Chronicle: Nebraska primary

THE STORIES AND PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S CHRONICLE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. I’M BILL SHERMAN. IT’S ALMOST TIME TO EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE IN NEBRASKA. THIS MORNING. WE’LL GO THROUGH THE HOT RACES TO PAY ATTENTION TO AND HIGHLIGHT THE CANDIDATES, HOPING TO MOVE ON TO THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION, PLUS THE SECURITY OF YOUR BALLOT. ONCE YOU TURN IT IN, AND WHAT YOU NEED TO DO BEFORE HEADING TO THE POLLS ON TUESDAY. FIRST, THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES WILL BE ON THE NEBRASKA PRIMARY BALLOT. IT’S FOR EACH PARTY TO DETERMINE THE NOMINEE. SINCE MOST CANDIDATES HAVE DROPPED OUT, IT WILL LIKELY BE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN. FOR THE DEMOCRATS AND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FOR THE REPUBLICANS. THE RACE BETWEEN TWO REPUBLICAN RUNS FOR THE DISTRICT TWO CONGRESSIONAL SEAT IS ONE TO WATCH. INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN DON BACON FACES CHALLENGER DAN FRY, AND WHILE THEY AGREE ON SOME ISSUES, THE SAME ISSUES THE COUNTRY NEEDS TO TACKLE, THEY DIFFER ON OTHERS. HERE’S CHRONICLES ROB MCCARTNEY. I COME FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. I’M NOT A POLITICIAN. I LIKE TO GOVERN, AND I STUDIED THE CONSTITUTION AND THE FEDERALIST PAPERS. DON BACON AND DAN FRY AGREE ON WHAT THEY SEE AS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FACING THE SECOND DISTRICT AND THE STATE OF NEBRASKA. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, WHICH SHOULD BE A NATION OF LAWS. AND WE WANT LEGAL, UH, IMMIGRANTS TO COME HERE. I SUPPORT LEGAL IMMIGRATION, BUT IT’S PART THE STRAIN ON OUR LOCALITIES. WE’RE CURRENTLY SPENDING MORE MONEY RIGHT NOW TO TO HOUSE, FEED, CLOTHE AND PROVIDE MEDICAL CARE FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY THAN WE’RE SPENDING ON OUR OWN CITIZENS. THEY AGREE ON WHAT THE SECOND ISSUE IS. THE ECONOMY AND THE NEED TO CUT SPENDING IS THE ECONOMY BE WORSE OR BETTER NOW THAN IT WAS FOUR YEARS AGO? FOR UNEMPLOYMENT IS BETTER. I WOULD SAY STOCKS ARE BETTER, BUT WHAT IS NOT BETTER? THE AVERAGE CITIZEN HAS LESS SPENDING POWER THAN THEY DID FOUR YEARS AGO BECAUSE OF INFLATION. I WOULD TAKE WHAT WE HAD FOUR YEARS AGO, ALL DAY LONG. WHEN I GO TO DC AND THEY PUT A SPENDING BILL ON MY DESK, IF IT’S GOT YEAR OVER YEAR SPENDING INCREASES, I’M A NO. I WON’T WAVER ON THAT. AND WHILE THEY BOTH SAY THEY HAVE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF ISRAEL, THAT’S NOT THE CASE WHEN IT COMES TO UKRAINE. I SUPPORT MILITARY AID. WE DO IT BETTER THAN ANYBODY. WE HAVE NO TROOPS THERE. IT COMES OUT TO BE ABOUT 5% OF OUR MILITARY BUDGET A YEAR. AND LOOK WHAT WE’VE DONE WITH IT. WE’VE HELD RUSSIA BACK. SHOULD HAVE STOPPED LONG AGO. I DON’T KNOW THAT I’VE SEEN THE CASE MADE FOR WHY ARE WE FUNDING UKRAINE? HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. I’M