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Huge fundraising numbers pile up in Bacon-Eastman 2nd District race

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A huge political fight is developing in Nebraska’s Second Congressional District with spending expected to break records as Republican Congressman Don Bacon attempts to fend off Democratic challenger Kara Eastman.

Eastman raised $1.25 million in the third quarter and still lags Bacon in fundraising.

Bacon raised $550,000 in the third quarter, which is July 1st through September 30th.

Bacon has raised $2.5 million. Eastman has raised $2 million.

Bacon reports $900,000 in cash with Eastman reporting half that in the bank.

The vast majority of the contributions to Eastman’s campaign come from out of state. She has also received contributions from various political action committees, including one led by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco.

Bacon has received money from local business owners, a number of state senators as well as political action committees run by the Farm Bureau and the National Rifle Association.

In 2014, incumbent Republican Lee Terry lost to Democrat Brad Ashford. The two combined to spend a record $4.2 million.

Outside groups also are spending money on the Bacon-Eastman race.

 

Those for and against Medicaid expansion air opinions at Capitol (AUDIO)

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Sen. Roy Baker reads from prepared notes during Initiative 427 public hearing at the Capitol.

A public hearing at the Capitol gave a chance for those both for and against Medicaid expansion to weigh in the ballot measure.

Around 60 people attended the hearing at the state Capitol in Lincoln last night hosted by Secretary of State John Gale. State law calls for public hearings to be held in initiative petitions appearing on the ballot.

Both proponents and opponents got a chance to have their say.

Sen. Roy Baker of Lincoln presented the opening statement in favor of expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which appears as Initiative 427 on the November ballot. He pointed out it is estimated Medicaid expansion would cover 90,000 low-income Nebraskans now without health insurance.

“These are moms and dads who need to stay healthy to take care of their families,” Baker stated. “These are our neighbors, who you see at your kid’s Little League games. These are people who work one or more jobs, trying to pull their families out of poverty.”

Baker also argued the state would benefit economically from the influx of federal funds which would flow to the state once it expands Medicaid. Under the ACA, the federal government pays 90% of the cost of Medicaid expansion, an estimated $600 million a year.

Jessica Shelburn with Americans for Prosperity speaks during the public hearing.

But, Jessica Shelburn with Americans for Prosperity warned Medicaid expansion hasn’t gone as planned in the 33 states which implemented it.

“Every state that has expanded Medicaid has seen enrollment increase by almost 90% more than what they had anticipated,” according to Shelburn.

Shelburn stated though federal funds are promised, state government must still have to pay upfront costs.

It is estimated Medicaid expansion would cost $148.3 million over a three-year period. Nebraska is expected to receive $1.359 billion in federal funding over that three-year period.

After the formal presentations, those attending got their chance to weigh in on the issue.

Amanda Gershon of Lincoln said she became ill at a young age, becoming permanently disabled by the age of 33. She has recovered, but medical bills mounted and after totaling $60,000, she declared bankruptcy.

“Medicaid expansion will help reduce bankruptcies like mine due to medical debt,” Gershon said. “It will keep people working longer, keep them off of disability. Initiative 427 will help hard-working Nebraskans be able to take care of their health.”

Yet, Richard Ott of Omaha said Medicaid should not be expanded to cover able-bodied individuals.

“The working people have just put too much out and not getting near enough back,” according to Ott. “Why should we have to always give up for somebody that’s is too lazy to get out there hold a job down and do what it takes to work?”

Chip Smith of Omaha expressed disbelief in the estimate that expansion would cover 90,000 Nebraskans.

“Don’t be surprised when all the estimated numbers are wrong,” Smith said. “By then, it’s too late. People will leave Nebraska looking for other states with lower tax rates and decreasing tax revenues even further.”

But, Kathy Ward, a volunteer for AARP Nebraska said the experience of the 33 states which have expanded Medicaid demonstrated improved health for residence who live in those states.

“Evidence from other expansion states indicates greater use of preventive services, increased treatment for chronic conditions, and improvements in self-reported health,” according to Ward.

President of the Lincoln Education Association, Rita Bennett, said expansion would lead to healthier school children.

“There’s a false narrative being circulated by opponents of healthcare expansion,” Bennet stated. “The argument is that measure 427 would take away from funding for our schools and education system. We do not believe this is the case. In fact, federal funding for Medicaid expansion never dips below 90%.”

Steven Johnson of Ralston said expansion might appear like a good idea, but it doesn’t resolve health care problems.

“We have these feelings in our heart that we wish to help each other, but we also have how are we going to pay for it?” Johnson said. “But, more importantly, how are we going to solve the problem? That’s really what we’re here to do is solve the problem.”

