WASHINGTON, DC –&nbsp;Invest in Education Coalition,&nbsp;a national organization dedicated to advancing school choice at the federal level, endorsed&nbsp;Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), in his race today.

Sen. Ricketts has co-sponsored the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), a bill that is designed to expand access to school choice for children nationwide by funding K-12 scholarships through private donations that cover essential elements such as tuition, tutoring and special needs services.

Earlier this month, the ECCA&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=e770575bdb7349bca315370c0b23aaa0&amp;_e=Yll8CHaTlKpT5Yt-1MgjYzV7PS9eye689SNLO4rw6mQJK6W-88SvXz2VZJ9y2H-7-qxsarv7AlIi4EXJBl8D6I8jP634KSszfvvCDCzO-fWiTKCTocSweEz71r_syAoGv5WiwNgAcsDx4FjP-HzMgbj-REZjFWx3T52Ceyab2VON86aZ0fBX_qXczcJax_o_Yo-QS9OrMmO57XA_JOypg-PFifW6MPy8EQvGDjJUU-HuR4y29GfeEAp-G14z0JfpPHIktnXAJTQ7IdF3xzMYClf-smnIOf6-8Lik6P8pKBLewbBBzQnc2F-n1xnJgsFin0UuiIGwB7WBvOGmtVtURIsUwcw-nxZvMWASj6LIcuPTh3rQJPS9XdjtHeEkAIWhnTudj_WMWPOQtp83L34tYu4Qge0Zd2AprbaSLkj2yilFaAYB0Vfok2kKLB9Cem319CI7_etrMxCd1c5cIv8CngTiplg1Uj7maV1D23nrQKpkhuMZjk59ZVRGiigwKQLzQ9MtK9Do30NB3NhgMUsFtCrPfNZsQtNdwnxu71rQr6wFelN6SrkHAoSMfWnrS9iYmivHu2JL2CbAa70rdD-CTEuwlRIHCnHWVhGYhC3qL1WA1boI7TfTO4zGHgT7Ije3jVGYxlwQ7WTv4R49kPNQTvV-XjwM6HNy-uovCDdNYiSA0FNaZgPOGFV9iWe3xdJKHNzZMBt52nANoKgK73Qm6lgf4AOJvkMHfiJTvZs0O7vi3ppmwWQbyP_wKerSSTp_trRcY6kW0omIQofgLyBRfvQEFA9qgamgS0Qb3OtecqE%3D">passed</a>&nbsp;out of the House Ways &amp; Means Committee and now heads to the House Floor. This comes as the Republican National Committee has named school choice as one of their priorities in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=e770575bdb7349bca315370c0b23aaa0&amp;_e=Yll8CHaTlKpT5Yt-1MgjY1BiAXyQ-vjLndktaoLMi_dpXsCqMAGC0bo0pbj_bcSyDAjpUtSIn2XNPHT8jYuDHQrWQ4IPKoSQNazoRQXmB4NZJnsiX8TGux6w0En4UIDRuEqNHgJeFZjsAz6xKXTbyZJAymxOmKWB_lvYLVUCDSUyqozm47aLfqVZhMF9nHe-TXyeA9ZKRbiXL82Xb72rUj07hUcsE4pOpsvT3ovW6qIbvGoYzh3EvdHAdDqChqOkJeH4THzggWrjiSedddZFlA%3D%3D">2024 Republican Platform</a>. A recent national survey shows more than&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=e770575bdb7349bca315370c0b23aaa0&amp;_e=Yll8CHaTlKpT5Yt-1MgjY8EWTx4r-X_sTP_QeErsnCdCWils1OWJSR3OR5d4QGUsAJiv1VjXlh7Y-470gyQvnKG_QRw3cx_nK-ESigfFGKqxCdNurM8gR_0DQcPXv-BLUNBHP-4TUZNxrzCP1OY4LPL5maWowgn3lyCWfglqEgWkJX9tGvHs_He2auBiG_bKtqY8rrq32wmr-pA_XnkL6P0_OJuwwnkJT4NslJ9XhQx_5q5EufpzjAN_y8I0PXld58Rhgo7tnT6W-821nDM3kf-lO6WWoHso_nS82Ui_5D0%3D">70 percent</a>&nbsp;of voters across all demographics agree that providing school choice for all students is an issue that needs attention.

Anthony J. de Nicola, Chairman of the Board of Invest in Education Coalition, said:

“We are very pleased to have the support and leadership of Sen. Ricketts of Nebraska for the Educational Choice for Children Act, as he understands the vital importance of empowering parents to access the highest quality, most suitable K-12 education available for their children.

“We commend Sen. Ricketts for his foresight and courage in championing K-12 education reform, and we look forward to working alongside him to make parental choice a reality for every child in Nebraska and across America.

“Invest in Education Coalition is proud to endorse Senator Pete Ricketts from the Cornhusker State of Nebraska.”

To learn more, please visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=e770575bdb7349bca315370c0b23aaa0&amp;_e=Yll8CHaTlKpT5Yt-1MgjY1BiAXyQ-vjLndktaoLMi_cXdpbacSKF1PDcNL0j_TIgKEdbikvmrjyeyAQGg3wO7NV_litoksUmYvAerzndG6G4fVrMhRYzmeE8ICybqXqjCJvdcwBNcbW0u3BOZ2fyEDs2rGqmxlxQjU9m3IaGGO0S39qo4Vnl2Jg552LaK2OP99BvEiz8OV5HGHLMaq4YPw%3D%3D">investineducation.org</a>&nbsp;

For more information on the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), please click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=e770575bdb7349bca315370c0b23aaa0&amp;_e=Yll8CHaTlKpT5Yt-1MgjY1BiAXyQ-vjLndktaoLMi_dpXsCqMAGC0bo0pbj_bcSym0TyYw5bCgJ6W7s9g8cSic406keeE3_BF6ETczLd11q36kOzd_3ABjsHH72qmC5Dlxj0wrRn5u1rifx6qN3A_tXJ6NkSHxYD8rWyQ7W2KznD71kvgEupWao-JWdTFvKJGDiN8nOWplCgZ3obKsIb8mCO4SoY5wZlKAFWxDFZPng%3D">here</a>.

Invest in Education Coalition is a 501(c)(4) organization that advocates at the federal level for legislation that will directly empower K-12 parents throughout the nation to choose the best school or education service for their children.&nbsp;Invest in Education Coalition is the only national organization exclusively dedicated to advancing school choice at the federal level, working to make this goal a reality for children in all 50 states.&nbsp;We believe that K-12 parents should have the power to choose the best educational options for their own children.&nbsp;Simply put, parents should decide where their child’s education dollars are spent.&nbsp;

Priscilla IvascoWASHINGTON, DC –&nbsp;Invest in Education Coalition,&nbsp;a national organization dedicated to advancing school choice at the federal level, endorsed&nbsp;Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), in his race today.Sen. Ricketts has co-sponsored the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), a bill that is designed to expand access to school choice for children nationwide by funding K-12 scholarships through private donations that cover essential elements such as tuition, tutoring and special needs services.Earlier this month, the ECCA&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=e770575bdb7349bca315370c0b23aaa0&amp;_e=Yll8CHaTlKpT5Yt-1MgjYzV7PS9eye689SNLO4rw6mQJK6W-88SvXz2VZJ9y2H-7-qxsarv7AlIi4EXJBl8D6I8jP634KSszfvvCDCzO-fWiTKCTocSweEz71r_syAoGv5WiwNgAcsDx4FjP-HzMgbj-REZjFWx3T52Ceyab2VON86aZ0fBX_qXczcJax_o_Yo-QS9OrMmO57XA_JOypg-PFifW6MPy8EQvGDjJUU-HuR4y29GfeEAp-G14z0JfpPHIktnXAJTQ7IdF3xzMYClf-smnIOf6-8Lik6P8pKBLewbBBzQnc2F-n1xnJgsFin0UuiIGwB7WBvOGmtVtURIsUwcw-nxZvMWASj6LIcuPTh3rQJPS9XdjtHeEkAIWhnTudj_WMWPOQtp83L34tYu4Qge0Zd2AprbaSLkj2yilFaAYB0Vfok2kKLB9Cem319CI7_etrMxCd1c5cIv8CngTiplg1Uj7maV1D23nrQKpkhuMZjk59ZVRGiigwKQLzQ9MtK9Do30NB3NhgMUsFtCrPfNZsQtNdwnxu71rQr6wFelN6SrkHAoSMfWnrS9iYmivHu2JL2CbAa70rdD-CTEuwlRIHCnHWVhGYhC3qL1WA1boI7TfTO4zGHgT7Ije3jVGYxlwQ7WTv4R49kPNQTvV-XjwM6HNy-uovCDdNYiSA0FNaZgPOGFV9iWe3xdJKHNzZMBt52nANoKgK73Qm6lgf4AOJvkMHfiJTvZs0O7vi3ppmwWQbyP_wKerSSTp_trRcY6kW0omIQofgLyBRfvQEFA9qgamgS0Qb3OtecqE%3D">passed</a>&nbsp;out of the House Ways &amp; Means Committee and now heads to the House Floor. This comes as the Republican National Committee has named school choice as one of their priorities in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=e770575bdb7349bca315370c0b23aaa0&amp;_e=Yll8CHaTlKpT5Yt-1MgjY1BiAXyQ-vjLndktaoLMi_dpXsCqMAGC0bo0pbj_bcSyDAjpUtSIn2XNPHT8jYuDHQrWQ4IPKoSQNazoRQXmB4NZJnsiX8TGux6w0En4UIDRuEqNHgJeFZjsAz6xKXTbyZJAymxOmKWB_lvYLVUCDSUyqozm47aLfqVZhMF9nHe-TXyeA9ZKRbiXL82Xb72rUj07hUcsE4pOpsvT3ovW6qIbvGoYzh3EvdHAdDqChqOkJeH4THzggWrjiSedddZFlA%3D%3D">2024 Republican Platform</a>. A recent national survey shows more than&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=e770575bdb7349bca315370c0b23aaa0&amp;_e=Yll8CHaTlKpT5Yt-1MgjY8EWTx4r-X_sTP_QeErsnCdCWils1OWJSR3OR5d4QGUsAJiv1VjXlh7Y-470gyQvnKG_QRw3cx_nK-ESigfFGKqxCdNurM8gR_0DQcPXv-BLUNBHP-4TUZNxrzCP1OY4LPL5maWowgn3lyCWfglqEgWkJX9tGvHs_He2auBiG_bKtqY8rrq32wmr-pA_XnkL6P0_OJuwwnkJT4NslJ9XhQx_5q5EufpzjAN_y8I0PXld58Rhgo7tnT6W-821nDM3kf-lO6WWoHso_nS82Ui_5D0%3D">70 percent</a>&nbsp;of voters across all demographics agree that providing school choice for all students is an issue that needs attention.<figure>
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 </figure>Anthony J. de Nicola, Chairman of the Board of Invest in Education Coalition, said:“We are very pleased to have the support and leadership of Sen. Ricketts of Nebraska for the Educational Choice for Children Act, as he understands the vital importance of empowering parents to access the highest quality, most suitable K-12 education available for their children.“We commend Sen. Ricketts for his foresight and courage in championing K-12 education reform, and we look forward to working alongside him to make parental choice a reality for every child in Nebraska and across America.“Invest in Education Coalition is proud to endorse Senator Pete Ricketts from the Cornhusker State of Nebraska.”To learn more, please visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=e770575bdb7349bca315370c0b23aaa0&amp;_e=Yll8CHaTlKpT5Yt-1MgjY1BiAXyQ-vjLndktaoLMi_cXdpbacSKF1PDcNL0j_TIgKEdbikvmrjyeyAQGg3wO7NV_litoksUmYvAerzndG6G4fVrMhRYzmeE8ICybqXqjCJvdcwBNcbW0u3BOZ2fyEDs2rGqmxlxQjU9m3IaGGO0S39qo4Vnl2Jg552LaK2OP99BvEiz8OV5HGHLMaq4YPw%3D%3D">investineducation.org</a>&nbsp;For more information on the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), please click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=e770575bdb7349bca315370c0b23aaa0&amp;_e=Yll8CHaTlKpT5Yt-1MgjY1BiAXyQ-vjLndktaoLMi_dpXsCqMAGC0bo0pbj_bcSym0TyYw5bCgJ6W7s9g8cSic406keeE3_BF6ETczLd11q36kOzd_3ABjsHH72qmC5Dlxj0wrRn5u1rifx6qN3A_tXJ6NkSHxYD8rWyQ7W2KznD71kvgEupWao-JWdTFvKJGDiN8nOWplCgZ3obKsIb8mCO4SoY5wZlKAFWxDFZPng%3D">here</a>.About Invest in Education CoalitionInvest in Education Coalition is a 501(c)(4) organization that advocates at the federal level for legislation that will directly empower K-12 parents throughout the nation to choose the best school or education service for their children.&nbsp;Invest in Education Coalition is the only national organization exclusively dedicated to advancing school choice at the federal level, working to make this goal a reality for children in all 50 states.&nbsp;We believe that K-12 parents should have the power to choose the best educational options for their own children.&nbsp;Simply put, parents should decide where their child’s education dollars are spent.&nbsp;