NOT INTERESTED IN FUNDING OTHER COUNTRIES SECURITY BEFORE WE BEFORE WE SECURE OUR OWN COUNTRY. NOW, POLITICAL OBSERVERS SAY THE BACON FRY BATTLE HIGHLIGHTS A HEATED SPLIT WITHIN THE NEBRASKA REPUBLICAN PARTY ITSELF, WITH SO-CALLED TRADITIONAL CONSERVATIVES BEING CHALLENGED AT ALL LEVELS BY POPULIST CANDIDATES IN THE PREVIOUS ELECTION, THE VOTERS HAD WHAT WE CALLED FATIGUE WITH THEIR CURRENT REPRESENTATIVE. THEY WERE JUST KIND OF TIRED OF IT. THEY’RE ANGRY RIGHT NOW. ARE YOU ANGRY? I’M NOT ANGRY. I’M FRUSTRATED. I’M FRUSTRATED THAT THAT I’VE GOT TO DO THIS. THERE’S JUST A LOT OF ANGER AND I’M A HAPPY WARRIOR. I WANT TO GET THINGS DONE. I BELIEVE YOU GET MORE DONE AS A HAPPY WARRIOR VERSUS THE ANGER. THE, UM, BULLYING, THE NAME CALLING. AND I THINK WE’RE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THAT. I USED TO SEE IT ON THE LEFT A LOT MORE. NOW I SEE IT ALSO BY SEGMENTS ON THE RIGHT. CONGRESSMAN MIKE FLOOD FILLED THE DISTRICT ONE SEAT AFTER A SPECIAL ELECTION IN 2022. NOW A NEWCOMER IS HOPING TO MAKE IT A QUICK TRIP TO D.C. MICHAEL CONNOLLY. THE TWO BOTH REPUBLICANS HOPING TO EARN YOUR VOTE TUESDAY CHRONICLES SARAH FILI CONTINUES OUR COMMITMENT 2024 COVERAGE. I’VE BEEN THERE NOW ALMOST TWO YEARS, AND I FEEL LIKE I AM DELIVERING RESULTS FOR NEBRASKA. WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MANAGE THIS OUT OF CONTROL INFLATION. CONGRESSMAN MIKE FLOOD WANTS TO CONTINUE HIS WORK IN WASHINGTON. AND AS SOMEBODY WHO ALSO HAS RUN A BUSINESS AND MADE A PAYROLL, I BELIEVE THAT TAKING THAT EXPERIENCE TO WASHINGTON ALLOWS ME TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF REDUCED GOVERNMENT SPENDING, HOW TO CONTROL THE BORDER, HOW TO DEAL WITH WORKFORCE HOUSING, HE SAYS HE’S FOR SHUTTING DOWN THE BORDER WITH METHAMPHETAMINE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SEX TRAFFICKING, ALL OF THAT COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY THAT TURNS EVERY CITY IN NEBRASKA INTO A BORDER CITY. AND SO WE NEED TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT THE BORDER. FLOOD SAYS HIS FOCUS IS WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE TO GET THINGS DONE IN D.C., JUST LIKE HE DID IN THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE. HIS CHALLENGER, MICHAEL CONNELLY, SAYS THAT’S THE PROBLEM. THE CURRENT CONGRESSMAN IS DEAD CENTER BETWEEN LIBERAL CONSERVATIVE NANCE AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS. I ON THE OTHER HAND, AM FAR RIGHT WITH A VERY STRONG SENSE OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND PERSONAL FREEDOMS. CONNELLY SAYS HIS VETERAN BACKGROUND AND WORK IN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE HAS HIM CENTERED ON CHINA. YOU CAN SEE THE MASSIVE CHINESE MILITARY BUILDUP, UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS. AND IN 2016, I SAID, I NEED TO COME BACK HERE TO NEBRASKA TO PREPARE NEBRASKANS AND THE UNITED STATES FOR WHAT’S COMING. HE, TOO, SAYS THERE’S A NEED