A public hearing on the issue was held earlier in Omaha. A third public hearing is scheduled for Grand Island on the 30th at the College Park of Grand Island Theater Room. It is scheduled to begin at 6pm.

AUDIO:  Brent Martin reports [:45]

 

 

 

 

Study claims Medicaid expansion would spur Nebraska economy (AUDIO)

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University of Nebraska-Kearney economics professor Allan Jenkins

An updated economic analysis conducted for the campaign to expand Medicaid says expansion would greatly benefit Nebraska economically.

The Nebraska Hospital Association first commissioned the study by University of Nebraska-Kearney in 2015 for the Unicameral to consider. An updated version for voters to consider this fall states expansion would cost the state $148.3 million over three years, but would pull in $1.359 billion in federal funds.

It would benefit rural hospitals, especially.

“Medicaid expansion is definitely a difference maker for rural hospitals,” UNK economics professor Allan Jenkins tells reporters during a news conference at the NHA headquarters in Lincoln.

The NHA supports Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.

Expansion came before the Unicameral each session since Congress passed the ACA. It never received enough votes to overcome a filibuster, so supporters mounted an initiative petition campaign. The issue will appear on the ballot next month as Initiative 427.

Jenkins says 29 of Nebraska’s 64 critical access hospitals operate on margins of only 2%. He says rural hospitals struggle to cover the cost of uncompensated care.

“Only about 20% of low-income people have health care through their employment,” according to Jenkins. “That’s particularly a problem in rural areas.”

It is estimated that expanding Medicaid under the ACA would provide health insurance to approximately 90,000 Nebraskans. Jenkins doesn’t see that number changing as it has in other states, most notably Ohio, where enrollees far exceeded estimates when the state approved expansion. Jenkins says Nebraska’s smaller population makes it easier to accurately predict who would be eligible.

The UNK study projects Medicaid expansion would claim a net cost against the state General Fund of $25.7 million over a three-year period, first by claiming Medicaid expansion would reduce state spending by $57.5 million through covering healthcare services now paid by the state and by generating economic activity which would increase tax revenue by $112.4 million.

The study further claims that once expansion is fully implemented, it would lead to creation of nearly 11,000 jobs.

Medicaid-Expansion-Updated-Study

AUDIO:  Brent Martin reports [:50]

 

Gov. Ricketts says his son’s mugging was random, not political

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Gov. Pete Ricketts

The 19-year-old son of Gov. Pete Ricketts was robbed at gunpoint Sunday night while running near the family home in Omaha.

Omaha police say Roscoe Ricketts was robbed near Underwood Avenue and Fairacres Road.

Gov. Ricketts says he believes the robbery was a random event, not politically motivated.

“My son is doing fine, and I want to complement the Omaha Police Department. They did a fantastic job of responding. They were very professional, very compassionate. Took the report. Did their research and, obviously, we will stay in touch as the investigation goes forward,” Ricketts tells reporters at the Capitol.

Roscoe has appeared in Ricketts’ re-election campaign television ads, but the governor doesn’t believe the robber recognized him.

“I think it was just a random event. I don’t think there was any sort of targeting,” Ricketts says. “I think it was just a random event that happened. It was unfortunate. My son was out running at night and got mugged.”

Ricketts sees no connection with politics.

“I don’t think this had anything to do with the election,” Ricketts says. “I think this was a random event. I think the Omaha police will take the appropriate actions with the regard to the investigation and how they are going to look at what is going on in the neighborhood, but I don’t think this has anything to do with the election.”

Omaha police say Roscoe Ricketts reported only his cell phone was taken.

 

A debate over debates is about the only other debate we’re going to get out of Ricketts-Krist (AUDIO)

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Gov. Pete Ricketts and Sen. Bob Krist debate at the State Fair in Grand Island August 30th

Gov. Pete Ricketts and state Sen. Bob Krist have met in debate only once and both men have differing views on why they likely won’t debate again.

Ricketts, the Republican incumbent, blames Krist, the Democratic challenger, for the cancellation of a scheduled debate at Wayne State College.

“My opponent was the one who wouldn’t agree to a meeting to set up the rules,” Ricketts tells Nebraska Radio Network.

Ricketts calls Krist disingenuous when the senator complains about a lack of debates.

“With the Wayne debate, my opponent wouldn’t even set up a meeting with our team to be able to hash those out and that to me says he’s not serious,” Ricketts says.

Not so, says Krist who says talks bogged down when lawyer Mark Fahleson, the former Nebraska Republican Party chair, got involved. Krist claims the two campaigns had agreed to rules when Fahleson demanded another meeting to discuss the debate format.