National School Choice Advocates Endorse Sen. Ricketts from Nebraska

WASHINGTON, DC –&nbsp;Invest in Education Coalition,&nbsp;a national organization dedicated to advancing school choice at the federal level, endorsed&nbsp;Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE-3), in his re-election bid today.

Rep. Smith was one of the original sponsors to introduce the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), a bill that is designed to expand access to school choice for children nationwide by funding K-12 scholarships through private donations that cover essential elements such as tuition, tutoring and special needs services.

Earlier this month, the ECCA&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=95e5e19631774888800445e25020cf03&amp;_e=2xq3lASpeSwVXctMXaet80ZbRShEYEdJrCiAnoafl7Xn84a9GffJWI8YhhUfDnVI_e82GchoWSnTaDzjzQUKc4x5m6Nc50BtO5UC0yOns4_3brMZrBsQd4MNsiFCaIwtmpnxg6vamJn5H7ZMPIpZB6Rp-wEZ4SdJ4mBIs1dGoCcf0jTSSiKtg_9ZOIRPzv7AXFP3tjESjoygRffYjh-GSVHNCogTPuiznTE31VFksweIbnYOJbwQwwAEWeOhYqJgSMxxbkTnBYIEzRDdhbb0s35nY0Dr2EdEIE-ad74aXdrGqigChFGZZKUga2TOnP9qG_KPPblr_Twy6f2lePWxQ9EbXaq3jyKHfwZNhJB7x0cPHYHcuLLQd6TlXvhxk5FhhooosHWW9gzTE2phqBzcWENDaJIs1mlo-gkiT6IkYdTJpaERXE5u2_5EIlHdCzDlILwY3sLYyXIk24sXrpZD1uoGBkGvBQx09t1MfaCg0mbTnEC15xqSk0ri-I55ZukKdqTW5GWqc66IBe6KkVr-RnkZ0cWucWbwlr0gd92KCumYzdRd7TkO9vbVZJaoquh-b2NMgGxByYL9mTP1htzXYaOooiwA4qI6tnFCQpCHjRMeFnmWhigE44ug6iB8SnCDfj5ZtY3CKFdWcTzwSkjZ62onzLYt0ihKJ2xv2t-jZueQhQgwetAzGAZokjZShibFgwUBpMG6rNul31DwcC8WcgnaG6rEhov3spObSYo-92c0A8YzKFskeRhs5iopqRVA9ty7QltbQro9deL4MimPMwYlwi2XEYJjeyd0I3-9XDg%3D">passed</a>&nbsp;out of the House Ways &amp; Means Committee and now heads to the House Floor. This comes as the Republican National Committee has named school choice as one of their priorities in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=95e5e19631774888800445e25020cf03&amp;_e=2xq3lASpeSwVXctMXaet8_gM6EpdhsfkGWf9Yy-hLvQ_-4U2Zy10hNO9_EhzXcKAXnju2owbuwgFVqakV9Qoc9L9d-uJoA_MTtRRNBNf67FVzQZt3xsMxhegdy5Oj89EatV9_2TPYZlSGzZn1pBDvrRV5I2l8hCBEhb_2dhhpeSsECGdRwMDwGDBE_zq8CJ7_7UARSWeTUmYVrG8Okvm2XfqoRDCr1i-kayAnx1qQDUWGXnKv7_UyoJEBnfbiYPCNXxt3t9gQVhoDX4-iG5COg%3D%3D">2024 Republican Platform</a>. A recent national survey shows more than&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=95e5e19631774888800445e25020cf03&amp;_e=2xq3lASpeSwVXctMXaet81n8d6qBPKVAnwOC5dbgcOnrcMqx-5rCOIEVA1bdS9vTINrqHE5wTv14WEP8w09wNxwNJPLy58MmEoNVTgPz7IsnGAuSp_2GXQXjOOgDjWjC8cbZ8xeHm7rt_TNopZH7f1paNxzEPWsx8msGp3RE5IpvYol56oW4mP0cafzrn4A9j8Z51dtNy1HOxa1NEiBoqeymjqsiTpZv83OBwCIA5DDEeYmgFvYdTLyWC3vhLUJEMO_ACX5RugygHN7-kGw1E94PQw9xBq83-ANvoLbl5BM%3D">70 percent</a>&nbsp;of voters across all demographics agree that providing school choice for all students is an issue that needs attention.

“We are very pleased to have the support and leadership of Rep. Smith of Nebraska for the Educational Choice for Children Act, as he understands the vital importance of empowering parents to access the highest quality, most suitable K-12 education available for their children.

“We commend Rep. Smith for his foresight and courage in championing K-12 education reform, and we look forward to working alongside him to make parental choice a reality for every child in Nebraska and across America.

“Invest in Education Coalition is proud to endorse Congressman Adrian Smith from the Cornhusker State of Nebraska.”

To learn more, please visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=95e5e19631774888800445e25020cf03&amp;_e=2xq3lASpeSwVXctMXaet8_gM6EpdhsfkGWf9Yy-hLvStRpEJzzuM4HMYpU6QrlaeRlrp_o1LeFNe_Zjh57Vpw5k5ECQcuid9JaOdGPtPFdqVeHXHebRoZ3Plefdy3hnhI-99FPUClgrtmRszn6de51hyXsbmv5TK8dUIBcbt-CGhDZozqL52eZmh-K3mSqHIiDbBT460L3L_JIRCYgnHug%3D%3D">investineducation.org</a>&nbsp;

For more information on the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), please click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=95e5e19631774888800445e25020cf03&amp;_e=2xq3lASpeSwVXctMXaet8_gM6EpdhsfkGWf9Yy-hLvQ_-4U2Zy10hNO9_EhzXcKA2Ax-iJodkFNZ8OW5GtysecjPooi7b8N0VB5bFoAEVWuJQEwP8tR-4ZZEo9NAU-CjLmYUWRRBH3_Fe_vXttfo_jREFzVQQ--soRPYYtDTKKO8DKctHdWIF__rUobdJaHEzz82cW9f3_Ppc9t9JzD4BCqwUd7Dvn2_YdpJ5ziwDdw%3D">here</a>.

