The Peeds have emerged in recent years as a financial force in Nebraska politics. The Peeds helped make the 2023 Lincoln mayor’s race the city’s most expensive, plowing about $2 million into State Sen. Suzanne Geist’s second-place finish to Nebraska’s most prominent Democratic officeholder, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird. Tom Peed did not immediately return calls seeking comment about McCarthy’s visit.

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SCC PROPOSES 20% PROPERTY TAX LEVY INCREASE, FRUSTRATING SOME STATE SENATORS

LINCOLN- Southeast Community College is moving forward with a proposal to raise its tax levy, but several senators are saying it’s not fair to Nebraskans. Sen. Robert Dover and 23 other senators sent a letter to the SCC board of governors, asking it to reconsider. The proposal would raise rates to the maximum allowed under state law.

Right now, the levy rate is 9.37 cents per $100 valuation. SCC would raise it to 11.25 cents if the budget is approved. “This will establish a baseline for our future needs,” SCC President Paul Illich said in a statement. “Budgeting a lesser amount would require an increase in tuition, possibly significant, and a decrease in a variety of educational programs. We have one chance to get this right.”

But the senators said this is going to be especially difficult for taxpayers because property valuations have spiked this year. If approved, the owner of a $250,000 home in Lincoln would pay around $45 more per year. For now, the increase would only affect the residents in 15-county SCC’s area. But in 2025, all Nebraskans will be paying for it.

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MULTIPLE CANDIDATES ANNOUNCE RUN FOR NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- Four candidates have announced plans recently to run for the Nebraska Legislature, including one taking on a newly appointed senator in east Lincoln. Nicki Behmer Popp is running for the District 25 seat now held by State Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, who was appointed in April to finish out former Sen. Suzanne Geist’s term. Bosn, a Republican, has said she would run to keep the seat when it came open in 2024. Popp is registered as nonpartisan and currently serves on the Lincoln Airport Authority.

In District 23, Dennis Fujan, a farmer from Prague, and Jared Storm, a small-business owner and pilot from David City, are seeking the seat held by Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard, who is term-limited. The district encompasses Saunders, Colfax and part of Butler Counties. Both Fujan and Storm are registered Republicans. Fujan is a farmer and veteran. Storm manufactures aircraft and provides aerial application services to farmers.

Also running in District 23 is Jacob Wolff. Wolff currently does not live in the district and is working to move to be eligible. The State Constitution requires a candidate to reside in a legislative district at least one year before they are elected. Wolff, a graduate of Omaha Roncalli High School, just completed a five-year stint as an officer in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps. He is currently registered as nonpartisan but intends to change his party affiliation to Republican.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKER TAKING ACTION TO FIX OUR NATION'S HISTORIC PASSPORT BACKLOG

LINCOLN- If you are attempting to obtain a new passport, that process could last over three months. A Nebraska lawmaker is leading the charge to fix our nation’s historic passport backlog, that’s forced countless people to cancel trips. Senator Pete Ricketts has announced the Passport Act. His plan to crack down on current delays includes the development of a reserve workforce, that can be reassigned to support passport services when demand is high.

The act also calls for an investigation into the quality of customer service, wait times and technology failures. In-person appointments would be expanded at regional passport offices as well, while a chat feature would be added to the National Passport Information Center call line. The passport process has been experiencing an uptick in demand as people begin to travel overseas following the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement sent from Sen. Ricketts he said, “A few years ago, Nebraskans were calling their representatives a couple of times a month with passport delays. For that number to now be in the hundreds is unacceptable.” He went on to say, “American taxpayers deserve better than canceling trips or missing opportunities to visit family because of bureaucracy failures. The State Department needs to address the failing systems in place and solve this problem swiftly.”

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THINK TANK'S POLLING FOUND 55% OF NEBRASKANS OPPOSE 'OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS' ACT

LINCOLN- Polling released by a Lincoln-based think tank, the OpenSky Policy Institute, indicated that 55% of respondents oppose a new state law that grants state tax credits for donations for private and parochial school scholarships. The telephone/text message poll of 600 likely voters was done May 31 to June 1 by a Washington, D.C., polling firm, Lake Research Partners. The margin of error was plus or minus 4%.

The survey found that 47% of respondents strongly supported repeal of the law, which outpaced the 37% of respondents who expressed any level of support to retain the legislation. OpenSky is among those supporting the repeal. The organization contributed nearly $55,000 in staff time to “Support Our Schools Nebraska,” a group led by the state teachers union which is gathering signatures for the referendum, according to the most recent state political spending report.

The law would allow donors to devote up to half of their state income tax payments to organizations that grant scholarships for students to attend private or parochial schools. LB753 initially caps the yearly tax break at $25 million, but it could rise to $100 million a year if the funding is fully utilized. Supporters of LB753 have said it is unfair that lower-income families do not have the same opportunity to send their kids to private schools as more wealthy families do.

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NEBRASKA REP. MIKE FLOOD'S FIRST YEAR IN CONGRESS: NATIONAL SECURITY, FEDERAL SPENDING

LINCOLN- During the final days of his first year in Congress, U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., landed in the middle of a global fight over an island nation’s existence. The former state senator from Norfolk said he expected to face complex new issues when he left Lincoln. The scope of the federal government and its challenges forced him to learn quickly, he said.