Fahleson also raised an objection to NET playing a role in the debate, arguing that since NET receives state funding, it could not be a truly disinterested party.

With the two camps at loggerheads, the September 21st debate at Wayne State College sponsored by the Wayne Area of Economic Development was scrapped.

Krist says he called the governor, but Ricketts didn’t answer the phone. He says he did not leave a voice mail.

“If he wants to make an issue out of the debates, let’s have a debate. Let’s just go down there and talk to him right now and have a debate,” Krist tells Nebraska Radio Network. “The debate over the debate is he’s afraid to debate me.”

Krist adds that he “kicked his butt” in their only debate, August 30th at the State Fair in Grand Island. That debate was sponsored by the Omaha World-Herald and KMTV.

After the Wayne debate was cancelled, the Krist campaign emailed a letter October 1st as a PDF attachment. In the letter, Krist suggested the two campaigns agree to an invitation made by KETV-7 to have a debate in its Omaha studio with questions posed by KETV reporters without an audience.

Ricketts says he considered the letter a political stunt since the campaign sent the letter out on Twitter. Krist says the campaign published the letter on social media when it didn’t get a response, adding that even if the governor thought it was a political stunt, he still could have answered the letter.

Ricketts and Krist did share a stage October 7th during a forum at Temple Israel in Omaha in which they answered prepared questions with no interaction.

Ricketts-Debate-letter_Oct-1

AUDIO:  Brent Martin reports [:45]

Troopers Association backs Krist for governor

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State Troopers Association of Nebraska President, Brian Petersen, announces the association’s endorsement of Democrat Bob Krist governor as Krist looks on.

The State Troopers Association of Nebraska has endorsed Democrat Bob Krist for governor.

Association President Brian Peterson says the patrol hasn’t kept up with adequate staffing under Republican Governor Pete Ricketts.

“You have to take a hard look at staffing requirements,” Petersen tells reporters at a Capitol news conference. “If it’s a 1970 or a 1980 staffing level and you’re trying to run it where we are today, it may not be effective. You have to have some comparability to what Iowa is doing, what Kansas is doing. There’s different degree of investigatory units vs. patrolling units, the units that you see on the road in the marked patrol car.”

The association says Krist, a state senator from Omaha, would protect public safety and support the members of the Nebraska State Patrol.

Peterson says the decision to endorse Krist over Ricketts came after an overwhelming vote of the association’s members in favor of Krist.

Krist has been critical of Gov. Ricketts for his hiring of Brad Rice as patrol superintendent, then having to let him go after an internal investigation of the patrol. Krist accuses Ricketts of mishandling the patrol.

“We paid a lot of attention to the things that really were not important and, overall, blamed the leadership after the governor actually put the leadership in place,” according to Krist. “So, I would say that rather than deflecting and blaming, you have to take responsibility for the decisions that you’ve made.”

Krist also criticizes Ricketts for backing a bill last session which he claims would have interfered with the collective bargaining rights of troopers.

 

 

Fears of physical violence has politicians, like Congressman Bacon, taking precautions

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Retired United States Air Force Brigadier General and now Congressman Don Bacon is no stranger to danger as he served three tours of duty in the Middle East. However, there are new concerns of safety of elected officials and political tensions continue to build. Some lawmakers are worried about physical assaults.  Bacon says he and his family are taking notice.

Congressman Bacon says, “We are conscious about it. When I have my grandkids, they are obviously conscious about it is well.  We take precautions.  I’ll just leave it at that.  A smart person has to take precautions for their security in this situation.”

Congressman Bacon says he received a letter from an 80 year old woman that stated she wanted to cut him into pieces. He says you have to have a tough skin in politics and comments like that don’t bother him much.

Just this week Republican Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky says he was harassed at a D.C. airport and verbally assaulted. He was also physically attacked by a neighbor last year outside his home.  Congressman Bacon has noticed that both sides of the aisle have seen an ‘ends justify the means’ mentality of getting what you want politically.  He says there has been a lot of trashing a person’s character and a lot of yelling and screaming lately.  He says those tactics are wrong and people should respect one another in a civil manner.

Congressman Bacon warns Trump campaign rally about what Democrat victory would bring

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Congressman Don Bacon and his wife, Angie. Photo courtesy of Don Bacon Twitter account.

Congressman Don Bacon got a chance to speak at the President Trump campaign rally in the Omaha metro area, warning the partisan crowd about what might happen if Democrats win back the House.

Bacon, a freshman Republican in the Second Congressional District, recalled Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco dismissing the benefits of the Republican tax-cut package as ‘bread crumbs’.

