First a quick thanks to the folks that shared we were getting the endorsements up. Getting the time to keep up with multiple postings ect is not easy. Going to have a tread here with all the endorsements. Note the NFOA-PAF grading sheet has been attached for your information, copies of survey responses to come.
OK starting to get the NFOA-PAF endorsements in order. For the most part I will be posting them in District order but we have a few races that are unopposed so I will be writing these up as a group (LD’s 1, 19, 41 and 49).
In LD 1 We endorse Dan Watermeier for reelection.
In LD 19 We endorse Jim Scheer for reelection, he replied to our questionnaire even though he is unopposed. We wish he was stronger on our positions but did support us on LB 289, so we will support him for reelection.
LD 41 Tom Briese is running unopposed for this open seat, he got an Aq from the NRA but did not reply to our questionnaire. With no information on this candidate other than his having an NRA endorsement we will withhold making one. We hope he learns quickly that the NFOA represents the firearms community in the Nebraska Legislature and listens to the wishes of the people of Nebraska.
LD 49 We endorse John Murante for reelection, John has been a very level headed Senator that has supported the NFOA’s positions in the Legislature and has risen into being a leader in the Unicameral.
In LD 3 we endorse Senator Tommy Garrett to be reelected to office, neither candidate replied to our questionnaire this year but did 2 years ago, then we endorsed Tommy over Carol Blood and he has shown himself to be a supporter in the Legislature, there is no need to change course now.
In LD 5 neither candidate replied to our survey but we have had conversations with Gilbert Ayala and he has earned our support and endorsement over Mike McDonnell who the Omaha World Herald referred to as a cry baby over his actions when he was losing his position as Fire Chief. While in that position he showed he does not have the ability to manage people or a budget and we expect him to toe the party line if elected. This is a real uphill battle for Gilbert with little financial support and tens of thousands of dollars of public union money having been spent in support of McDonnell.
Not have a lot of money to donate but want to help a candidate in the Omaha area, try reaching out to Gilbert and see if you can lend a hand.
LD 7 we have not been able to establish any contact with either candidate, so we will not be making an endorsement. We would expect both of these candidates to follow whatever the Democrat Party decides on our issues so for us there really is no difference.
LD 9 has incumbent Sara Howard running against attorney Larry Roland. Larry has been working hard in a district that favors a party line following Democrat such as Sara Howard. Even though Larry is not perfect on our questionnaire or in conversations he is a major step up from the failure that Sara Howard has been on our issues. So we endorse Larry Roland, and again encourage our followers to step forward and see what they can do to assist the campaign.
It should be no surprise to anyone that in LD 11 we are endorsing John Sciara over incumbent Ernie Chambers. The NFOA-PAF has made a sizable contribution to John's campaign and we encourage our supporters to reach out and help him however you can. This district has a very small number of registered voters and there is lots of opportunity to help people get registered to vote as well as opportunities to educate them of Ernie's propensities to fight for mountain lions and prairie dogs rather than for economic development in his district, where it is enormously needed.
LD 13 has Jill Brown running against Justin Wayne, who many of our followers know from his years on the Omaha School Board. There Justin has shown himself to be a balanced minded person who at least tries to listen to the voters and parents, even though he may personally disagree on some issues. Neither candidate has responded to our questionnaire and we have some concern even with the many conservative positions he has taken that Justin will fall in line with the wishes of his party on our issues, so with no further information to base things on the NFOA-PAF will not make and endorsement in this race.
LD 15 has Senator David A. Schnoor running for reelection, and we have had no issues with the way he has represented us in office. He has not only responded with strong support to us on our questionnaire but has shown us his support with the work he did on LD 289. We can not make a stronger endorsement than what we offer to Senator Schnoor and we wish him success in his efforts to be reelected to office.
LD 17 we did not receive any replies to our surveys but have had limited contact with Joni Albrecht and quite a bit of discussion with several of her supporters. That coupled with the Aq she received from the NRA we feel confident that she would represent us well in the Legislature. So the NFOA-PAF formally endorses Joni Albrecht for LD17.
LD 21 we endorse Mike Hilgers for this district. He has shown his desire to serve Nebraskan's in this capacity as well as a strong ability to lead and make his point, while supporting the NFOA and all firearms owners in Nebraska.
Now we come to the first of the difficult races, LD 23 has incumbent Senator Jerry Johnson running against Bruce Bostelman. On the NRA's grades Jerry Johnson has a D while Bruce Bostelman has received an Aq. While Senator Johnson did better on our questionnaire earning a B- and having supported us on LB 289, Bruce Bostelman has received an A on our questionnaire. With all the outside influences on this race and there being no clear cut leader on who would represent us better the NFOA-PAF is going to follow the NRA and not endorse either candidate in this race.
