| The 2008 Nebraska Legislature had an unofficial partisan breakdown of 31 Republican, 15 Democratic, and 3 nonpartisan State Senators. With the strong-arm tactics of Gov. Dave Heineman's administration, the importance of establishing a 17-vote blocking coalition that could effectively stand in the way of harmful legislation in extreme circumstances has received considerable attention - oftentimes in the context of electing 17 Democrats. But, as I've written, that was neither a sufficient goal nor the right approach to this election.
On many state and local issues, the "D" or "R" next to a legislators' name does not and should not have a damn thing to do with how they vote and represent their constituents' best interests. Recognizing that, 17 Democratic votes wouldn't mean a whole lot because there is bound to be too wide a range of interests within such a group - especially on issues that divide urban and rural Nebraska.
The greater concern in yesterday's vote was the election of those legislative candidates who are more open to progressive viewpoints and more reliable as a progressive voice. Registration as a Democrat is usually a pretty good indicator on these fronts, but we know better than to think this is enough, and we should know better than to shut any doors on Republican legislators who can be trusted to think independently. And, yes, there are plenty of Republicans who are concerned with the interests of middle and working-class Nebraska families and who do understand our moral obligations to the less fortunate who cannot care for themselves.
I was hoping that the 2009 Unicameral would include 21 State Senators who could be counted on to provide a more progressive alternative to the prevailing status quo. As things stand now, we fell short of that mark.
| District | Incumbent | Incumbent Status | Candidates | Winner |
| 1 | Lavon Heidemann | Running For Reelection | Lavon Heidemann 61%
Jerry Joy 39% | Lavon Heidemann |
| 3 | Gail Kopplin | Running For Reelection | Gail Kopplin 47%
Scott Price 53% | Scott Price |
| 5 | Don Preister | Term-Limited | Heath Mello 67%
Rebecca Barrientos-Patlan 33% | Heath Mello |
| 7 | John Synowiecki | Term-Limited | Jeremy Nordquist 74%
Christopher Moles 26% | Jeremy Nordquist |
| 9 | Gwen Howard | Running For Reelection | Gwen Howard | Gwen Howard |
| 11 | Ernie Chambers | Term-Limited | Brenda Council 84%
Dennis Womack 16% | Brenda Council |
| 13 | Lowen Kruse | Term-Limited | Tanya Cook 58%
Kurt Geschwender 42% | Tanya Cook |
| 15 | Ray Janssen | Term-Limited | Charlie Janssen 57%
Richard Register 43% | Charlie Janssen |
| 17 | Patrick Engel | Term-Limited | Doug Garwood 44%
Bob Giese 56% | Bob Giese |
| 18 | Scott Lautenbaugh | Running For 1st Election | Carl Lorenzen 49%
Scott Lautenbaugh 51% | Scott Lautenbaugh |
| 19 | Mike Flood | Running For Reelection | Mike Flood 94%
Daniel Truman Barrows 6% | Mike Flood |
| 21 | Carol Hudkins | Term-Limited | Ken Haar 50%
James Jeffers 50% | Haar leads by 52 |
| 23 | Chris Langemeier | Running For Reelection | Chris Langemeier | Chris Langemeier |
| 25 | Ron Raikes | Term-Limited | Kathy Campbell 64%
Travis Wagner 36% | Kathy Campbell |
| 27 | DiAnna Schimek | Term-Limited | Dan Marvin 50%
Colby Coash 50% | Coash leads by 26 |
| 29 | Tony Fulton | Running For Reelection | Tony Fulton 57%
Susan Scott 43% | Tony Fulton |
| 31 | Rich Pahls | Running For Reelection | Rich Pahls | Rich Pahls |
| 33 | Carroll Burling | Term-Limited | Chuck Shoemaker 48%
Dennis Utter 52% | Dennis Utter |
| 35 | Ray Aguilar | Term-Limited | Mike Gloor 54%
Gregg Neuhaus 46% | Mike Gloor |
| 37 | Joel Johnson | Term-Limited | Jim George 49%
Galen Hadley 51% | Galen Hadley |
| 39 | Dwite Pederson | Term-Limited | Rex Moats 46%
Beau McCoy 54% | Beau McCoy |
| 41 | Vickie McDonald | Term-Limited | Kate Sullivan 52%
Paul Eurek 48% | Kate Sullivan |
| 43 | Deb Fischer | Running For Reelection | Deb Fischer | Deb Fischer |
| 45 | Abbie Cornett | Running For Reelection | Abbie Cornett | Abbie Cornett |
| 47 | Philip Erdman | Term-Limited | Ken Schilz 56%
Bernard Fehringer 44% | Ken Schilz |
| 49 | LeRoy Louden | Running For Reelection | LeRoy Louden 71%
Michael Jacobson 29% | LeRoy Louden |
| Key | Republican: 30 | Democratic: 17 | Nonpartisan: 0 | Undecided: 2 |
For now, the only huge disappointments are the defeat of incumbent state senator Gail Kopplin in LD 3 and the still undecided nail-biter in LD 27. There, overconfidence in Lincoln city councilman Dan Marvin's chances might have cost him the race as Colby Coash made a hard play for Democratic voters , branding himself the "progressive", pro-environment candidate. Close losses by Carl Lorenzen in LD 18 and Chuck Shoemaker in LD 33 are also huge blows to our state although neither was a Democratic candidate.
Still, there is much to like in these results, and I don't mean to paint too negative a picture. For the bright side, though, you're going to have to wait. We'll have more analysis later. |
