The antics of the far-right MAGA extremists who are seemingly hell-bent on taking over the Republican Party are unsettling to say the least.
And if you want a barometer of where the national Republican Party is headed, take a look at what’s going on in the state and county parties, statehouses and governors offices.
Here in Nebraska, of course, Trump supporters recently took over the state convention and ousted Gov. Pete Ricketts as the leader of the party. By the end of the day, the party had lost its chairman, executive director, two of three district chairs, national committeewoman, three assistant state party chairs, secretary, treasurer and lawyer, among others, as was reported by the Nebraska Examiner.
But the so-called MAGA-led Coup in Kearney was mild compared to what happened recently in Idaho at the state Republican convention, which got the attention of the editorial board of the Idaho Statesman:
The most extreme elements of the Republican Party are fully in control.
The new chair — outgoing Rep. Dorothy Moon, who lost her bid for secretary of state in May — is closely tied to the John Birch Society, which was famously kicked out of the conservative movement in the 1950s, when it asserted that former general and President Dwight Eisenhower was a communist.
And this is not some tangential connection: Moon’s husband, Darr, is on the John Birch Society’s national council. Moon built her entire campaign for secretary of state on a Bircher-style conspiracy theory — Donald Trump’s Big Lie — so you can expect that she will become that lie’s chief public expositor for the next several years. That Bircherite paranoia was also on display with continued efforts to make it easier to disqualify voters in the Republican primaries.
That’s not the worst of it. … After all, the party’s current platform holds that you shouldn’t be allowed to vote in U.S. Senate races.
The new GOP has signaled it also intends to be cruel. “Our guns are loaded,” Moon cried in her state chair victory speech.
Makes you wonder what’s next for Nebraska Republicans.
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Sticking with the subject of extremism, the Washington Post published an article this week headlined “Claim that sex ed ‘grooms’ kids jolted Nebraska politics a year before it swept the nation that detailed the efforts against proposed new state sex-education standards for teaching about issues such as sexual orientation, gender identity and consent.
The result was a slate of extremist candidates running for local and the State Board of Education.
That is why it is vital to vote Nov. 8 for our strong Democratic candidates Danielle Helzer in state Board of Education District 6 and Deborah Neary in District 8.
Helzer was quoted in the article about being targeted by extreme political foes for supporting the new state sex ed standards. One Facbook post, for example, said “Helzer wants to groom your kids for pedophiles & traffickers.”
“I don’t take it personally because I know it’s not true, but I don’t take it lightly,” Helzer said.
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You can now request to vote by mail for the Nov. 8 election! Fill out this form and we’ll help you get a ballot.
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And speaking on the general election, see all of our great Democratic candidates!
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Join us Aug. 6 in Lincoln, Omaha, Grand Island and Hastings for our Yard Sign Drive-Thru Parties!
Get yard signs for candidates and information on voting by mail and registering to vote.
Sign up here:
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The Nebraska Democratic Party is committed to representing and serving the best interests of our rural communities across the state. Rural Outreach means helping Nebraskans living in rural communities by engaging and supporting the community through our state and county parties. Part of our mission is to provide the information and tools necessary to keep our towns and villages growing, sustainable, self-sufficient, and vibrant.
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The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has CD2 as one of its 22 competitive House districts that are either open or held by Republicans.
Click here to go to the Flip that Bacon site.
At the bottom of the home page is a timeline slider listing Bacon’s gaffes and horrible votes and positions during his time in office.
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If you want to keep up on NDP happenings and get our weekly blog as well as our daily News Clips and Talking Points, just send an email to kevin@nebraskademocrats.org
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It’s county fair, festival and parade season, and the NDP has launched a Mobile Office project designed to help our party better communicate with and serve our communities across the state.
The Mobile Offices will allow us to provide our local parties with a comprehensive and professional kit that can be used for fairs, parades, voter registration drives and more.
They are available to county parties, affiliated caucus and policy councils and other Democratic operatives across the state.
Each Mobile Office contains a canopy tent for outdoor use, parade banner, table, comprehensive collection of literature, a wide range of basic tabling items, first aid kit and optional display components upon request.
Fill out the NDP Mobile Office request form!
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The NDP Coordinated Campaign is hiring Organizers to work in the Second Congressional District area (Douglas, Saunders, part of Sarpy).
Please send your resume and cover letter to info@nebraskademocrats.org.
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Join Senator Blood on Aug. 30 for another great NPD training! Subject: Measure What We Treasure; How we can use certain metrics and data to better reach voters and budget campaign expenses.
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Help build the NDP and become a Monthly Donor to help us help Dems win in 2022 and beyond! We need your help!
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Join us on a Welcome-to-the-Party call!! We cover topics such as voter registration and redistricting.
The next call is Aug. 2. Sign up here.
If you have suggestions for topics to cover, please email gina@nebraskademocrats.org.
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Sign up here for an NDP Block Captain Training!
The Block Captain program is our neighborhood organizing program.
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Get your NDP swag at the NDP/Shirts 101 store! There are lots of designs from which to choose.
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We leave you this week with a rendering by Bill Bramhall.
–By Kevin O’Hanlon/NDP Communications Director
NOTE: If you’d like to receive #NebDems News via email, just let us know by sending a note to: info@nebraskademocrats.org
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See NDP events here.
IMPORTANT DATES
July 29-31: Lancaster County Dems at the Lancaster County Super Fair
July 28: Saunders County Fair (Wahoo) parade with Tony Vargas for Congress
July 28: March with Carol Blood for Governor at the Saunders County Fair parade
July 30: Walk with Patty Pansing Brooks for Congress in the Hickman Hay Days Parade
July 30: March with Blood for Governor at the Otoe County Fair Parade
July 30: Walk With Angie Lauritsen for Legislature at Gretna Days
July 30: DCDP Lit Drop for state-wide candidates
July 30: Benson Days Unity Parade with Team Tony
July 30: Walk and Knock with George Dungan for Legislature
July 30: Benson Days Unity Parade with Blood for Governor
Aug. 2: CD2 Volunteer Leader Training Workshop Series
Aug. 2: Weekly Tuesday Phone Bank
Aug. 2: Welcome to the Party call
Aug. 4-7: York County Democrats at the York County Fair
Aug. 6: NDP Yard Sign Drive-Thru in Grand Island
Aug. 6: NDP Yard Sign Drive-Thru in Lincoln
Aug. 6: NDP Yard Sign Drive-Thru in Omaha
Aug. 6: NDP Yard Sign Drive-Thru in Hastings
Aug. 6: March with Blood for Governor at the Czech Festival Parade
Aug. 9: Weekly Tuesday Phone Bank
Aug. 9: CD2 Candidate Meet and Greet
Aug. 9: Welcome to the Party call
Aug. 11: NDP Block Captain Training
Aug. 12: Helen Booslais Inspiring Women Luncheon
Aug. 12: Sarpy County Democrats Legacy Dinner
Aug. 14: Blood For Governor General Election Kick-Off Celebration and Fundraiser
Aug. 16: Weekly Tuesday Phone Bank
Aug. 20: March with Blood for Governor At The Arrows to Aerospace Parade
Aug. 23: Welcome to the Party call
Aug. 30: NDP Campaign Training with Sen. Carol Blood
Oct 14: Morrison Exon event
Sept. 22: NDP Block Captain Training
Nov. 8: General Election