TO CUT GOVERNMENT SPENDING, BUT SAYS WAR WITH CHINA NEEDS TO BE ON THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYONE’S MINDS STATESIDE. HE WANTS TO BRING NEBRASKA TO THE FOREFRONT WITH OTHER CANDIDATES RUNNING THERE. WE’RE ALL TRYING TO PUSH IN TOGETHER TO GIVE NEBRASKA A GREATER VOICE. THAT GIVES US SOME A STRONGER VOICE IN CONGRESS, BOTH HOPING TO EARN YOUR VOTE IN MAY SARAH FILI KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN. FROM DISTRICT ONE TO DISTRICT THREE, ADRIAN SMITH IS REPRESENTED CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEBRASKA FOR NINE TERMS AND TWO REPUBLICANS ARE CHALLENGING HIM IN THE UPCOMING PRIMARY. HERE’S CHRONICLES JULIE CORNELL L. CONGRESSMAN ADRIAN SMITH SAYS HIS JOB IS WORKING ON THE SIZE AND ROLE OF GOVERNMENT. IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE EASY. IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE CONVENIENT. HE IDENTIFIES A HIGH NOTE IN HIS CAREER WHEN HE FEELS LIKE HE MADE A DIFFERENCE. WELL, TO BE IN THE TRENCHES OF, UH, TAX REFORM, UH, PRESIDENT TRUMP, HE HE REALLY LOOKED TO CONGRESS IN 2017 TO REWRITE THE TAX CODE. WE DID THAT. IT WAS GREAT FOR THE ECONOMY. AND NOW WE EVEN HAVE DEMOCRATS SUPPORTING WHAT WE DID. SMITH SAYS HE’S CONCERNS INCLUDE BORDER SECURITY AND TRYING TO ENFORCE MEXICO’S PROMISE TO IMPORT U.S. CORN, AN IMPORTANT PRODUCT IN NEBRASKA’S THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. I’LL TELL YOU WHAT THE DISASTROUS POLICIES OF JOE BIDEN THAT IT’S PAINFUL, SMITH SAYS HE FEELS THE POLITICAL DIVIDE DAILY. CLEARLY, THERE’S POLARIZATION AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, AND IT’S THE DIVIDE HAS BEEN GETTING WIDER. BUT THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF FOLKS FOCUSING ON SOLUTIONS. AND THE CONGRESSMAN IN WASHINGTON FOR 18 YEARS BELIEVES HE’S PART OF THE SOLUTION. I ASKED HIM ABOUT SHORING UP SOCIAL SECURITY IF WE DO NOTHING IN ABOUT NINE YEARS. NOW, BENEFITS WILL AUTOMATICALLY REDUCE BY 25%. THAT WILL THAT COULD VERY EASILY DOUBLE SENIOR POVERTY. WE DON’T WANT THAT. HE IS DEFINITELY BEATABLE. JOHN WALLACE HAS PLENTY OF CRITICISM FOR THE NINE TERM CONGRESSMAN. WALLACE IS THE FATHER OF TEN. HE’S A FORMER MARINE, THE GROCERY STORE OWNER AND HASTINGS CALLS HIMSELF A STRICT CONSTITUTIONAL CANDIDATE. WE DO NEED TO GET DOWN ON OUR KNEES, AND WE NEED TO IMPLORE GOD’S INTERCESSION TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY. WE TOOK SOME HEAT FOR PUTTING CAMPAIGN BOOKMARKS IN CHURCH BIBLES AND HYMNALS ALL OVER WESTERN NEBRASKA. THAT’S OKAY WITH YOU. IT’S ABSOLUTELY OKAY WITH ME. HE’S A BIG FAN OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP. PEOPLE SAY THEY WANT TO ASSOCIATE ME DIRECTLY WITH DONALD TRUMP AND I TAKE THAT ASSOCIATION. I THINK DONALD TRUMP IS A PATRIOT. I THINK HE WANTS THE BEST FOR THIS COUNTRY. I THINK HE WANTS TO SAVE THIS COUNTRY. AND THERE’S ANOTHER REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER, MY POLITICAL STYLE IS IS