SE Nebraska Rally for Democracy Has Sell-Out Crowd

Over 200 people from Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee and Richardson Counties gathered in the Tecumseh Community Building for the Southeast Nebraska Rally for Democracy hosted by the Democrats from all five counties. After a social hour and smoked pork chop meal accompanied by the music of Greg Blecha and his Goodtime Polka Band, four Democratic candidates spoke to the assembled crowd. A fifth candidate, Michaela Conway, running for State Board of Education in District 5, was unable to come due to a death in the family.
Becky Stille, running for U.S. Congress, started out as a single, teenage mother. She put herself through college and got a degree in accounting. She said, “I understand the concerns and hopes of the people here.” She will work to cut waste and fraud in government and make a better life for struggling Nebraskans.
Sarah Slattery is running for Secretary of State. “I am so ready and excited to represent Nebraska,” she said. She has been a small business owner for 18 years in rural Cass County. “The Secretary of State is the face of Nebraska on International Trade. We need someone who will represent Nebraska farmers and ranchers with these tariffs and help ag workers get what they deserve.” She mentioned the state motto, “Equality Before the Law. That’s something I think we should get back to.” She also talked about keeping the right to vote accessible to everyone, by keeping the practice of mail-in voting available.
Jocelyn Brasher, candidate for Attorney General, started out saying, “We are here to celebrate Democracy. Democracy is something bigger than a rally and Democracy is being put to the test. When you vote, you should be certain your vote will count. We need an attorney general that supports the vote of the people. We can take back our voice.
The featured speaker of the rally was gubernatorial candidate Lynne Walz, who has chosen Ben Steffen of Humboldt, a former dairy farmer, to run as her Lt. Governor. Steffen spoke first. “When we got together, we started to imagine what we could do. I’ve been farming near Humboldt all my life. I’ve been involved in the community. Between Lynne and myself, we have 80-some years of church choir experience.”
Steffen said he’s been traveling across the state, talking to people and what he’s found is that frustration is running rampant everywhere. “This governor we have doesn’t know how to bring people together. Lynne served two terms in the Legislature. She works collaboratively. We need that kind of leadership in the government. If there’s some way to make this state better, let’s do it!”
Walz stepped up to the podium. “I picked the right guy! He’s the salt of the earth. Our main goal: We want to bring people together. We cannot get very much done if we don’t work together.”
Walz grew up near Fontanelle, Nebraska on a hog farm. She learned what hard work means. She went to college and became a teacher, then earned a real estate license. “I had no political background when I was asked to run for legislature. But I have a lot of people experience.”
In the Legislature, Walz was elected to chair the education committee. It’s difficult for a democrat to get elected to any committee, she said, but her colleagues knew she cared.
“We traveled across the state,” Walz stated. “I got a big piece of posterboard and I asked people, ‘What matters to you?’ I would write the things down on the posterboard. That is something I learned, how hungry people are to be listened to. And all the things people wanted were the same things I wanted. I do not care if you’re Republican or Democrat. I care about bringing people together again!”