Priscilla Ivasco&nbsp;WASHINGTON, DC –&nbsp;Invest in Education Coalition,&nbsp;a national organization dedicated to advancing school choice at the federal level, endorsed&nbsp;Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE-3), in his re-election bid today.Rep. Smith was one of the original sponsors to introduce the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), a bill that is designed to expand access to school choice for children nationwide by funding K-12 scholarships through private donations that cover essential elements such as tuition, tutoring and special needs services.Earlier this month, the ECCA&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=95e5e19631774888800445e25020cf03&amp;_e=2xq3lASpeSwVXctMXaet80ZbRShEYEdJrCiAnoafl7Xn84a9GffJWI8YhhUfDnVI_e82GchoWSnTaDzjzQUKc4x5m6Nc50BtO5UC0yOns4_3brMZrBsQd4MNsiFCaIwtmpnxg6vamJn5H7ZMPIpZB6Rp-wEZ4SdJ4mBIs1dGoCcf0jTSSiKtg_9ZOIRPzv7AXFP3tjESjoygRffYjh-GSVHNCogTPuiznTE31VFksweIbnYOJbwQwwAEWeOhYqJgSMxxbkTnBYIEzRDdhbb0s35nY0Dr2EdEIE-ad74aXdrGqigChFGZZKUga2TOnP9qG_KPPblr_Twy6f2lePWxQ9EbXaq3jyKHfwZNhJB7x0cPHYHcuLLQd6TlXvhxk5FhhooosHWW9gzTE2phqBzcWENDaJIs1mlo-gkiT6IkYdTJpaERXE5u2_5EIlHdCzDlILwY3sLYyXIk24sXrpZD1uoGBkGvBQx09t1MfaCg0mbTnEC15xqSk0ri-I55ZukKdqTW5GWqc66IBe6KkVr-RnkZ0cWucWbwlr0gd92KCumYzdRd7TkO9vbVZJaoquh-b2NMgGxByYL9mTP1htzXYaOooiwA4qI6tnFCQpCHjRMeFnmWhigE44ug6iB8SnCDfj5ZtY3CKFdWcTzwSkjZ62onzLYt0ihKJ2xv2t-jZueQhQgwetAzGAZokjZShibFgwUBpMG6rNul31DwcC8WcgnaG6rEhov3spObSYo-92c0A8YzKFskeRhs5iopqRVA9ty7QltbQro9deL4MimPMwYlwi2XEYJjeyd0I3-9XDg%3D">passed</a>&nbsp;out of the House Ways &amp; Means Committee and now heads to the House Floor. This comes as the Republican National Committee has named school choice as one of their priorities in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=95e5e19631774888800445e25020cf03&amp;_e=2xq3lASpeSwVXctMXaet8_gM6EpdhsfkGWf9Yy-hLvQ_-4U2Zy10hNO9_EhzXcKAXnju2owbuwgFVqakV9Qoc9L9d-uJoA_MTtRRNBNf67FVzQZt3xsMxhegdy5Oj89EatV9_2TPYZlSGzZn1pBDvrRV5I2l8hCBEhb_2dhhpeSsECGdRwMDwGDBE_zq8CJ7_7UARSWeTUmYVrG8Okvm2XfqoRDCr1i-kayAnx1qQDUWGXnKv7_UyoJEBnfbiYPCNXxt3t9gQVhoDX4-iG5COg%3D%3D">2024 Republican Platform</a>. A recent national survey shows more than&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=95e5e19631774888800445e25020cf03&amp;_e=2xq3lASpeSwVXctMXaet81n8d6qBPKVAnwOC5dbgcOnrcMqx-5rCOIEVA1bdS9vTINrqHE5wTv14WEP8w09wNxwNJPLy58MmEoNVTgPz7IsnGAuSp_2GXQXjOOgDjWjC8cbZ8xeHm7rt_TNopZH7f1paNxzEPWsx8msGp3RE5IpvYol56oW4mP0cafzrn4A9j8Z51dtNy1HOxa1NEiBoqeymjqsiTpZv83OBwCIA5DDEeYmgFvYdTLyWC3vhLUJEMO_ACX5RugygHN7-kGw1E94PQw9xBq83-ANvoLbl5BM%3D">70 percent</a>&nbsp;of voters across all demographics agree that providing school choice for all students is an issue that needs attention.<figure>
 <img src="" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Anthony J. de Nicola, Chairman of the Board of Invest in Education Coalition, said:“We are very pleased to have the support and leadership of Rep. Smith of Nebraska for the Educational Choice for Children Act, as he understands the vital importance of empowering parents to access the highest quality, most suitable K-12 education available for their children.“We commend Rep. Smith for his foresight and courage in championing K-12 education reform, and we look forward to working alongside him to make parental choice a reality for every child in Nebraska and across America.“Invest in Education Coalition is proud to endorse Congressman Adrian Smith from the Cornhusker State of Nebraska.”To learn more, please visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=95e5e19631774888800445e25020cf03&amp;_e=2xq3lASpeSwVXctMXaet8_gM6EpdhsfkGWf9Yy-hLvStRpEJzzuM4HMYpU6QrlaeRlrp_o1LeFNe_Zjh57Vpw5k5ECQcuid9JaOdGPtPFdqVeHXHebRoZ3Plefdy3hnhI-99FPUClgrtmRszn6de51hyXsbmv5TK8dUIBcbt-CGhDZozqL52eZmh-K3mSqHIiDbBT460L3L_JIRCYgnHug%3D%3D">investineducation.org</a>&nbsp;For more information on the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), please click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links.iterable.com/u/click?_t=4cb001c262fa4d838325b9090fa826bf&amp;_m=95e5e19631774888800445e25020cf03&amp;_e=2xq3lASpeSwVXctMXaet8_gM6EpdhsfkGWf9Yy-hLvQ_-4U2Zy10hNO9_EhzXcKA2Ax-iJodkFNZ8OW5GtysecjPooi7b8N0VB5bFoAEVWuJQEwP8tR-4ZZEo9NAU-CjLmYUWRRBH3_Fe_vXttfo_jREFzVQQ--soRPYYtDTKKO8DKctHdWIF__rUobdJaHEzz82cW9f3_Ppc9t9JzD4BCqwUd7Dvn2_YdpJ5ziwDdw%3D">here</a>.About Invest in Education CoalitionInvest in Education Coalition is a 501(c)(4) organization that advocates at the federal level for legislation that will directly empower K-12 parents throughout the nation to choose the best school or education service for their children.&nbsp;Invest in Education Coalition is the only national organization exclusively dedicated to advancing school choice at the federal level, working to make this goal a reality for children in all 50 states.&nbsp;We believe that K-12 parents should have the power to choose the best educational options for their own children.&nbsp;Simply put, parents should decide where their child’s education dollars are spent.&nbsp;

National School Choice Advocates Endorse Rep. Smith from Nebraska

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/23/ne-auditor-auburn-returns-658003-after-tif-practices-are-questioned/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The City of Auburn has returned $658,003 to the public coffers after a state auditor team questioned certain practices used for tax-increment financing projects, Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/CV9309-09232024-City_of_Auburn_Press_Release.pdf" target="_blank">announced Monday.</a>

The questions were laid out in a 13-page&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/CV9309-05072024-May_7_2024_City_of_Auburn_Letter.pdf" target="_blank">letter in May</a>&nbsp;from Foley’s office to Auburn’s mayor, the city’s Community Redevelopment Authority and the chairman of the Nemaha County Board.

Foley on Monday reiterated the gist of his concerns<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/CV9309-09232024-City_of_Auburn_Press_Release.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;in a news release</a>&nbsp;and during an interview with the Nebraska Examiner.

He alleges that Auburn’s Community Redevelopment Authority collected more tax-increment financing (TIF) revenue than it should have for certain redevelopment projects and then retained those funds to pay the costs of different projects, some of which had yet to be hatched.

“The purpose of TIF is to pay the costs of a specific redevelopment project with the increased property taxes resulting from the improvements to that particular parcel of land,” Foley said. “It is not to allow developers to collect excess property taxes for a slush fund to bankroll some other undertaking.”

Generally with TIF projects, which require a city’s approval, property tax revenue generated on new development is used for up to 20 years to cover a developer’s eligible costs — instead of going to traditional recipients such as school districts and local municipalities.

Meanwhile, property tax on the original site, prior to any improvements, continues to be paid by the owner but is frozen at that amount. Those payments continue to go to the usual destination for property taxes: schools and local governments.

After the TIF loan is paid off, all property tax revenues on that more valuable property is to start flowing to traditional recipients.

Crystal Dunekacke, Auburn city administrator and economic developer, said Monday that the returned funds should not be considered an admission of wrongdoing.

She said the redevelopment authority maintains that it has abided by the Community Development Law, which governs tax-increment financing. TIF, as the tool is called, is a decades-old financing mechanism used by local governments to incentivize economic development in blighted areas.

The returned funds, Dunekacke said, were a “self-imposed action or compromise to address a gray area” of the law.

That gray area, she said, centered on whether TIF revenue that remained from a redevelopment project could be “rolled over” into an account to be used for other projects.&nbsp;

Foley said Auburn officials can have their say. “The reality is they put the money back where it belonged.”

Both sides are in agreement that the $658,003 will be divided among local governmental subdivisions that are traditional recipients of property tax collections.

Broader concerns remain statewide, Foley said, and were laid out in a separate but&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/CV0001-09102024-September_10_2024_TIF_Letter.pdf" target="_blank">related letter earlier this month</a>&nbsp;to state senators regarding the growth of TIF.

Foley said some Nebraska communities are being “very creative” with the way they tap TIF and he asserts that certain practices risk further upward pressure on local property taxes.

Foley noted, though, that state statutes say that the TIF law is to be “liberally construed.”&nbsp;

“That is an open invitation for, as some would say, creativity. Others would say mischief-making,” he said.&nbsp;

Foley pointed again Monday to the City of Omaha’s use of TIF to cover the $389 million cost of a modern streetcar project set to be up and running in 2027.&nbsp;

He has referred to the streetcar as the “largest diversion of property tax dollars for an economic development project in Nebraska history.”

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has said that Omaha has followed the law with regard to its TIF-approved projects, including the streetcar.

“While the State Auditor may have an issue with TIF, the city has followed the law as set out by the Legislature,” Stothert said earlier.

Foley said his team can report results of their investigation. It can not enforce a penalty, he said. It would be up to the State Legislature, Foley said, to determine if the law should be changed.

“Cities are desperate to clean up blighted areas and incentivize economic development. That is all good,” Foley said. “We may have reached a point where things are getting a little out of control.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727186561904.jpeg" alt=" The Nebraska State Auditor’s Office is located in the State Capitol. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> The Nebraska State Auditor’s Office is located in the State Capitol. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/23/ne-auditor-auburn-returns-658003-after-tif-practices-are-questioned/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The City of Auburn has returned $658,003 to the public coffers after a state auditor team questioned certain practices used for tax-increment financing projects, Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/CV9309-09232024-City_of_Auburn_Press_Release.pdf" target="_blank">announced Monday.</a>The questions were laid out in a 13-page&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/CV9309-05072024-May_7_2024_City_of_Auburn_Letter.pdf" target="_blank">letter in May</a>&nbsp;from Foley’s office to Auburn’s mayor, the city’s Community Redevelopment Authority and the chairman of the Nemaha County Board.Foley on Monday reiterated the gist of his concerns<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/CV9309-09232024-City_of_Auburn_Press_Release.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;in a news release</a>&nbsp;and during an interview with the Nebraska Examiner.He alleges that Auburn’s Community Redevelopment Authority collected more tax-increment financing (TIF) revenue than it should have for certain redevelopment projects and then retained those funds to pay the costs of different projects, some of which had yet to be hatched.“The purpose of TIF is to pay the costs of a specific redevelopment project with the increased property taxes resulting from the improvements to that particular parcel of land,” Foley said. “It is not to allow developers to collect excess property taxes for a slush fund to bankroll some other undertaking.”<h2>What is TIF?</h2>Generally with TIF projects, which require a city’s approval, property tax revenue generated on new development is used for up to 20 years to cover a developer’s eligible costs — instead of going to traditional recipients such as school districts and local municipalities.Meanwhile, property tax on the original site, prior to any improvements, continues to be paid by the owner but is frozen at that amount. Those payments continue to go to the usual destination for property taxes: schools and local governments.After the TIF loan is paid off, all property tax revenues on that more valuable property is to start flowing to traditional recipients.<h2>Not an admission of guilt</h2>Crystal Dunekacke, Auburn city administrator and economic developer, said Monday that the returned funds should not be considered an admission of wrongdoing.She said the redevelopment authority maintains that it has abided by the Community Development Law, which governs tax-increment financing. TIF, as the tool is called, is a decades-old financing mechanism used by local governments to incentivize economic development in blighted areas.The returned funds, Dunekacke said, were a “self-imposed action or compromise to address a gray area” of the law.That gray area, she said, centered on whether TIF revenue that remained from a redevelopment project could be “rolled over” into an account to be used for other projects.&nbsp;Foley said Auburn officials can have their say. “The reality is they put the money back where it belonged.”Both sides are in agreement that the $658,003 will be divided among local governmental subdivisions that are traditional recipients of property tax collections.<h2>Satewide concerns loom</h2>Broader concerns remain statewide, Foley said, and were laid out in a separate but&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/CV0001-09102024-September_10_2024_TIF_Letter.pdf" target="_blank">related letter earlier this month</a>&nbsp;to state senators regarding the growth of TIF.Foley said some Nebraska communities are being “very creative” with the way they tap TIF and he asserts that certain practices risk further upward pressure on local property taxes.Foley noted, though, that state statutes say that the TIF law is to be “liberally construed.”&nbsp;“That is an open invitation for, as some would say, creativity. Others would say mischief-making,” he said.&nbsp;Foley pointed again Monday to the City of Omaha’s use of TIF to cover the $389 million cost of a modern streetcar project set to be up and running in 2027.&nbsp;He has referred to the streetcar as the “largest diversion of property tax dollars for an economic development project in Nebraska history.”Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has said that Omaha has followed the law with regard to its TIF-approved projects, including the streetcar.“While the State Auditor may have an issue with TIF, the city has followed the law as set out by the Legislature,” Stothert said earlier.<h2>In Legislature’s court</h2>Foley said his team can report results of their investigation. It can not enforce a penalty, he said. It would be up to the State Legislature, Foley said, to determine if the law should be changed.“Cities are desperate to clean up blighted areas and incentivize economic development. That is all good,” Foley said. “We may have reached a point where things are getting a little out of control.”

