NEGOP shake up a good thing, say local leaders
By Becky Uehling
Grant Tribune-Sentinel
The shake up in leadership of the Nebraska GOP at the State Convention is being portrayed by the mainstream media, Democrats and some of the Republican establishment as a negative, for the Nebraska Republican party. However, that isn’t how three area county Committee Chairwomen see it. What happened in Kearney on July 9 for them is that the people finally stood up and made their voices heard.
During the day, party Chair Dan Welch was removed by a vote of 240 to 124, with Eric Underwood, chairman of the Lancaster County Republican Party, being elected into the position.
A finely tuned plan was put into place by the delegates during the day to propose the proper resolutions to open up the process to remove an officer, according to Carol Friesen, Lincoln County Chairwoman and Representative for District 311.
“The State Convention was a great introduction to state party politics for so many of our new delegates from throughout the 3rd Congressional District,” Friesen said. “I was extremely proud of the delegates and alternates from our District.”
Most of the voices in the room on July 9 were delegates of District 3, which had 172 delegates present for the meeting, District 1 had 106 and District 2 had 63, according to Friesen. District 3 includes Perkins, Lincoln, Keith and Chase counties, helping make up the 80 counties in the 3rd Congressional District.
Hitting a Climax
A cascade of events that began several months earlier hit a climax during the convention after, according to Friesen, the NEGOP credentialling committee and the resolution committee “overstepped the scope of their responsibility.” The credentials for six delegates because of actions that the committees deemed went against the State Republican leadership and current nominees in the state, including Governor Pete Ricketts and Governor candidate Jim Pillen.
“For many people, the fact that duly appointed delegates were uncredentialed created strong negative feelings about a state party that was already on thin ice after questioning several county conventions and withholding information,” Friesen said.
Several in all three congressional districts had come to believe that the leadership in the Nebraska GOP had become too entrenched with Governor Peter Ricketts, especially Taylor Gage, a longtime former spokesman for Ricketts who was serving as executive director for the NEGOP. Gage is also the grandson of former Governor Kay Orr, who also supported Pillen in the primary.
Although the Republican Party officially remained neutral during the primary election, Ricketts campaigning and fundraising for Pillen frustrated both Charles Herbster and Brett Lindstrom supporters. Ricketts is also the largest donor, being responsible for 75 percent of the private funding for the NEGOP.
After Welch was voted out, several others stepped down with Gage, including national committee woman Lydia Brasch, the first and second district chair, the party district chair, the party treasurer and secretary, and the assistant chairman and assistant state party chair.
Keith County Chairwoman and Representative for District 312 Chris Vail agreed what happened on July 9 is good for the NE GOP, saying the move by the two committees was a step too far.
“The NEGOP needed a transition to a party of the people, not the private funder of Ricketts pet people and projects,” Vail said.
Perkins County Chairwoman and Committee Woman for District 311 Melissa Sauder agreed, saying the move by the people is about truth and integrity. What it isn’t about, she said, is Trump.
“Many people are claiming that this is a Trump issue—it’s not,” Sauder said. “So many people want nothing to do with politics, me included. We see how dirty and dishonest it can be. We have been ignored and manipulated, we have been lied to for so long that we often don’t know what to believe any more.”
Sauder said she got involved with politics because she saw what was happening to America, especially with elections, and she was determined to make a difference.
“If we don’t get involved, we won’t have a country left,” she said. “The most convicting thing I have learned is that when we don’t participate in our government we are not honoring those who have sacrificed and served to keep us free. Freedom truly isn’t free. If we aren’t sacrificing and serving, eventually we won’t be free ourselves.”
Sauder encourages everyone to get involved with standing up for the United States, for Free Speech and for all freedoms, especially for fair elections. She believes that the shake up at the NEGOP is the step in the right direction.
Next Steps
Underwood has stated the events that transpired on July 9 was the culmination of many challenges expressed by the conservative people of Nebraska over the years, and not one single event. “Simply put, the delegates felt Conservative Nebraskans and the NEGOP could operate more effectively with a people first, bottom-up approach setting the Conservative agenda growing traditional values, and building candidates that uphold those principles. The NEGOP will work with all Republicans to make sure local control is paramount and supported and across the state.”
The night of the NEGOP State Convention, the party’s offices in Lincoln were burglarized with many files and electronic devises stolen, according to a press release by the party. The party’s new leadership has been diligently working to find passwords, and gather documents to continue the work of the party.
Underwood will serve as chair of the party until January when elections are held.
Vail, Friesen and Sauder urged people to get involved in their local communities, saying that only by getting involved locally can Americans take back our country nationally. They each urged people to reach out to them or another GOP rep in their community. Vail also said that the first State Central Committee meeting will be held in Hastings on August 20th. Anyone wanting more information can reach out to their individual district leadership.