Election 2024
Hearing on guns in schools hints at likely 2024 legislative targets
LINCOLN — The Nebraska Legislature appears poised next year to consider again who should be allowed to carry a gun on school property, beyond on-duty law enforcement officers. State Sen. Tom Brewer, a gun rights advocate, invited Education Committee testimony Friday from rural and private school officials, firearms experts and security contractors. The list of […]
U.S. Rep. Don Bacon gets expected Omaha police union endorsement, but early
OMAHA — Second District U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., announced an expected endorsement Monday from the influential union representing Omaha police officers, but the endorsement came unusually early. It came three months ahead of the union’s endorsement of Bacon in the 2022 campaign, 11 months earlier than in 2020 and nine months earlier than in […]
Three presidential debates, one VP debate scheduled ahead of 2024 election
WASHINGTON — The Democratic and Republican nominees for president would debate three times next year if both candidates agree to a schedule released Monday by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates. “The United States’ general election debates, watched live worldwide, are a model for many other countries: the opportunity to hear and see leading candidates […]
Backers of ‘consumption’ tax ballot initiative seek funds to finance paid circulators
LINCOLN — Backers of a novel state “consumption” tax predicted Monday that a ballot initiative to adopt it would pass if it gathers enough signatures to qualify for the 2024 ballot. But getting it on the ballot is the big “if” faced by the so-called EPIC Option Consumption Tax initiative, though one political consultant figures […]
Trump says he was ‘great’ for Iowa, asks for big caucus win
FORT DODGE — Former President Donald Trump rallied supporters on Saturday and asked them to repay his kindnesses to Iowa of keeping it the first state in the Republican presidential nomination process and of paying farmers billions of dollars during trade disputes with China in his first term. He mentioned the payments to farmers several […]
Nebraska abortion rights amendment campaign kicks off in Omaha
OMAHA — Abortion belongs on Nebraska ballots in November 2024, leaders of reproductive, women’s and civil rights groups said Thursday in announcing a ballot initiative campaign. The same coalition that protested during legislative debate this spring on the state’s new 12-week gestational age abortion ban said they are excited to start gathering signatures next week. […]
New Hampshire sets Jan. 23 presidential primary date, the first in the nation
Defying the wishes of the Democratic National Committee, Secretary of State Dave Scanlan announced Wednesday that New Hampshire will hold its 2024 presidential primaries on Jan. 23, the first state in the country scheduled to do so. Speaking at a press conference flanked by Republican and Democratic state party leaders, Scanlan said the primary date […]
Pillen appoints Fred Meyer to replace Tom Briese in Nebraska Legislature
LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen has appointed Fred Meyer of St. Paul, a former member of the State Board of Education, to a central Nebraska vacancy in the Legislature. Meyer succeeds State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, who was in his seventh year representing Legislative District 41. Briese resigned Oct. 31 to step into the role […]
Nebraska abortion rights petition language aims for viability standard
LINCOLN — Nebraska advocates seeking to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution chose language for a potential ballot initiative that would create a constitutional right to an abortion until a fetus is viable outside of the womb. This push for viability language moves the local abortion debate beyond the appropriate number of weeks after […]
Manchin will not seek reelection to U.S. Senate in 2024, will hit to road to ‘unite the middle’
Flanked by two bald eagle statues and several American flags, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection to the U.S. Senate. Instead, he said in the prerecorded video, he will be touring the country in an effort to “unite the middle.” “I believe in my heart of hearts that I’ve […]
Omaha mayor signs off on council’s gun kit ordinance, gun resolutions
OMAHA — Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has signed the new ordinance from City Councilman Pete Festersen banning possession of the kits used to build home-assembled handguns. She also signed both gun-related resolutions adopted by the City Council. The measures were proposed in response to Legislative Bill 77, the state’s new law allowing permitless concealed carry. […]
One year out: how a free and fair 2024 presidential election could be under threat
The last time America elected a president, it led to a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol and a failed coup that gravely damaged the political system and marred the peaceful transfer of power for the first time in U.S. history. A year from now, the nation’s voters will decide another presidential contest — likely […]