NE Auditor: Auburn returns $658,003 after TIF practices are questioned

Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

&nbsp; WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, announced that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has accepted Nebraska’s proposal for $405,281,070 in broadband&nbsp;deployment&nbsp;funding through the BEAD program.

The funding for this program was initially provided by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, which Senator Fischer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2021/8/senate-passes-bipartisan-core-infrastructure-bill">supported</a>. However, the Biden-Harris administration rejected Nebraska’s earlier proposals to access this funding due to its own agency rules, which deviated from the law Congress passed. Those rejections, combined with a slow rollout at NTIA, delayed funding delivery.

Senator Fischer has worked with NTIA and Nebraska’s Broadband Office to facilitate better communication from the federal agency and ensure acceptance of the State’s proposal, which was finally announced on Wednesday.

Ultimate release of funding to the state still depends on a final proposal that will detail the funding distribution process.

“All Nebraskans need internet access, so I’m very pleased that Nebraska’s proposal for this broadband buildout funding has finally been accepted. I’d like to thank Patrick Haggerty and the Nebraska Broadband Office for their hard work in reaching this milestone. I will continue to support the advancement of Nebraska’s final proposal in the upcoming year so that we can finally bring&nbsp;this funding home,”&nbsp;said Senator Fischer.

“This is a historic federal investment for our state, and the Nebraska Broadband Office carefully gathered feedback statewide to draft this proposal. We are grateful for Senator Fischer’s dedication to expanding broadband access for every Nebraskan, and we are confident that this proposal will achieve that shared goal,”&nbsp;said Patrick Haggerty, State Broadband Director, Nebraska Broadband Office.Background:

During a Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing&nbsp;in May, Senator Fischer pressed Commerce Department Secretary Gina Raimondo&nbsp;on&nbsp;NTIA’s misguided&nbsp;rate regulation efforts,&nbsp;which caused the proposal rejections.

Senator Fischer also joined her Senate colleagues in sending a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/5da5e84c-6a0b-4d53-b3a2-5ad6bc08e333/holding-vice-president-harris-accountable.pdf">letter to Vice President Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;regarding her mismanagement of federal broadband initiatives,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/president-biden-taps-kamala-harris-to-lead-effort-to-close-digital-divide/">which President Biden specifically tasked her to manage</a>.

Senator Fischer also sent letters to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/2215898a-091c-4b08-8fae-c261d06a4880/letter-to-ntia.pdf">NTIA</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/2c3ff0aa-e394-4317-b68f-472f1cc5109a/letter-to-commerce-department.pdf">Commerce Department</a>&nbsp;voicing concerns with the&nbsp;Biden-Harris&nbsp;administration’s&nbsp;additional barriers and hurdles to federal broadband deployment programs. The additional requirements not only went beyond Congress’ direction,&nbsp;but also delayed internet services to unserved and underserved Americans.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer&nbsp; WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, announced that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has accepted Nebraska’s proposal for $405,281,070 in broadband&nbsp;deployment&nbsp;funding through the BEAD program.The funding for this program was initially provided by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, which Senator Fischer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2021/8/senate-passes-bipartisan-core-infrastructure-bill">supported</a>. However, the Biden-Harris administration rejected Nebraska’s earlier proposals to access this funding due to its own agency rules, which deviated from the law Congress passed. Those rejections, combined with a slow rollout at NTIA, delayed funding delivery.Senator Fischer has worked with NTIA and Nebraska’s Broadband Office to facilitate better communication from the federal agency and ensure acceptance of the State’s proposal, which was finally announced on Wednesday.Ultimate release of funding to the state still depends on a final proposal that will detail the funding distribution process.“All Nebraskans need internet access, so I’m very pleased that Nebraska’s proposal for this broadband buildout funding has finally been accepted. I’d like to thank Patrick Haggerty and the Nebraska Broadband Office for their hard work in reaching this milestone. I will continue to support the advancement of Nebraska’s final proposal in the upcoming year so that we can finally bring&nbsp;this funding home,”&nbsp;said Senator Fischer.“This is a historic federal investment for our state, and the Nebraska Broadband Office carefully gathered feedback statewide to draft this proposal. We are grateful for Senator Fischer’s dedication to expanding broadband access for every Nebraskan, and we are confident that this proposal will achieve that shared goal,”&nbsp;said Patrick Haggerty, State Broadband Director, Nebraska Broadband Office.Background:During a Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing&nbsp;in May, Senator Fischer pressed Commerce Department Secretary Gina Raimondo&nbsp;on&nbsp;NTIA’s misguided&nbsp;rate regulation efforts,&nbsp;which caused the proposal rejections.Senator Fischer also joined her Senate colleagues in sending a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/5da5e84c-6a0b-4d53-b3a2-5ad6bc08e333/holding-vice-president-harris-accountable.pdf">letter to Vice President Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;regarding her mismanagement of federal broadband initiatives,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/president-biden-taps-kamala-harris-to-lead-effort-to-close-digital-divide/">which President Biden specifically tasked her to manage</a>.Senator Fischer also sent letters to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/2215898a-091c-4b08-8fae-c261d06a4880/letter-to-ntia.pdf">NTIA</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/2c3ff0aa-e394-4317-b68f-472f1cc5109a/letter-to-commerce-department.pdf">Commerce Department</a>&nbsp;voicing concerns with the&nbsp;Biden-Harris&nbsp;administration’s&nbsp;additional barriers and hurdles to federal broadband deployment programs. The additional requirements not only went beyond Congress’ direction,&nbsp;but also delayed internet services to unserved and underserved Americans.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fischer Announces Advancement of Nearly Half Billion in NE Broadband Funding

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;-

WASHINGTON — The country’s next president will need a friendly Congress to make their policy dreams a reality, but control of the two chambers remains deeply uncertain with just weeks until Election Day — and whether the outcome will be a party trifecta in the nation’s capital.

Recent projections tilt in favor of Republicans taking the U.S. Senate, an already closely divided chamber that is sure to be near evenly split again next Congress.

And though Vice President Kamala Harris injected a jolt of energy into the Democratic Party, prognosticators still say the prizewinner of the House is anybody’s guess.

“The House is highly close and competitive, and really could go either way.&nbsp; And I say the same thing about the presidential race,” Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told States Newsroom on Thursday.

A ‘district-by-district slug fest’&nbsp;

Control of the 435-seat House remains a toss-up, with competitive races in both the seven swing states and in states that will almost certainly have no bearing on who wins the top of the ticket.

Sabato’s, an election prognosticator, currently ranks nine Republican seats of the roughly 30 competitive races as “toss-up” seats for the party — meaning the GOP incumbents are locked in competitive races.

The GOP has held a slim majority this Congress, and Democrats only need to net four seats to gain control.

“It really is right on the razor’s edge,” Kondik said. “It’s pretty crazy that, you know, we’ve had two straight elections with just 222-seat majorities. And it’s pretty rare historically for there to be, you know, majorities that small twice in a row — unprecedented.

“Usually you’d have one side or the other breaking out to a bigger advantage, and I think both sides are viewing this, really, as a district-by-district slug fest.”

Sabato’s&nbsp;<a href="https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/five-house-ratings-changes-as-overall-battle-for-majority-remains-tight/" target="_blank">adjusted its ratings</a>&nbsp;on five races Thursday, including moving Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://alaskabeacon.com/2024/08/21/peltola-leads-in-alaska-u-s-house-primary-with-begich-ahead-of-dahlstrom/" target="_blank">Rep. Mary Peltola</a>&nbsp;of Alaska to the “toss-up” category from a safer “leans Democratic.” Kondik also nudged the race for Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York to “leans Republican” from “toss up.”

“The big ones are probably Peltola, and then Mike Lawler, who holds one of the bluest seats held by a Republican, but I moved him to ‘leans R.’ It seems pretty clear to me that he’s in a decent position,” Kondik said.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, the party’s fundraising arm for House races, announced in June nearly $1.2 million in ad buys in Alaska. The organization launched a new ad in the state this month that accuses Peltola of not supporting veterans.

In addition to Peltola, Kondik ranks nine other Democratic incumbents — of the nearly 40 competitive races — as toss-ups.

Among the toss-ups is the seat currently held by Rep. Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania, a key swing state in the presidential race. Cartwright’s Republican challenger, Rob Bresnahan, runs an electrical contracting company in the northeastern Pennsylvania district that he took over from his grandfather.

Democrats are investing in the seat: Cartwright is running a new ad featuring union workers praising him, and just last week Harris hosted a rally in the district, which includes Scranton.

But the NRCC thinks they have a pretty good chance of flipping his seat.

Breshnahan’s company is “a union shop,” said NRCC head Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina. “So he can talk union talk. He’s a great candidate for us.”

“Matt Cartwright is in trouble,” Hudson said on the conservative “Ruthless Podcast” on Sept. 12.

“I think the way we’ve structured it, the type of candidates we recruited across the country, from Maine to Alaska, from Minnesota to Texas, regardless of top of the ticket, we’re going to pick up seats,” Hudson said.

But Sabato’s also nudged three seats toward the Democrats’ favor on Thursday.

Kondik moved Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin from the safety of “likely Republican” to the weaker “leans Republican” category.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, sees an “important opportunity” in Van Orden’s district. The GOP congressman, who represents central and western Wisconsin, became known for his profanity-laced&nbsp;<a href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/report-van-orden-curses-out-group-of-teenage-congressional-pages/" target="_blank">outburst</a>&nbsp;at young Senate pages for taking photos of the Capitol rotunda.

The Democrats are running challenger Rebecca Cooke, a small business owner, in the hopes of unseating him.

“We have an incredible candidate in Rebecca Cooke (against) one of the most extreme, which is saying a lot, Republicans in the House,” DelBene told reporters on a call Monday.

“We have put Rebecca Cooke on our Red-to-Blue list and are strongly supporting her campaign. She’s doing a great job, and this absolutely is a priority for us,” DelBene said, referring to the DCCC’s list of 30 candidates that receive extra fundraising support.

DelBene said she’s confident in the Democrats’ chances to flip the House, citing healthy coffers and revived interest.

“We have seen huge enthusiasm all across the country. We have seen people, more and more people turning out to volunteer, to knock on doors, to make phone calls,” she said.

Democrats’ cash ‘flooding,’ NRCC chief says

Erin Covey, a House analyst with The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/house-overview/house-ratings-changes-several-races-move-democrats-favor" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 5 that Democrats have a brighter outlook after Harris assumed the top of the ticket, though November remains a close call.

“Now, polling conducted by both parties largely shows Harris matching, or coming a few points short of, Biden’s 2020 margins across competitive House districts,” Covey wrote.

