As the Nebraska Democratic Party works to win back the hearts and minds of Nebraska voters, the first step our Party must take is to show up - in every precinct of every county in the state. Our goal is straightforward: to develop a statewide Democratic community that can support candidates running for office up and down the ballot in 2006 and beyond.

The coming election cycle is the beginning of realignment across Nebraska’s political landscape. The unique dynamics of the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races, the 20 Legislative seats opened up by term limits, and competitive county and municipal races in several of the state’s largest population centers means only one thing is certain: all bets are off.

Up-ballot races present a significant (though not necessarily
insurmountable) challenge for Democratic candidates, from a larger-than life Republican gubernatorial candidate to well-funded incumbents in two congressional districts and a large Democratic registration deficit in the third (NE-3). Senator Ben Nelson will undoubtedly face a tough challenger as well.

In order to build the Democratic Party, Nebraska Democrats must shift their firepower toward the legislative and municipal seats. If the Nebraska GOP is able to propel candidates into office from most of the open districts with little effort, it will solidify its lock on the government closest to Nebraska’s communities and build up its bench for future campaigns.

Twenty of Nebraska’s 48 legislative districts will be open from term limits in 2006, and at least two of the four incumbents not term-limited are potentially vulnerable. Nine of these seats are in rural districts - mostly places where Democrats have been afraid (or unable) to do business in years.

The only option for the NDP is to engage the Republicans by taking the battle to these races, races that have rarely - if ever - been a playing ground for a state party in Nebraska. Through candidate recruitment, campaign development, and the conception and execution of a coordinated campaign plan organized around a statewide party-building strategy, Nebraska Democrats can win up and down the ballot. The NDP has the opportunity to set new standards for “red state” Democratic Parties by utilizing innovative ideas and serving as a testing ground for new field organizing strategies while working to elect Democrats to all levels of government.

The NDP’s strategic plan, The 93 County Strategy, is straightforward:

By combining candidate services with the rebuilding of the NDP infrastructure, this plan will help make Nebraska Democrats a force to be reckoned with in future statewide and local elections.

Barry R. Rubin
Executive Director
Nebraska Democratic Party