LD 25 we have received no replies to our surveys or other contacts, so we will not be making an endorsement. We will note that Jim Gordon did not respond to the NRA as well and Suzanne Geist did receiving an Aq and an endorsement from them.
LD 27 has Anna Wishart running against Dick Clark, both candidates received an Aq from the NRA and they did not make an endorsement. From having seen it in Lincoln/Lancaster County so many times in the past I believe that the NRA's questionnaire was filled out by a political operative for Anna Wishart that has knowledge of what answers the NRA wants to hear, these candidates once elected have gone on to show they have no respect for the Second Amendment or our freedoms in any capacity. She did not respond to our survey requests. Dick Clark has been a strong supporter of the NFOA and has earned an A on our survey, that coupled with his ability to work with all the offices and others needed to actually get things accomplished we feel that Dick Clark would represent firearm owners well in the Legislature. So we strongly endorse Dick Clark for LD 27.
LD 29, In the primary we gave our endorsement to incumbent Senator Kate Boltz simply as a thank you for her voting to move LB 289 forward. She did not respond to our survey request but has received an C- grade from the NRA. Her opponent Melody Vaccaro received an F from the NRA from their survey, which she has gone on and earned the same grade from the NFOA-PAF (surveys will be attached later, this one is available on our Facebook page for our entertainment). With this type of opponent we certainly hope to have Senator Bolz back again next year and continue our endorsement for the General Election.
LD 31 it should come as no surprise that The NFOA-PAF continues it's support of Ian Swanson against F rated (from the NRA and NFOA-PAF) Rick Kolowski. Ian M. Swanson has the support of both us and the NRA so please get out and support him.
LD 33 is another of the tough races for us, we have incumbent Les Seiler who received an A on our questionnaire (a C from the NRA) running against Steve Halloran who also received an A on our questionnaire (Aq from the NRA and their endorsement). We backed the incumbent in the Primary based upon his fairness in Judiciary Hearings and his support of LB 289. But based upon further discussions with Steve Halloran and his supporters, and looking at the totality of support we have had from Senator Seiler we have reevaluated this race and will not be making an endorsement in the General Election.
LD 35 Greg Neuhaus receives our endorsement with an A on our questionnaire, also receiving an Aq and the endorsement from the NRA. His opponent made this easy for us by not responding to either of us for our surveys, showing that he does not respect your rights, or is not a serious candidate.
We endorse John S. Lowe Sr. for LD 37.
In LD 37 Both Bob Lammers and John S. Lowe Sr. received an Aq from the NRA, with them not endorsing either candidate. John S. Lowe Sr. is the only one of these candidates that responded to our survey receiving an A, Coupling that with the communication that NFOA members have had with Bob Lammers and his history of not supporting our rights on the City Council there is no contest for us to make an endorsement.
LD 39 we endorse Lou Ann Linehan , who also earned the endorsement of the NRA.
LD 43 has Incumbent Senator Al Davis running against Col. Tom Brewer (Ret.) with the incumbent having received the NRA's endorsement. This is a race we have looked at hard and studied the candidates very carefully. In the Primary we with held off making a endorsement because at least on the surface this was a difficult race to choose. But after many conversations, much thought and really looking at what support we expect to receive the NFOA-PAF is endorsing Tom Brewer to win this fall in LD 43. Even though the incumbent voted for LB 289 there has been to many times that he has failed to support us in related issues or should have been a leader on issues when the opportunity arose. This is exactly the opposite of what we feel Tom Brewer will be in the Unicameral.
In the primary we did not make an endorsement in LD45, though as many had noticed we recognized that Senator Crawford voted to move LB 289 forward. Well now the surveys are in and we are ready to endorse Michael J. Cook for LD 45. Michael Cook has taken the time to come to us to visit with our members and has scored an A on our survey that his opponent did not respond to.
Last one, LD 47 which has Karl Elmshaeuser running against Steve Erdman in what has been the most difficult races for us to decide upon. Both candidates received an Aq from the NRA and an A on our survey. The contacts we have had with the campaigns and their supporters have both been outstanding, even with very different candidates.
Steve Erdman is a strong conservative that many feel would be a fighter to work to block bad legislation along side our supporters that have that background.
Karl Elmshaeuser is also a strong conservative who has a history of working to build strong coalitions to get things accomplished, and has already shown that he is working to build coalitions so he can hit the ground running.
I have Friends, Political Acquaintances and people I have worked with on issues that support both candidates and for very valid reasons. If I lived in LD 47 I know which candidate I would vote for, but that does not mean that is who the NFOA-PAF should endorse.
Both Candidates have done the work and shown the support of our rights to deserve an endorsement, but choosing one over the other is more about what kind of person you want representing you than it is about their support of the Second Amendment. Rather than not endorse we are going to endorse both candidates to recognize both of them for their support of the Second Amendment and their desire to serve the people of their district.