The NRCC has taken note. During his interview on the “Ruthless Podcast,” Hudson compared Harris becoming the Democrats’ new choice for president as a “bloodless coup,” and said the enthusiasm she’s sparked is a cause for concern for Republicans. Democratic delegates nominated Harris, in accordance with party rules, to run for the Oval Office after Biden dropped out in late July.

“A lot of people, even Democrats, you know, just weren’t comfortable voting for Joe Biden. With Kamala on the ticket, we saw a surge in Democrats coming home and having the enthusiasm,” Hudson said.

Hudson said he also worries about Democrats’ fundraising numbers.

“The one thing that keeps you awake at night is the Democrat money. It’s flooding,” Hudson said. “The second quarter this year I was able to raise the most money we’ve ever raised as a committee, and the Democrats raised $7 million more. I mean, it’s just, they just keep coming. It’s like the Terminator.”

“But we don’t have to match them dollar for dollar,” Hudson said. “We’ve just got to make sure we’ve got the resources we need. And so we’ve just got to keep our pace.”

The DCCC announced Friday it raised $22.3 million in August, bringing its total for this election cycle to $250.6 million.

Republicans are inching closer and closer to flipping the Senate red during this year’s elections, thanks to a map that favors GOP incumbents and puts Democrats on the defensive in several states.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is widely expected to win his bid for the upper chamber, bringing Republicans up to 50 seats, as long as they hang on in Florida, Nebraska and Texas.

But Democrats will need to secure wins in several challenging states, including Arizona, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — and break the 50-50 tie through a Democratic presidency — if they want to remain the majority party.

That many Democratic wins seems increasingly unlikely, though not entirely out of the realm of possibility.

Montana, where Sen. Jon Tester is looking to secure reelection against GOP challenger Tim Sheehy, has been moved from a “toss-up” state to leaning toward Republicans by three respected analysis organizations in the last few weeks.

The Cook Political Report wrote in its ratings change earlier this month that several “public polls have shown Sheehy opening up a small, but consistent lead.”

“Democrats push back that their polling still shows Tester within the margin of error of the race, and that those are exactly the type of close races he’s won before,” their assessment said. “Tester, however, has never run on a presidential ballot in a polarized environment of this kind before — and even with his stumbles, Sheehy is still the strongest, best financed candidate he’s ever faced.”

Republicans winning Montana’s Senate seat could give them a firm, though narrow, 51-seat Senate majority.

That, however, would require the Republican incumbents in states like Florida and Texas — where it’s not clear if evolving trends against Republicans will continue — to secure their reelection wins.

And it would mean holding off a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/03/fischer-and-osborn-hint-at-tight-race-as-both-tout-union-endorsements/" target="_blank">wild card independent candidate&nbsp;</a>in the Cornhusker state.

The Cook Political Report says it’s “worth keeping an eye on a unique situation developing in Nebraska, where independent candidate Dan Osborn is challenging Republican Sen. Deb Fischer.”

CPR also noted in its analysis that Democrats’ best pick-up opportunities, which could rebalance the scales a bit, are Florida and Texas.

“Today, the Lone Star State looks like the better option because of the strengths and fundraising of Democrats’ challenger there, Rep. Colin Allred,” CPR wrote.

If Democrats do hold onto 50 seats, through whatever combination of wins and losses shakes out on election night, majority control would depend on whichever candidate wins the presidential contest.

Given the close nature of several Senate races, it is entirely possible control of that chamber isn’t known until after recounts take place in the swing states.

Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Gary Peters, D-Mich., said during a Christian Science Monitor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?538456-1/christian-science-monitor-breakfast-senator-gary-peters" target="_blank">breakfast</a>&nbsp;this week that he’s known all along Democratic candidates will be in “very right races.”

“In a nutshell, I’m optimistic,” Peters said. “I believe we’re going to hold the majority. I feel good about where we are. We’re basically where I thought we would be after Labor Day in really tight races. None of this is a surprise to us. Now we just have to run our playbook, be focused, be disciplined.”

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, led this cycle by Montana Sen. Steve Daines, is confident the GOP will pick up the Senate majority following November’s elections.

The group highlighted a Washington Post poll this week showing a tie between Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and GOP candidate Dave McCormick in the Pennsylvania Senate race.

NRSC Spokesman Philip Letsou sent out a written statement after the poll’s release that Casey is in the “race for his life…because Pennsylvania voters know Casey’s lockstep support for Kamala Harris and her inflationary, anti-fracking agenda will devastate their economy. Pennsylvanians have had enough of liberal, career politicians like Casey and Harris.”

The GOP acquisition of a handful of seats would still require the next Republican leader to constantly broker deals with Democrats, since the chamber is widely expected to retain the legislative filibuster.

That rule requires at least 60 senators vote to advance legislation toward final passage and is the main reason the chamber rarely takes up partisan bills.

A Republican sweep of the House, Senate and White House for unified government would give them the chance to pass certain types of legislation through the fast-track budget reconciliation process they used to approve the 2017 tax law.

How wide their majorities are in each chamber will determine how much they can do within such a bill, given Republicans will still have centrist members, like Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Maine’s Susan Collins, balancing the party against more far-right policy goals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675989554413.png" alt="-Recent projections tilt in favor of Republicans taking the U.S. Senate, an already closely divided chamber that is sure to be near evenly split again next Congress-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>-Recent projections tilt in favor of Republicans taking the U.S. Senate, an already closely divided chamber that is sure to be near evenly split again next Congress-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;-WASHINGTON — The country’s next president will need a friendly Congress to make their policy dreams a reality, but control of the two chambers remains deeply uncertain with just weeks until Election Day — and whether the outcome will be a party trifecta in the nation’s capital.Recent projections tilt in favor of Republicans taking the U.S. Senate, an already closely divided chamber that is sure to be near evenly split again next Congress.And though Vice President Kamala Harris injected a jolt of energy into the Democratic Party, prognosticators still say the prizewinner of the House is anybody’s guess.“The House is highly close and competitive, and really could go either way.&nbsp; And I say the same thing about the presidential race,” Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told States Newsroom on Thursday.<h2>A ‘district-by-district slug fest’&nbsp;</h2>Control of the 435-seat House remains a toss-up, with competitive races in both the seven swing states and in states that will almost certainly have no bearing on who wins the top of the ticket.Sabato’s, an election prognosticator, currently ranks nine Republican seats of the roughly 30 competitive races as “toss-up” seats for the party — meaning the GOP incumbents are locked in competitive races.The GOP has held a slim majority this Congress, and Democrats only need to net four seats to gain control.“It really is right on the razor’s edge,” Kondik said. “It’s pretty crazy that, you know, we’ve had two straight elections with just 222-seat majorities. And it’s pretty rare historically for there to be, you know, majorities that small twice in a row — unprecedented.“Usually you’d have one side or the other breaking out to a bigger advantage, and I think both sides are viewing this, really, as a district-by-district slug fest.”Sabato’s&nbsp;<a href="https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/five-house-ratings-changes-as-overall-battle-for-majority-remains-tight/" target="_blank">adjusted its ratings</a>&nbsp;on five races Thursday, including moving Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://alaskabeacon.com/2024/08/21/peltola-leads-in-alaska-u-s-house-primary-with-begich-ahead-of-dahlstrom/" target="_blank">Rep. Mary Peltola</a>&nbsp;of Alaska to the “toss-up” category from a safer “leans Democratic.” Kondik also nudged the race for Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York to “leans Republican” from “toss up.”“The big ones are probably Peltola, and then Mike Lawler, who holds one of the bluest seats held by a Republican, but I moved him to ‘leans R.’ It seems pretty clear to me that he’s in a decent position,” Kondik said.The National Republican Congressional Committee, the party’s fundraising arm for House races, announced in June nearly $1.2 million in ad buys in Alaska. The organization launched a new ad in the state this month that accuses Peltola of not supporting veterans.<h2>It’s always about Pennsylvania</h2>In addition to Peltola, Kondik ranks nine other Democratic incumbents — of the nearly 40 competitive races — as toss-ups.Among the toss-ups is the seat currently held by Rep. Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania, a key swing state in the presidential race. Cartwright’s Republican challenger, Rob Bresnahan, runs an electrical contracting company in the northeastern Pennsylvania district that he took over from his grandfather.Democrats are investing in the seat: Cartwright is running a new ad featuring union workers praising him, and just last week Harris hosted a rally in the district, which includes Scranton.But the NRCC thinks they have a pretty good chance of flipping his seat.Breshnahan’s company is “a union shop,” said NRCC head Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina. “So he can talk union talk. He’s a great candidate for us.”“Matt Cartwright is in trouble,” Hudson said on the conservative “Ruthless Podcast” on Sept. 12.“I think the way we’ve structured it, the type of candidates we recruited across the country, from Maine to Alaska, from Minnesota to Texas, regardless of top of the ticket, we’re going to pick up seats,” Hudson said.<h2>Van Orden targeted in Wisconsin</h2>But Sabato’s also nudged three seats toward the Democrats’ favor on Thursday.Kondik moved Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin from the safety of “likely Republican” to the weaker “leans Republican” category.Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, sees an “important opportunity” in Van Orden’s district. The GOP congressman, who represents central and western Wisconsin, became known for his profanity-laced&nbsp;<a href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/report-van-orden-curses-out-group-of-teenage-congressional-pages/" target="_blank">outburst</a>&nbsp;at young Senate pages for taking photos of the Capitol rotunda.The Democrats are running challenger Rebecca Cooke, a small business owner, in the hopes of unseating him.“We have an incredible candidate in Rebecca Cooke (against) one of the most extreme, which is saying a lot, Republicans in the House,” DelBene told reporters on a call Monday.“We have put Rebecca Cooke on our Red-to-Blue list and are strongly supporting her campaign. She’s doing a great job, and this absolutely is a priority for us,” DelBene said, referring to the DCCC’s list of 30 candidates that receive extra fundraising support.DelBene said she’s confident in the Democrats’ chances to flip the House, citing healthy coffers and revived interest.“We have seen huge enthusiasm all across the country. We have seen people, more and more people turning out to volunteer, to knock on doors, to make phone calls,” she said.<h2>Democrats’ cash ‘flooding,’ NRCC chief says</h2>Erin Covey, a House analyst with The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/house-overview/house-ratings-changes-several-races-move-democrats-favor" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 5 that Democrats have a brighter outlook after Harris assumed the top of the ticket, though November remains a close call.“Now, polling conducted by both parties largely shows Harris matching, or coming a few points short of, Biden’s 2020 margins across competitive House districts,” Covey wrote.The NRCC has taken note. During his interview on the “Ruthless Podcast,” Hudson compared Harris becoming the Democrats’ new choice for president as a “bloodless coup,” and said the enthusiasm she’s sparked is a cause for concern for Republicans. Democratic delegates nominated Harris, in accordance with party rules, to run for the Oval Office after Biden dropped out in late July.“A lot of people, even Democrats, you know, just weren’t comfortable voting for Joe Biden. With Kamala on the ticket, we saw a surge in Democrats coming home and having the enthusiasm,” Hudson said.Hudson said he also worries about Democrats’ fundraising numbers.“The one thing that keeps you awake at night is the Democrat money. It’s flooding,” Hudson said. “The second quarter this year I was able to raise the most money we’ve ever raised as a committee, and the Democrats raised $7 million more. I mean, it’s just, they just keep coming. It’s like the Terminator.”“But we don’t have to match them dollar for dollar,” Hudson said. “We’ve just got to make sure we’ve got the resources we need. And so we’ve just got to keep our pace.”The DCCC announced Friday it raised $22.3 million in August, bringing its total for this election cycle to $250.6 million.<h2>Senate map tilts toward GOP</h2>Republicans are inching closer and closer to flipping the Senate red during this year’s elections, thanks to a map that favors GOP incumbents and puts Democrats on the defensive in several states.West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is widely expected to win his bid for the upper chamber, bringing Republicans up to 50 seats, as long as they hang on in Florida, Nebraska and Texas.But Democrats will need to secure wins in several challenging states, including Arizona, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — and break the 50-50 tie through a Democratic presidency — if they want to remain the majority party.That many Democratic wins seems increasingly unlikely, though not entirely out of the realm of possibility.Montana, where Sen. Jon Tester is looking to secure reelection against GOP challenger Tim Sheehy, has been moved from a “toss-up” state to leaning toward Republicans by three respected analysis organizations in the last few weeks.The Cook Political Report wrote in its ratings change earlier this month that several “public polls have shown Sheehy opening up a small, but consistent lead.”“Democrats push back that their polling still shows Tester within the margin of error of the race, and that those are exactly the type of close races he’s won before,” their assessment said. “Tester, however, has never run on a presidential ballot in a polarized environment of this kind before — and even with his stumbles, Sheehy is still the strongest, best financed candidate he’s ever faced.”Republicans winning Montana’s Senate seat could give them a firm, though narrow, 51-seat Senate majority.<h2>Florida, Texas, Nebraska</h2>That, however, would require the Republican incumbents in states like Florida and Texas — where it’s not clear if evolving trends against Republicans will continue — to secure their reelection wins.And it would mean holding off a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/03/fischer-and-osborn-hint-at-tight-race-as-both-tout-union-endorsements/" target="_blank">wild card independent candidate&nbsp;</a>in the Cornhusker state.The Cook Political Report says it’s “worth keeping an eye on a unique situation developing in Nebraska, where independent candidate Dan Osborn is challenging Republican Sen. Deb Fischer.”CPR also noted in its analysis that Democrats’ best pick-up opportunities, which could rebalance the scales a bit, are Florida and Texas.“Today, the Lone Star State looks like the better option because of the strengths and fundraising of Democrats’ challenger there, Rep. Colin Allred,” CPR wrote.If Democrats do hold onto 50 seats, through whatever combination of wins and losses shakes out on election night, majority control would depend on whichever candidate wins the presidential contest.Given the close nature of several Senate races, it is entirely possible control of that chamber isn’t known until after recounts take place in the swing states.Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Gary Peters, D-Mich., said during a Christian Science Monitor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?538456-1/christian-science-monitor-breakfast-senator-gary-peters" target="_blank">breakfast</a>&nbsp;this week that he’s known all along Democratic candidates will be in “very right races.”“In a nutshell, I’m optimistic,” Peters said. “I believe we’re going to hold the majority. I feel good about where we are. We’re basically where I thought we would be after Labor Day in really tight races. None of this is a surprise to us. Now we just have to run our playbook, be focused, be disciplined.”The National Republican Senatorial Committee, led this cycle by Montana Sen. Steve Daines, is confident the GOP will pick up the Senate majority following November’s elections.The group highlighted a Washington Post poll this week showing a tie between Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and GOP candidate Dave McCormick in the Pennsylvania Senate race.NRSC Spokesman Philip Letsou sent out a written statement after the poll’s release that Casey is in the “race for his life…because Pennsylvania voters know Casey’s lockstep support for Kamala Harris and her inflationary, anti-fracking agenda will devastate their economy. Pennsylvanians have had enough of liberal, career politicians like Casey and Harris.”<h2>No change in filibuster in sight</h2>The GOP acquisition of a handful of seats would still require the next Republican leader to constantly broker deals with Democrats, since the chamber is widely expected to retain the legislative filibuster.That rule requires at least 60 senators vote to advance legislation toward final passage and is the main reason the chamber rarely takes up partisan bills.A Republican sweep of the House, Senate and White House for unified government would give them the chance to pass certain types of legislation through the fast-track budget reconciliation process they used to approve the 2017 tax law.How wide their majorities are in each chamber will determine how much they can do within such a bill, given Republicans will still have centrist members, like Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Maine’s Susan Collins, balancing the party against more far-right policy goals.

