By Dennis CRAWFORD
Donald Trump has always been very popular in Nebraska outside of the urban areas in Omaha and Lincoln. (Approximately half of the state's 2 million people reside in Nebraska's urban areas. Harris carried Douglas and Lancaster counties by 5 to 6 points.) The last three presidential election statewide results were as follows:
2016: Trump 59% Clinton 34%
2020: Trump 58% Biden 39%
2024: Trump 59% Harris 39%
Trump has "rewarded" that support by punishing Nebraska during the early phases of his second term. The people that voted for Trump should have known better. The 34 time convicted felon repeatedly told us that he was going to impose tariffs or import taxes, and start a trade war. In addition, most of the people who drafted Project 2025 served in the first Trump administration and supported his 2024 presidential candidacy. We warned them but they did not listen.
Already, the economic chaos and slowdown caused by Trump's tariffs has driven the state of Nebraska into bankruptcy and a possible recession. It was recently reported by the state's economic forecasting board that Nebraska's projected budget deficit for the next two years has grown by $190 million. That is in addition to the already projected $289 million deficit.
In a remarkable development, Republican state senators are blaming Trump for the chaos and the budget deficit. Former Senator John Kuehn of Heartwell, a member of the forecast board, was among the nine forecasters who said federal uncertainty is impacting their local communities. "Chaos is the word of the day," Kuehn said.
He said that is difficult for businesses and consumers to make long term plans. "Just keep your head on a swivel and see what the day's news cycle is going to bring, and don't open your accounts," Kuehn said. "And if you do, be sitting down."
Other forecasters noted the off and on nature of the import taxes from Trump. Senator Rob Clements said it could take a little while to settle down from that feeling of "chaos."
Senator Brad von Gillern, chair of the Revenue Committee, said the pessimistic prognostication reflected global uncertainty, which caused the forecast of more red ink. Things are so bad that the state forecasting board has projected $300 million less in tax revenues over the next two years.
Incidentally, the cost of Trump's tariffs that were announced on so-called "Liberation Day on April 2 will cost the average American household about $2,100. If Trump implements all of his import taxes, that figure increases to $3,800. This a real betrayal of the American people since Trump promised "rapid and fast price cuts beginning on day one."
Trump's tariffs are also damaging (again) the backbone of Nebraska's economy: agriculture. Trump's failed trade war during his first term cost Nebraska farmers $2 billion. By 2020, 40% of farm income came from a federal bailout. The cost of the 2020 farm bailout exceeded the cost of maintaining our nuclear arsenal. Now Trump is doing it again.
Nebraska farmers are especially vulnerable to a trade war war since more than 90% of Nebraska's corn exports go to Canada, Mexico and China, the countries being hit the hardest by these tariffs. In addition, China has historically been a big purchaser of Nebraska soy beans.
Paul Krueger, a corn and soybean farmer from Bladen said it best: "Any time our country gets involved with any sort of tariffs that affect the agriculture industry, every farmer just kind of groans about that. We're powerless to do anything except take what comes out in the wash."
Nebraska Farm Bureau President Mark McHargue said that Nebraska farmers would rather have markets than federal subsidies. McHargue said Nebraska farmers are about to begin the growing season with the expectation of ending in the red. "As we get ready to plant our crops here in the next couple of weeks, we are literally putting seeds in the ground that we're probably going to lose money on every acre," he said.
Nebraska has also been the victim of Elon's Musk corrupt and incompetent DOGE scheme. Nearly $100 million in funding already promised to Nebraska has been canceled. As the Flatwater Free Press reported: "It will mean less federal money for university research, childhood vaccinations and mental health and substance abuse treatment. It means fewer dollars for battling opioid addiction, addressing health disparities in underserved areas and responding to infectious diseases.
At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, multiple studies on alcohol's connection with intimate partner violence were wounded by grant cancellations. UNMC lost awards to be used for strengthening infectious disease prevention. Nearly $19 million vanished that had been set aside to combat substance abuse and grapple with various mental health issues. More than $15 million for childhood immunization grants to the state got chopped as well."
The good people of Nebraska will take another big hit if the Republicans in Congress pass the $880 billion in Medicaid cuts contained in their budget outline. At the present time, Congressional committees are in the process of writing the legislation that will specify the budget cuts.
Medicaid insures thousands of Nebraskans and protects our vital rural hospitals. At least twelve Nebraska hospitals will shut their doors if the Republicans in Congress pass these draconian cuts to Medicaid.
Nebraska health care providers are justifiably alarmed. Amy Behnke, CEO of the Health Center Association of Nebraska, said Medicaid expansion cuts alone could strip health coverage from 10,000 patients and cost Nebraska's community health centers $33 million in lost revenue, leading to service reductions or facility closures.
"Hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid cuts will terminate health insurance for millions of Americans and shutter hospitals, doctors' offices and nursing homes," Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the ranking members of the Senate Finance and Budget Committees, respectively, wrote in a recent editorial.
Despite this looming catastrophe, Nebraska's entire Congressional delegation has voted in favor of the GOP budget outline. Thus far, these five members of Congress have voted in lockstep with Trump and their party bosses, to the detriment of the people who elected them. Representative Don Bacon (R-NE) likes to occasionally criticize Trump but he continues to vote with him. He cannot be trusted to stand up to the former TV reality show star.
People wonder why so many Republicans vote against their self interest. I would attribute it to the fact that Nebraska Republicans run as phony moderates and use a huge advantage in campaign cash to push out that disingenuous message. Once they get to Washington, they vote with Trump and his billionaire buddies.
Another factor is that many Republicans base their vote on their religious beliefs. They vote for Republicans who want to ban abortion and take away rights from the LGBTQ community. Many churches in Nebraska are an arm of the RNC and lean in heavily on politicized religious and cultural issues.
Perhaps the most important factor of all is that the conservative media or the GOP state media is the mainstream media in the areas outside of Lincoln and Omaha. Right wing talk radio is omnipresent on your car's radio dial and when you go into a business in a red area, the televisions are usually tuned into Fox.
The answer to this problem is that Democrats need to campaign in rural areas. I'm convinced that we can peel off some soft Republican support if we show up and tell people what we stand for. The Democratic Party last week announced that they are bringing back the 50 state strategy that led to blue waves in 2006 and 2008. We cannot afford to voluntarily concede large parts of the country to the GOP. Democrat need to fight them everywhere. No layups.
We have a big opportunity in the 2026 elections. Trump and the Republican Party are sinking like a stone in the polls since they are wrecking the country. I expect numerous good candidates to run for office across Nebraska since there will be a huge backlash to the MAGA agenda. History shows that the party holding the White House gets blown out in the mid-term elections.
Let us forever be remembered as the generation that saved America from fascism.
Be confident going forward. Take nothing for granted. Keep working hard. If we do the work, we will win!
Sources consulted:
nebraskaexaminer.com
nebraskaexaminer.com
politico.com
knlvradio.com
Original article: dennispcrawford.medium.com