“Let me tell you what these bread crumbs did,” Bacon told the crowd. “I remember talking to a lady who got a bonus and she’s getting money back from her taxes; she was two months behind on her mortgage and she paid off that mortgage and got caught back up. Those were bread crumbs to Nancy Pelosi, but not to her.”

Though held just across the Missouri River from Omaha, the rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa had a decided Nebraska flavor. Trump supporters filled the 8,000-capacity Mid-America Center to overflowing, some changed ‘Go Big Red,’ during the rally.

Bacon spoke before the president.

Bacon, former commander of Offutt Air Force Base in the Omaha suburb of Bellevue, said the Trump Administration, working with a Republican Congress, has restored military readiness.

“We had the lowest readiness rates since 1977, the Jimmy Carter era, the hollow force years,” Bacon said. “We restored that funding by 60%. We got our military back on its feet. We’ve given pay raises to our military for the first time that matched inflation in almost 10 years.”

Bacon said the Trump Administration has also addressed the disgraceful conditions which existed at VA hospitals throughout the country.

As Bacon addressed immigration, the crowd interrupted.

“We can find a compassionate way forward,” Bacon said, laughing as the crowd interrupted and chanted, ‘Build that wall,’ “We need to secure our borders, absolutely. Now, what is the other side saying? They have voted against every compromise that secures our borders.”

Bacon said that if Democrats win control of Congress in the mid-term elections efforts to address immigration would falter.

Bacon said the Republican Congress has work it needs to do, such as improving health care, addressing immigration, and finding incentives to get the 12 million able-bodied Americans not working now back into the workforce.

O. Kay Henderson, Radio Iowa, contributed to this report.

 

Gov. Ricketts dismisses Sen. Krist’s characterization of him (AUDIO)

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Gov. Pete Ricketts with Lt. Gov. Mike Foley

Gov. Pete Ricketts rejects the two top criticisms his opponent levels against him.

This is the conclusion of our two-part series about the governor’s re-election campaign.

State Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha, the Democratic candidate for governor, charges Gov. Ricketts, the Republican incumbent, doesn’t listen to Nebraskans.

“Couldn’t be further from the truth,” Ricketts tells Nebraska Radio Network in an interview. “I have done over 140 town halls, Rotary Clubs or Optimist Clubs. I travel the state all the time, talking to Nebraskans.”

Ricketts says he listens to Nebraskans during those trips across the state. And, the governor says he listens to legislators, citing such bills the Transportation Innovation Act and various tax bills. Ricketts says he has even reached across the political aisle, working with Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln on anti-sex trafficking legislation and Sen. Sara Howard of Omaha on legislation to curb opioid abuse as well as others.

Also, Ricketts rejects Krist’s criticism that he takes a “My way or the highway” mentality.

“I’ll take this last property tax bill as an example of how that is just not true,” Ricketts responds. “If you look at all the property tax bills that were introduced this year, earlier this year in the session, my bill was the one that actually moved the most. It changed the most. We went through several iterations of that bill. It changed quite a few times.”

Ricketts attempted to craft a bill which would appeal both to rural and urban state senators. The final version failed to attract the votes necessary to break a filibuster.

Ricketts has used “grow Nebraska” as the theme for his administration. He says the phrase unfolds in four broad areas: developing the skills of Nebraskans, making Nebraska easy to do business with, managing the state budget while cutting taxes, and promoting Nebraska abroad. The governor says those can create an environment in which the residents of the state can enjoy the good life that is Nebraska.

AUDIO:  Brent Martin reports [:50]

President Trump touts agricultural policies during campaign stop in Omaha metro area

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Photo courtesy of O. Kay Henderson, Radio Iowa

President Donald Trump highlighted his administration’s agricultural policy during a campaign visit to the Omaha metro area.

Trump pointed out he has given the go-ahead for higher ethanol content to be mixed with gasoline and sold throughout the year.

“My administration is protecting ethanol, alright? That’s what you want to hear,” Trump said to the delight of the crowd. “Today, we are unleashing the power of E-15 to be fuel our country all year long, not eight months. All year long.”

Earlier in the day, Trump approved the sale of the higher ethanol blend of gasoline throughout the entire year, lifting the restriction of its sale.

Trump also touted the recent completion of trade talks with Canada, which will pave the way for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to be replaced with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The president said the new trade deal will benefit Midwestern farmers and ranchers.

Trump also had a warning for the Republicans gathered for his appearance. The president said that if Republicans failed to get to the polls for the mid-term elections next month, Democrats would win majorities in Congress and seek to undo his administration’s policies.

“But if Democrats take control, they will try to reverse our amazing progress and plunge our country into gridlock, frankly into poverty, ultimately into chaos,” Trump said. “That’s what’s going to happen.”

Ken Anderson, Brownfield Ag News, contributed to this story.