Racing toward Election Day, control of U.S. Senate and House up for grabs

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Today, Governor Jim Pillen issued the following statement regarding a special session to restore winner-take-all prior to the 2024 presidential election:

“My team and I have worked relentlessly to secure a filibuster-proof 33-vote majority to get winner-take-all passed before the November election. Given everything at stake for Nebraska and our country, we have left every inch on the field to get this done.

Unfortunately, we could not persuade 33 state senators. Senator Mike McDonnell of Omaha has confirmed he is unwilling to vote for winner-take-all before the 2024 election. That is profoundly disappointing to me and the many others who have worked so earnestly to ensure all Nebraskans’ votes are sought after equally this election. Based on the lack of 33 votes, I have no plans to call a special session on this issue prior to the 2024 election. I am grateful to the many Nebraskans who made their voices heard during this process.”

Governor Jim Pillen StatementLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Today, Governor Jim Pillen issued the following statement regarding a special session to restore winner-take-all prior to the 2024 presidential election:“My team and I have worked relentlessly to secure a filibuster-proof 33-vote majority to get winner-take-all passed before the November election. Given everything at stake for Nebraska and our country, we have left every inch on the field to get this done.Unfortunately, we could not persuade 33 state senators. Senator Mike McDonnell of Omaha has confirmed he is unwilling to vote for winner-take-all before the 2024 election. That is profoundly disappointing to me and the many others who have worked so earnestly to ensure all Nebraskans’ votes are sought after equally this election. Based on the lack of 33 votes, I have no plans to call a special session on this issue prior to the 2024 election. I am grateful to the many Nebraskans who made their voices heard during this process.”

Gov. Pillen Issues Statement Regarding Special Session to Restore Winner-Take-All to Nebraska

Scottsbluff, NE - ALLO Fiber announced a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) project offering up to a 10 Gigabit network in Morrill, NE. Construction is anticipated to start on September 16th. This fiber connection will enable residents to access world-class internet, telephone, and video services. Businesses can take advantage of ALLO's managed service offerings and cybersecurity services.

Morrill residents and businesses will soon have access to award-winning customer service and internet speeds. Through this 100% fiber optic network, students can improve their learning, and employees can work efficiently from the office or home.

Morrill City Clerk, Janine Schmidt states, “The Village of Morrill is excited to have ALLO available for our residents and businesses. The Village has enjoyed working with ALLO and their employees to bring this service to Morrill.”

The FTTP network will feature up to 10 Gigabit symmetrical speeds for residents and up to 100 Gigabit symmetrical speeds for businesses, providing equal upload and download speeds optimized by ALLO’s world-class Wi-Fi 6 routers. Additionally, Morrill residents, businesses of all sizes, and governmental entities will be supported by ALLO’s fiber-rich network, delivering active and passive solutions without installation fees or restrictive contracts.

Internet, data transport, cloud connectivity, video, and voice are included in ALLO’s comprehensive communications, entertainment, and business products. Businesses can access ALLO’s managed services, next-generation firewalls, phone systems, and cybersecurity offerings before the fiber network is built. The community will also have access to a community-wide network providing ultra-reliable and extensive internet bandwidth.  

ALLO Regional General Manager Clint Schleicher states, “ALLO is excited to begin construction in Morrill, and we look forward to providing internet, TV, and phone service. We are thrilled to bring another community into the Gigabit future and remove the roadblock of bandwidth limitations.”

Morrill is an essential addition to ALLO's 34 fiber communities across the state of Nebraska and 45 markets across multiple states. ALLO is looking forward to serving Morrill residents and being active community members. For more information about ALLO in Morrill, please visit AlloFiber.com/Morrill.

ALLO Communications, a leader in providing fiber-optic services, has been dedicated to delivering world-class communications and entertainment services since 2003. With a commitment to building Gigabit communities, ALLO serves over 45 communities across Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas. ALLO is known for its reliable fiber networks and customized technology solutions that support businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit AlloFiber.com

Allo FiberScottsbluff, NE - ALLO Fiber announced a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) project offering up to a 10 Gigabit network in Morrill, NE. Construction is anticipated to start on September 16th. This fiber connection will enable residents to access world-class internet, telephone, and video services. Businesses can take advantage of ALLO's managed service offerings and cybersecurity services.Morrill residents and businesses will soon have access to award-winning customer service and internet speeds. Through this 100% fiber optic network, students can improve their learning, and employees can work efficiently from the office or home.Morrill City Clerk, Janine Schmidt states, “The Village of Morrill is excited to have ALLO available for our residents and businesses. The Village has enjoyed working with ALLO and their employees to bring this service to Morrill.”The FTTP network will feature up to 10 Gigabit symmetrical speeds for residents and up to 100 Gigabit symmetrical speeds for businesses, providing equal upload and download speeds optimized by ALLO’s world-class Wi-Fi 6 routers. Additionally, Morrill residents, businesses of all sizes, and governmental entities will be supported by ALLO’s fiber-rich network, delivering active and passive solutions without installation fees or restrictive contracts.Internet, data transport, cloud connectivity, video, and voice are included in ALLO’s comprehensive communications, entertainment, and business products. Businesses can access ALLO’s managed services, next-generation firewalls, phone systems, and cybersecurity offerings before the fiber network is built. The community will also have access to a community-wide network providing ultra-reliable and extensive internet bandwidth.  ALLO Regional General Manager Clint Schleicher states, “ALLO is excited to begin construction in Morrill, and we look forward to providing internet, TV, and phone service. We are thrilled to bring another community into the Gigabit future and remove the roadblock of bandwidth limitations.”Morrill is an essential addition to ALLO's 34 fiber communities across the state of Nebraska and 45 markets across multiple states. ALLO is looking forward to serving Morrill residents and being active community members. For more information about ALLO in Morrill, please visit AlloFiber.com/Morrill.About ALLO Communications  ALLO Communications, a leader in providing fiber-optic services, has been dedicated to delivering world-class communications and entertainment services since 2003. With a commitment to building Gigabit communities, ALLO serves over 45 communities across Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas. ALLO is known for its reliable fiber networks and customized technology solutions that support businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit AlloFiber.com

The Power of Allo's All-Fiber Network Coming to Morrill, Nebraska

NEW YORK— President&nbsp;Joe Biden gave his final address to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-general-assembly-leaders-conflicts-crises-summit-c8dec645b01be23f67c542666c229d9d">U.N. General Assembly</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. Below are some of the highlights.

Biden spoke about the need to end the Middle East and reaffirmed conflict and the 17-month-old civil war in Sudan and to highlight U.S.&nbsp; support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.

