The Political Landscape of Nebraska

Nebraska is the only state in the nation with a unicameral legislation. Its Senate is made up of one Republican and one Democrat. But this even spread does not represent the political culture in Nebraska. The state is actually staunch Republican and conservative. In the 2000 Presidential vote, President Bush received 62% of the votes while Gore only received 33%. In Presidential elections, Nebraska votes more Republican than any other state. Nebraska is a Republican stronghold making it hard for any Democrat to get a foot in the door.

The first elected official we look at follows in this strong Republican line. Governor Mike Johanns was elected in 1998 over the Democratic candidate, Bill Hoppner. Johanns’ platform took a crisp, conservative position. He supported Initiative 413, which would limit state spending increases. He also favored property tax relief. Although his platform was staunch conservative, his work in office has shown some Democratic compassion. He supported money for juvenile facilities, mental health treatments, a wilderness camp and a parole revocation facility.

As governor, Johanns has been low-key, non-confrontational and outgoing. He agreed to back property tax relief through a school aid increase of $90 million. He also agreed on a $1,000 incentive to adopt state wards and funding for 12 more state troopers. He continued his predecessor Ben Nelson’s child care subsidy, despite a $30 million cost overrun. Johanns vetoed a moratorium on the death penalty. He has vetoed 26 bills, the most in 10 years, including a measure raising elected officials’ salaries and his own salary from the nation’s lowest, $65,000.

He got passed a $10 million bill for tax credits and entrepreneurship grants to firms that open businesses in rural areas. He was disappointed when the Supreme Court in Carhart v. Stenberg overturned the state’s ban on partial-birth abortion. Johanns strongly backed the law, and opposed the use of fetal tissue obtained from elected abortions in medical research. In early 2001, Johanns pushed for $10 million for juvenile justice facilities and mental health treatment. He also called for $51 million increase in funding for the University of Nebraska.

Johanns has not made any mistakes while in office and continues to be popular with the voters. In September 2000, his job rating was 81% positive, which was a record. He should be re-elected in 2002.

Republican Senator Chuck Hagel is Nebraska’s senior senator. He sought a seat on Foreign Relations and got it-because no one else wanted it. But he quickly moved up the Republican ranks. Trent Lott made him the lead man on the $18 billion IMF funding. Hagel negotiated with Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and came up with widely acceptable conditions. He also took the lead among Republicans against the 1997 Kyoto global warming treaty. In July 1997, he and Democrat Robert Byrd sponsored a resolution disapproving the treaty if all nations were not subject to its emissions reductions standards.

Hagel is a Vietnam veteran. His experience in the Army has affected his stance toward foreign policy. He does not remain along party lines sometimes. He supported the treaty against land mines in 1997. Hagel spoke for the chemical weapons treaty and voted against the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in October 1999. He supported the bombing of Serbia in spring 1999, but opposed the Clinton policy of ruling out the use of ground troops.

In his first two years in the Senate, Hagel was a favorite of the Republican party. But in 1999 and 2000, he became publicly critical of their stance on foreign policy and other issues. He, along with friend John McCain, attacked pork barrel spending in the October 1998 omnibus spending bill. He accused Trent Lott of “screwing up” his bill to exclude food and medicine from future economic sanctions.

Hagel also broke from traditional Republican standing when he campaigned with and endorsed long-time friend and fellow veteran, John McCain. He was one of only four Senators to support McCain. He spoke on McCain’s Straight Talk Express campaign and made appearances in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and other states.

Hagel is now a national figure. He was on George W. Bush’s short list of vice presidential prospects. His work on foreign policy has also brought him attention. And his campaigning with McCain helped him gain notoriety. His name is mentioned when people are asked about future presidential candidates. Hagel is also well liked in his home state. His job approval rating in September 2000 was 76%. He is up for re-election in 2002 and is certain to maintain his office.

Democrat Ben Nelson is Nebraska’s junior senator. He spent two terms as the Democratic Governor of Nebraska. As governor, Nelson pledged to serve “one Nebraska,” spreading economic growth outward from Omaha and Lincoln, and to cut property taxes. He cut spending increases by two-thirds and used his line-item veto to cut appropriations. In 1992, Nelson got the Senate to pass and voters to approve a lottery, with proceeds to go to education and environmental projects. He built more prisons, reformed workmen’s comp and reorganized the human services department. Nationally, Nelson was a leader against unfunded federal mandates. He pushed an Employment First welfare reform. He cut property taxes and reduced the income and sales taxes. Nelson promoted a state-wide “University without Walls.” His record won him high job ratings and re-election in 1994.

Nebraska’s other Senate seat opened up when Bob Kerrey announced he would not run for re-election. The news came as a shock to the Democratic Party because Kerrey was one of their national stars. The Republican candidate aligned himself “Bush-Hagel-Stenberg.” So Nelson needed something to combat that kind of advantage. On the campaign trail, Nelson was gregarious and humorous. He defeated his serious, studious opponent by the way he treated people. Nelson was a natural meet-and-greeter who loved the campaign trail. Stenberg came across as dry and cold. The two differed on only a few important issues. Nelson was opposed to individual investment as part of Social Security, while Stenberg supported it.

Nelson serves on the Agriculture, Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Committee; he said that the Freedom to Farm Act has not worked and has a bill to require ethanol be used as a fuel additive. He was one of eight Democrats to support the nomination of John Ashcroft and one of three to support Chuck Hagel’s campaign finance bill. He accompanied George W. Bush to Nebraska in February-and got Bush a nickname, Nelly. He didn’t vote for the Bush version of the budget resolution in April 2001, but voted for the trimmed down version of $1.35 trillion in May.

Nebraska has had three congressional districts since the 1960s. Redistricting made only marginal changes for the 1990s and is not likely to make major changes after the 2000 Census. No Democrat has been elected from a Nebraska district since 1992. And that does not figure to change any time soon. Republicans are here to stay in the Nebraskan U.S. House Delegation.

Douglas K. Bereuter is the Republican representative of the First District. He was elected in 1978 and is serving his 12^th term. He serves on committees such as Financial Services, International Relations, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Transportation and Infrastructure. He has worked to eliminate trade barriers and open up more markets for agricultural exports. The First District encompasses Lincoln, the state capital and home of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. This district has a solid Republican core that ensures 22-year incumbent Bereuter remains a safe bet for re-election year after year.

Lee Terry is the Republican representative of the Second District. He was elected in 1998 and is serving his 2^nd term. He serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee. Terry should have no trouble maintaining his position in office. Although this district gave Bush his lowest winning percentage in the state, it is by no means fertile territory for Democrats. Bush still won this district by 57% and Terry gathered 66% himself. This district grew the fastest of any in the state and must drop about 20,000 people. But with Republicans controlling the process, it is hard to see how Democrats could gain any advantage here.

Tom Osborne is the Republican representative of the Third District. He was elected in 2000 and is serving his 1^st term. Osborne is the former head coach of the University of Nebraska football team. He is one of the most recognized and respected figures in the state. Even without this overwhelming support from his state, he could hold onto this office easily by having ties to the Republican Party. The third district has the strongest Republican support of any district in the state. Bush won here by 46%.

The political make-up of Nebraska is fairly simple. Republican-Republican-Republican. Governor Mike Johanns has the highest job approval rating in history. Senator Chuck Hagel is one of the stand-out Republican Senators to gain notoriety and establish himself as a future presidential candidate. Douglas Bereuter has served as the first district’s representative since 1978 and is not going anywhere. Even the old football coach has been elected. I think the people of Nebraska have spoken.