Flood joined a delegation to Taiwan this month, as China discusses reunifying the island by force. Americans should care about the issue, Flood said, because most of the world’s microchips in consumer goods from refrigerators to cars come from China or Taiwan. “If we thought Ukraine was essential to protect, Taiwan takes it to the next level because it will impact every American’s ability to live their lives the way we do today,” Flood said.

He pointed to debt ceiling negotiations as a crash course on how Congress works and said he was proud Republicans secured $2.1 trillion in spending cuts from the federal budget. “It took a lot of work and I’m very pleased,” he said. Flood said he will focus his second year in Congress on constituent services, taxes, national defense and cutting spending. He also wants to help shore up the banking system, which wobbled a bit after a Silicon Valley shakeup.

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STATE SEEKS APPLICANTS FOR $4 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NURSES IN TRAINING

LINCOLN- The State of Nebraska has $4 million remaining in a $5 million program to provide scholarships for nurses and is seeking more applicants. The scholarships, up to $2,500 per student for the fall semester, are available for any Nebraska resident enrolled in a licensed practical nurse program, associate degree of nursing program or accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program.

Last year, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services was given $5 million through the American Rescue Plan Act for nursing scholarships. Thus far, about $1.1 million in scholarships have been disbursed to nearly 400 nursing students. The remaining funds will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. The ARPA funds are intended to address a shortage of nurses in Nebraska that is projected to grow to 5,400 nurses by 2025.

To qualify, the nursing program must be in Nebraska, and students must have finished all prerequisites and be enrolled in the nursing program to be eligible. Scholarship recipients will be required to practice nursing in Nebraska for a minimum of two years. The deadline for applying for fall 2023 scholarships is July 31.

To apply click HERE

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HEATH MELLO TO LEAD GREATER OMAHA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

OMAHA- On Tuesday morning, the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce announced that Heath Mello, who served in the Nebraska Legislature for eight years, will assume the role of President and CEO. Mello, while serving in the Legislature, was a member of the Appropriations and Nebraska Retirement System Committees.

The former senator will replace Tim Burke, who has served in the Chamber's leadership position since Veta Jeffrey, the former CEO and President, resigned in March of this year. Mello graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and served for a time as Vice President of External Relations and Director of State Relations in the University of Nebraska system.

"Mello brings a breadth of experience across multiple sectors and years of strategic leadership and management to this important role," said Carmen Tapio, chair of the Greater Omaha Chamber, in a statement, "He is passionate about our community and has devoted his career to ensuring it is a great place to live, to prepare our next-generation workforce, and to do business. We believe Mello will continue to grow the business landscape in Omaha and drive strong workforce and economic development in Omaha and eastern Nebraska."

Tapio served on the search committee for the Greater Omaha Chamber, which was established following the resignation of Veta Jeffrey. Ted Carter, president of the University of Nebraska, praised Mello for his work as the chief government liaison for NU. "We are fortunate that Heath will continue to call Omaha home and that he will continue to shape and influence the greater Omaha region." Mello will assume the role on August 2nd.

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NO EVIDENCE OF VOTER FRAUD IN SARPY COUNTY, OUTSIDE INVESTIGATION FINDS

PAPILLION- A recent investigation into allegations of widespread voter fraud, which was funded using $88,000 of taxpayer dollars allocated by Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov, found no evidence of voter fraud and only a handful of mistakes by poll workers, none of which would have changed the 2020 general election results. The investigation explored allegations from 52 different affidavits gathered by activists who went door-to-door following the election to compile information on potential voter fraud.

The 32-page report, issued last Friday after almost a year of work and litigation, said many of the 57 complaints raised real concerns surrounding the integrity of Sarpy County's election system, but were found to be largely untrue. The report did, however, reveal several local issues that appeared during the election. In one instance, a county poll worker thanked a voter for showing their ID before Nebraska required voters to show one, which election experts claimed might've dissuaded other voters in line without a valid ID from voting.

Another voter was given the wrong ballot for a congressional race in Sarpy County, but had already turned it in before being issued the correct ballot, disallowing them from voting again. These issues, according to the report, can be easily fixed through better training for poll workers. Despite this, the Nebraska Voter Accuracy Project questioned Polikov and his fellow investigators about the accuracy of local voting machines, adding that allowing Secretary of State Bob Evnen to decide which precincts get randomly audited to check voting machine counts was unfair.

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STATE SEN. TONY VARGAS ANNOUNCES 2024 RUN AGAINST REP. DON BACON IN NEBRASKA'S 2ND DISTRICT

OMAHA- Voters in Nebraska's most competitive congressional district are set to get another rematch in 2024 following the announcement of a repeat bid for the Democratic nomination by Sen. Tony Vargas on Wednesday. "While we came up just short last November, I was so encouraged by the enormous response we got from voters across the district," said Vargas in the statement indicating his wish to run.

Vargas went on to say that voters, during last year's general election, were excited by his message of "cutting middle-class taxes, growing the economy, protecting women's health care, and keeping our communities safe from gun violence." Over the past month, Bacon has publicly stated that he would welcome another challenge from Vargas, whom the Congressman described as out of step with the 2nd Congressional District, which he claimed was slightly right-leaning.

The issue of abortion is expected to be the key to victory for either Bacon or Vargas, the former of whom stated that he would be content with a 15-week federal ban, a prohibition slightly less extreme than his Congressional colleagues in the 1st and 3rd Districts. In 2020, the 2nd Congressional District voted largely for President Biden in the general election, but also voted for Bacon over Vargas in 2022 by a slim 3-point difference.

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