NEW YORK— President&nbsp;Joe Biden gave his final address to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-general-assembly-leaders-conflicts-crises-summit-c8dec645b01be23f67c542666c229d9d">U.N. General Assembly</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. Below are some of the highlights.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Happening Now: President Biden delivers remarks before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. <a href="https://t.co/4uOc2w5eXV">https://t.co/4uOc2w5eXV</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1838581986497347817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden at <a href="https://twitter.com/UN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN</a> General Assembly: &quot;I decided after 50 years of public service it&#39;s time for a new generation of leadership to take my nation forward. My fellow leaders, let us never forget some things are more important than staying in power.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/1GvonNxBgJ">pic.twitter.com/1GvonNxBgJ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1838600184302829740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden on Ukraine: &quot;America stepped into the breach and provided massive security and economic and humanitarian assistance...the Ukrainian people stood up...The good news is Putin&#39;s war has failed...he set out to destroy Ukraine, but Ukraine is still free.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/yJhuCwSWdg">pic.twitter.com/yJhuCwSWdg</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1838599063022772289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden at <a href="https://twitter.com/UN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN</a> General Assembly: &quot;Our task, our test is to make sure that the forces holding us together are stronger than those pulling us apart.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ohr7MX3SfK">pic.twitter.com/ohr7MX3SfK</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1838602690584264770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden spoke about the need to end the Middle East and reaffirmed conflict and the 17-month-old civil war in Sudan and to highlight U.S.&nbsp; support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.

🎥Highlights of President Biden's farewell address at the U.N. 

This month, the FBI announced the launch of a nationwide effort to raise awareness of the frauds and&nbsp; scams impacting the public and encourage reporting to law enforcement. Throughout this campaign, the&nbsp; FBI is sharing information with the public to highlight different types of fraud and scams, tips for&nbsp; identifying them and preventing losses, and how victims can report to protect others.&nbsp;

One of the most common tactics scammers employ is a false sense of urgency or isolation. They may try&nbsp; to instill trust, induce empathy or fear, or promise monetary gains, companionship, or employment&nbsp; opportunities – all to lure victims into immediate action. For this reason, the FBI’s awareness campaign&nbsp; urges the public to “Take A Beat”: resist pressure to act quickly, pause for a moment, and assess the&nbsp; situation.&nbsp;

According to the FBI’s latest Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) data, there have already been $1.6&nbsp; billion in losses from January to May of 2024, which is nearly $300 million more from the same time last&nbsp; year.&nbsp;

“Anyone can become a victim of fraud” said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. “It’s&nbsp; critical to talk to parents, grandparents, children, and other loved ones about fraud and how to identify the&nbsp; warning signs of a scam. Fraudsters often purposefully make victims feel isolated. Forming communities&nbsp; of support can help get individuals to the reporting tools and support services they need.”&nbsp;

While fraud can happen to anyone, there are small steps that can be taken to protect yourself and your&nbsp; information:&nbsp;

▪ Take precautionary measures to protect your identity should a criminal gain access to your device&nbsp; or account. Immediately contact your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts&nbsp; and monitor for suspicious activity.&nbsp;

▪ Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers. ▪ Search online for the contact information (name, phone number, email, addresses) of any&nbsp; unknown source which reaches out to you, as well as the proposed offer. Verify the legitimacy of&nbsp; businesses on websites such as Better Business Bureau. Other people have likely posted&nbsp; information online about businesses and individuals attempting to run scams.&nbsp;

▪ Never give or send to unverified people or businesses any personally identifiable information,&nbsp; money, checks, gift cards, or wire information.&nbsp;

If you believe you or someone you know may have been a victim of a fraud or scam, contact your local&nbsp; FBI office or submit a complaint on IC3.gov. You should document the name of the scammer/company&nbsp;

and methods of contact, dates of contact, methods of payment, where funds may have been sent, and a&nbsp; thorough description of the interactions.&nbsp;

For more information on the common frauds and scams the FBI encounters, visit: www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams To view the latest stats and trends, visit www.ic3.gov.&nbsp;

FBI Press ReleaseThis month, the FBI announced the launch of a nationwide effort to raise awareness of the frauds and&nbsp; scams impacting the public and encourage reporting to law enforcement. Throughout this campaign, the&nbsp; FBI is sharing information with the public to highlight different types of fraud and scams, tips for&nbsp; identifying them and preventing losses, and how victims can report to protect others.&nbsp;One of the most common tactics scammers employ is a false sense of urgency or isolation. They may try&nbsp; to instill trust, induce empathy or fear, or promise monetary gains, companionship, or employment&nbsp; opportunities – all to lure victims into immediate action. For this reason, the FBI’s awareness campaign&nbsp; urges the public to “Take A Beat”: resist pressure to act quickly, pause for a moment, and assess the&nbsp; situation.&nbsp;According to the FBI’s latest Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) data, there have already been $1.6&nbsp; billion in losses from January to May of 2024, which is nearly $300 million more from the same time last&nbsp; year.&nbsp;“Anyone can become a victim of fraud” said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. “It’s&nbsp; critical to talk to parents, grandparents, children, and other loved ones about fraud and how to identify the&nbsp; warning signs of a scam. Fraudsters often purposefully make victims feel isolated. Forming communities&nbsp; of support can help get individuals to the reporting tools and support services they need.”&nbsp;While fraud can happen to anyone, there are small steps that can be taken to protect yourself and your&nbsp; information:&nbsp;▪ Take precautionary measures to protect your identity should a criminal gain access to your device&nbsp; or account. Immediately contact your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts&nbsp; and monitor for suspicious activity.&nbsp;▪ Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers. ▪ Search online for the contact information (name, phone number, email, addresses) of any&nbsp; unknown source which reaches out to you, as well as the proposed offer. Verify the legitimacy of&nbsp; businesses on websites such as Better Business Bureau. Other people have likely posted&nbsp; information online about businesses and individuals attempting to run scams.&nbsp;▪ Never give or send to unverified people or businesses any personally identifiable information,&nbsp; money, checks, gift cards, or wire information.&nbsp;If you believe you or someone you know may have been a victim of a fraud or scam, contact your local&nbsp; FBI office or submit a complaint on IC3.gov. You should document the name of the scammer/company&nbsp;and methods of contact, dates of contact, methods of payment, where funds may have been sent, and a&nbsp; thorough description of the interactions.&nbsp;For more information on the common frauds and scams the FBI encounters, visit: www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams To view the latest stats and trends, visit www.ic3.gov.&nbsp;

FBI Announces “Take A Beat” Campaign to Raise Awareness of Frauds and Scams 

Lincoln, NE –Douglas Dahl of Grand Island won $120,000 playing Nebraska Pick 5 from the Nebraska Lottery.

Dahl purchased his winning ticket at Fat Dogs Truck Stop at 3310 Platte Rd. in Grand Island. The ticket contained five plays for the September 22 drawing, one of which matched that night’s winning numbers 13, 22, 29, 31 and 36.

He’s been playing Pick 5 just about every day for years and his persistence paid off.

He’s not the only lucky one in his family, back in July, his son won $100,000 on a Scratch ticket. Dahl jokingly pointed out that his win was a little bigger.

Even though he’s hit the Pick 5 jackpot, Dahl said he’s going to keep trying for it.

“I already got my tickets for tonight,” he said.

Nebraska Pick 5 is Nebraska’s unique Lottery game: all the proceeds from Nebraska Pick 5 stay in Nebraska, and all the winning tickets are sold in Nebraska at Nebraska Lottery Lotto game retailers. The odds of winning the Nebraska Pick 5 jackpot, which starts at $50,000 and grows by $10,000 each drawing that is not won, are 1 in 658,008 while the overall odds of winning a prize in the game, which has drawings seven nights a week, are 1 in 9.2.

The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $991 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727184853945.jpeg" alt="Douglas Dahl, Grand Island, Pick 5, $120,000, September 2024 (Courtesy of Nebraska Lottery)" />
 <figcaption>Douglas Dahl, Grand Island, Pick 5, $120,000, September 2024 (Courtesy of Nebraska Lottery)</figcaption>
 </figure>Neil WatsonNebraska LotteryLincoln, NE –Douglas Dahl of Grand Island won $120,000 playing Nebraska Pick 5 from the Nebraska Lottery.Dahl purchased his winning ticket at Fat Dogs Truck Stop at 3310 Platte Rd. in Grand Island. The ticket contained five plays for the September 22 drawing, one of which matched that night’s winning numbers 13, 22, 29, 31 and 36.He’s been playing Pick 5 just about every day for years and his persistence paid off.“It’s about time,” Dahl said.He’s not the only lucky one in his family, back in July, his son won $100,000 on a Scratch ticket. Dahl jokingly pointed out that his win was a little bigger.Even though he’s hit the Pick 5 jackpot, Dahl said he’s going to keep trying for it.“I already got my tickets for tonight,” he said.Nebraska Pick 5 is Nebraska’s unique Lottery game: all the proceeds from Nebraska Pick 5 stay in Nebraska, and all the winning tickets are sold in Nebraska at Nebraska Lottery Lotto game retailers. The odds of winning the Nebraska Pick 5 jackpot, which starts at $50,000 and grows by $10,000 each drawing that is not won, are 1 in 658,008 while the overall odds of winning a prize in the game, which has drawings seven nights a week, are 1 in 9.2.The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $991 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

Grand Island Man Wins $120,000 Playing Nebraska Pick 5

Decision creates the potential for Democrats to reclaim the 2nd District ‘blue dot’

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/aaron-sanderford/">AARON SANDERFORD</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The Republican push to change how Nebraska awards its Electoral College votes and boost former President Donald Trump ran into political reality Monday as a key lawmaker, State Sen. Mike McDonnell, announced he won’t support the change.

McDonnell, of Omaha, said he had heard from people passionate about the issue who live in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District. But he said he did not hear enough to move him off his original position against the switch.

“Elections should be an opportunity for all voters to be heard, no matter who they are, where they live, or what party they support,” McDonnell said in a statement. “I&nbsp;have taken time to listen carefully to Nebraskans and national leaders on both sides of the issue. After deep consideration, it is clear to me that right now, 43 days from Election Day, is not the moment to make this change.”

McDonnell said he told Gov. Jim Pillen his stance and suggested that the Legislature put winner-take-all to a vote of the people, as a proposed constitutional amendment, so people can decide the issue “once and for all.”

Nebraska and Maine are the only states that award a single Electoral College vote to the winner in each congressional district, plus two votes to the statewide winner of the presidential popular vote. Nebraska has split off votes twice in four presidential elections.'

President Joe Biden won the 2nd District in 2020. Trump won all five of the state’s electoral votes in 2016. Mitt Romney did the same in 2012. The 2nd District got its national name as “the blue dot” in 2008, when former President Barack Obama won it.

Nebraska Republicans have argued for years that Nebraska should award all five of its electoral votes to the statewide winner of the presidential popular vote, a process many call winner-take-all.

Republicans hold a 2-to-1 voter registration advantage over Democrats statewide, but the 2nd District cuts much more evenly between Republicans, Democrats and registered nonpartisans, a split that makes the 2nd District competitive in national elections.

Pillen had pledged to call a special session if he could secure the 33 votes needed to overcome a filibuster to change to winner-take-all. All five of Nebraska’s GOP congressional delegates wrote a letter urging state lawmakers to pass such a move.&nbsp;

The Nebraska Legislature has 33 Republicans, 15 Democrats and one progressive who is a registered nonpartisan. People whipping votes for Pillen and the Trump campaign have told others they expected the remaining GOP holdouts to join the push for the change if McDonnell did.