NOT WHAT A MAGA. ROBERT MCPHERSON IS A WELDER AND ELECTRICIAN IN HOLDREGE AND A FELLOW FORMER MARINE. HAVE YOU PICKED UP ANY ENDORSEMENTS? NOPE. NOT ONE. THE FORMER FARMER BELIEVES IN TERM LIMITS. WHAT’S THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FACING OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW? HE SAYS A LACK OF BORDER SECURITY THREATENS THE COUNTRY AND ENFORCING CURRENT LAWS IS THE ANSWER. IT’S A NATIONAL EMERGENCY. I CLASSIFY IT VERY SIMILAR TO A WAR. HE CALLS HIMSELF A MODERATE REPUBLICAN WHO WORKS FOR THE COMMON MAN. I’LL JUST SAY IT LIKE THIS I WILL NOT VOTE ALONG PARTY LINES. 100%. I WILL NOT. HE SAYS HE’S IN THIS RACE BECAUSE WE CAN DO BETTER. WHAT’S RIGHT WITH THE COUNTRY. WE. THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE THERE’S HARDLY ANYTHING RIGHT. STAYING IN DISTRICT THREE, TWO DEMOCRATS WILL FACE ONE ANOTHER IN THE PRIMARY TO SEE WHO CHALLENGES THE REPUBLICAN WINNER THIS FALL. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S MELISSA FRY INTRODUCES US TO THE CANDIDATES. WE FOLLOW DAVID ELLIS TO HIS FARM LAST SUMMER, HIS FIELDS AND PONDS NEAR ELM CREEK WERE ALL DRIED UP, HE SAYS. MOTHER NATURE ISN’T THE ONLY ISSUE HERE. ELLIS SAYS THERE’S A REAL PROBLEM WITH MEGA FARMERS AND MONOPOLY PRODUCERS. I WANT TO DIVERSIFY THE BIG. FOUR PACKING PLANTS BECAUSE THEY CONTROL THE MEAT PRICES AND THEN THEY SCREW US FARMERS AND THEN THEY’RE MAKING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ELSE IS A DEMOCRAT RUNNING FOR NEBRASKA THREE. HE SAYS HE WANTS TO PRIORITIZE TRADE AND TARIFF TAXES TO BOOST THE US ECONOMY. AND WORK ON IMMIGRATION. I KNOW HOW WE CAN SOLVE THE BORDER PROBLEM DOWN THERE IS MOVE THE FACTORIES FROM CHINA BACK TO MEXICO BECAUSE ALL THOSE PEOPLE WANT TO DO IS FEED THEIR FAMILY LIKE ANY NORMAL HUMAN BEING. WOULD ELLIS OPPONENT IN THE PRIMARY IS DAN EBBERS. HE GREW UP NEAR SCOTTS BLUFF AND JUST RECENTLY MOVED TO LINCOLN FOR WORK. EBBERS CALLS HIMSELF AN ADVOCATE FOR AGRICULTURE. WE DO NEED TO REDUCE MAYBE SOME OF THE REGULATIONS WE NEED TO HELP. WE NEED TO HELP OUR FARMERS AS MUCH AS WE CAN. UM, OUR, OUR SMALL FARMS IN NEBRASKA ARE A BIG DEAL TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE LIFE OF MANY OF OUR MANY OF OUR STATE’S RESIDENTS, NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE. UBER SAYS WASHINGTON NEEDS TO WORK TO BETTER THE ECONOMY. HE SAYS NEBRASKANS AND ALL AMERICANS NEED RELIEF AT THE REGISTER PRICES HAVE WENT UP SO MUCH COMPARED TO WAGES THAT IT JUST DOESN’T MAKE SENSE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE ON THAT PATH. DAVID ELLIS AND DAN EBBERS, DEMOCRATS RUNNING IN THE PRIMARY, THE WINNER WILL TRY TO UNSEAT ADRIAN SMITH THIS FALL. MELISSA FRY KETV NEWS WATCH SEVEN NEXT ON KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S CHRONICLE A RARE TIME IN NEBRASKA WHERE BOTH SENATE SEATS ARE UP FOR GRABS. WE’LL TELL YOU WHO IS HOPING FOR THE SPOTS OF THE U.S. CAPITOL. PLUS THE BALLOT ISSUES. YOU’LL WEIGH I