Pillen’s office had no immediate comment Monday, nor did the Trump or Harris campaigns.

Trump weighed in Monday on Truth Social, his social media site thanking Pillen for trying. Trump lashed out at McDonnell as a “Democrat turned Republican(?),” saying McDonnell stood in the way of a “great, Republican common sense victory.”

“I LOVE OMAHA, and won it in 2016. Looks like I’ll have to do it again!!!”

McDonnell’s no on winner-take-all leaves Republicans in Nebraska’s officially nonpartisan Legislature with no path to overcoming a promised filibuster unless a Democrat or nonpartisan senator defects. Thus far, none has opposed the status quo. Nebraska Democrats tweeted the list of 17 pledged no votes, including McDonnell.

Part of the GOP urgency is wrapped in national polling that shows a close race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. Some political observers have argued the 2nd District could break a 269-269 Electoral College tie.

Few Democrats were surprised that the fate of winner-take-all largely swung on McDonnell, a former Omaha fire union president who switched to the GOP this spring after facing political pushback from Democrats for backing abortion restrictions and legislation restricting some health care for minors who are transgender.&nbsp;

Several said the abortion debate should have shown Republicans that McDonnell is largely immovable once he has made a controversial position clear. McDonnell said when he switched parties that he would not support winner-take-all. Others said he did what helped him most politically.

McDonnell’s stance&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/18/winner-take-all-push-gets-help-of-gov-jim-pillen-sen-lindsey-graham-trump/">softened in recent weeks</a>&nbsp;under pressure from local, state and national Republicans, including some with ties to the Trump campaign. He was one of two dozen GOP state senators who met Sept. 18 with Pillen and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

People in the room said McDonnell told GOP colleagues last week he was looking for a way to get to yes. McDonnell&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/19/sen-mike-mcdonnell-says-hes-a-no-on-winner-take-all-as-of-today/">told the Examiner on Thursday</a>, not long after the meeting discussion became public, that he remained a no on winner-take-all, “as of today.”&nbsp;

He kept meeting and talking with people on both sides of the issue, including people tied to Trump, after that statement. He also heard from national and local Democrats tied to Harris.&nbsp;

But on Monday, McDonnell seemed to want to put the issue to rest. And with it, he may have secured one more election where a small slice of Nebraska will matter to both presidential campaigns.&nbsp;

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., said he was “incredibly disappointed by Senator McDonnell’s opposition” to winner-take-all. Ricketts said Nebraskans should speak as one in the Electoral College and “elect a president for all Nebraskans.”

State Sen. Rob Dover, a Republican representing the Norfolk area, also expressed disappointment in McDonnell’s decision.

“There is too much at stake in this election for Nebraskans to spare an electoral vote,” Dover said in a statement. “We should speak as a unified voice.”

State Sen. Loren Lippincott, a Republican from Central City, said he has spoken with the Governor’s Office and they are now doubtful they would call a special session this year on winner-take-all. McDonnell’s vote was key, he said.

“That kind of closes the casket,” Lippincott said of his fellow senator’s announcement. “With Mike McDonnell being an absolute no, that kind of closes the lid. We’re going to have to reintroduce this bill in the next session.”

Both Trump and Harris have campaign staff in Nebraska, and both have sent surrogates to campaign here. Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Nebraska native, held a rally here. Trump’s running mate, Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, came to Nebraska to fundraise and meet with local Republicans.

For McDonnell, the calculus could be partly political. He has openly flirted with running for mayor of Omaha as early as 2025. His likely opponent, Republican incumbent Jean Stothert, has said she supports the switch to winner-take-all.&nbsp;

Statewide support leans toward winner-take-all, but polling over several years indicates broad, bipartisan support in the 2nd District for keeping the state’s unusual system, which brings attention and money to the Omaha area.

McDonnell’s statement acknowledged the impact on the district.

“For Omaha … it brings tremendous national attention, is impactful on our local economy and forces Presidential candidates to make their case to all Nebraskans, instead of just flying over and disregarding us,” he said.

Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, praised McDonnell for “standing strong against tremendous pressure from out-of-state interests to protect Nebraskans’ voice in our democracy.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727142059244.png" alt="State Sen. Mike McDonnell announces leaving the Democratic Party after he was censured by the state and Douglas County Democrats. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Mike McDonnell announces leaving the Democratic Party after he was censured by the state and Douglas County Democrats. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Decision creates the potential for Democrats to reclaim the 2nd District ‘blue dot’</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/aaron-sanderford/">AARON SANDERFORD</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The Republican push to change how Nebraska awards its Electoral College votes and boost former President Donald Trump ran into political reality Monday as a key lawmaker, State Sen. Mike McDonnell, announced he won’t support the change.McDonnell, of Omaha, said he had heard from people passionate about the issue who live in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District. But he said he did not hear enough to move him off his original position against the switch.“Elections should be an opportunity for all voters to be heard, no matter who they are, where they live, or what party they support,” McDonnell said in a statement. “I&nbsp;have taken time to listen carefully to Nebraskans and national leaders on both sides of the issue. After deep consideration, it is clear to me that right now, 43 days from Election Day, is not the moment to make this change.”McDonnell said he told Gov. Jim Pillen his stance and suggested that the Legislature put winner-take-all to a vote of the people, as a proposed constitutional amendment, so people can decide the issue “once and for all.”Nebraska and Maine are the only states that award a single Electoral College vote to the winner in each congressional district, plus two votes to the statewide winner of the presidential popular vote. Nebraska has split off votes twice in four presidential elections.'President Joe Biden won the 2nd District in 2020. Trump won all five of the state’s electoral votes in 2016. Mitt Romney did the same in 2012. The 2nd District got its national name as “the blue dot” in 2008, when former President Barack Obama won it.<h2>2nd District split</h2>Nebraska Republicans have argued for years that Nebraska should award all five of its electoral votes to the statewide winner of the presidential popular vote, a process many call winner-take-all.Republicans hold a 2-to-1 voter registration advantage over Democrats statewide, but the 2nd District cuts much more evenly between Republicans, Democrats and registered nonpartisans, a split that makes the 2nd District competitive in national elections.Pillen had pledged to call a special session if he could secure the 33 votes needed to overcome a filibuster to change to winner-take-all. All five of Nebraska’s GOP congressional delegates wrote a letter urging state lawmakers to pass such a move.&nbsp;The Nebraska Legislature has 33 Republicans, 15 Democrats and one progressive who is a registered nonpartisan. People whipping votes for Pillen and the Trump campaign have told others they expected the remaining GOP holdouts to join the push for the change if McDonnell did.Pillen’s office had no immediate comment Monday, nor did the Trump or Harris campaigns.Trump weighed in Monday on Truth Social, his social media site thanking Pillen for trying. Trump lashed out at McDonnell as a “Democrat turned Republican(?),” saying McDonnell stood in the way of a “great, Republican common sense victory.”“I LOVE OMAHA, and won it in 2016. Looks like I’ll have to do it again!!!”McDonnell’s no on winner-take-all leaves Republicans in Nebraska’s officially nonpartisan Legislature with no path to overcoming a promised filibuster unless a Democrat or nonpartisan senator defects. Thus far, none has opposed the status quo. Nebraska Democrats tweeted the list of 17 pledged no votes, including McDonnell.Part of the GOP urgency is wrapped in national polling that shows a close race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. Some political observers have argued the 2nd District could break a 269-269 Electoral College tie.Few Democrats were surprised that the fate of winner-take-all largely swung on McDonnell, a former Omaha fire union president who switched to the GOP this spring after facing political pushback from Democrats for backing abortion restrictions and legislation restricting some health care for minors who are transgender.&nbsp;Several said the abortion debate should have shown Republicans that McDonnell is largely immovable once he has made a controversial position clear. McDonnell said when he switched parties that he would not support winner-take-all. Others said he did what helped him most politically.McDonnell’s stance&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/18/winner-take-all-push-gets-help-of-gov-jim-pillen-sen-lindsey-graham-trump/">softened in recent weeks</a>&nbsp;under pressure from local, state and national Republicans, including some with ties to the Trump campaign. He was one of two dozen GOP state senators who met Sept. 18 with Pillen and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.<h2>Both sides heard from</h2>People in the room said McDonnell told GOP colleagues last week he was looking for a way to get to yes. McDonnell&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/19/sen-mike-mcdonnell-says-hes-a-no-on-winner-take-all-as-of-today/">told the Examiner on Thursday</a>, not long after the meeting discussion became public, that he remained a no on winner-take-all, “as of today.”&nbsp;He kept meeting and talking with people on both sides of the issue, including people tied to Trump, after that statement. He also heard from national and local Democrats tied to Harris.&nbsp;But on Monday, McDonnell seemed to want to put the issue to rest. And with it, he may have secured one more election where a small slice of Nebraska will matter to both presidential campaigns.&nbsp;U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., said he was “incredibly disappointed by Senator McDonnell’s opposition” to winner-take-all. Ricketts said Nebraskans should speak as one in the Electoral College and “elect a president for all Nebraskans.”State Sen. Rob Dover, a Republican representing the Norfolk area, also expressed disappointment in McDonnell’s decision.“There is too much at stake in this election for Nebraskans to spare an electoral vote,” Dover said in a statement. “We should speak as a unified voice.”State Sen. Loren Lippincott, a Republican from Central City, said he has spoken with the Governor’s Office and they are now doubtful they would call a special session this year on winner-take-all. McDonnell’s vote was key, he said.“That kind of closes the casket,” Lippincott said of his fellow senator’s announcement. “With Mike McDonnell being an absolute no, that kind of closes the lid. We’re going to have to reintroduce this bill in the next session.”Both Trump and Harris have campaign staff in Nebraska, and both have sent surrogates to campaign here. Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Nebraska native, held a rally here. Trump’s running mate, Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, came to Nebraska to fundraise and meet with local Republicans.For McDonnell, the calculus could be partly political. He has openly flirted with running for mayor of Omaha as early as 2025. His likely opponent, Republican incumbent Jean Stothert, has said she supports the switch to winner-take-all.&nbsp;Statewide support leans toward winner-take-all, but polling over several years indicates broad, bipartisan support in the 2nd District for keeping the state’s unusual system, which brings attention and money to the Omaha area.McDonnell’s statement acknowledged the impact on the district.“For Omaha … it brings tremendous national attention, is impactful on our local economy and forces Presidential candidates to make their case to all Nebraskans, instead of just flying over and disregarding us,” he said.<h2>Praised for ‘standing strong’</h2>Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, praised McDonnell for “standing strong against tremendous pressure from out-of-state interests to protect Nebraskans’ voice in our democracy.”&nbsp;“Nebraska has a long and proud tradition of independence, and our electoral system reflects that by ensuring that the outcome of our elections truly represents the will of the people without interference,” Kleeb said.&nbsp;Kleeb also said the party would support leaders “who stand up for the people,” which some interpreted as a hint that the door might be cracked open for McDonnell to return or to secure some form of support from the party if he runs for office in the future.The Nebraska Republican Party had no immediate comment.