Nebraska Democrats warn of new political party for spoiler candidates

Two top leaders with the Nebraska Democratic Party are warning of a new political party they believe aims to put spoiler candidates in Nebraska’s big midterm races.

The NDP said Sunday morning that petitions are beginning to circulate in Omaha that encourage registered Nebraska voters to create a “Nebraska Working People Party” ahead of the November election. A Nebraska Public Media News reporter saw petitions circulating Sunday at the Aksarben Farmers Market in Omaha.

The Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office has a July 15 deadline for organizers wanting to create a new political party ahead of the November election. Organizers would need to collect valid signatures from at least “one percent of the total votes cast for Governor at the most recent general election for such office” – or around 6,726 – from Nebraska voters.

If the group succeeds in collecting signatures, Nebraska state law allows it to place its own candidates on the general election ballot, essentially letting the party bypass a primary election.

There’s a progressive, grassroots political party called the “Working Families Party,” but it appears this effort isn’t related. An interview request into the national Working Families Party group wasn’t returned before the publication of this story.

In a statement to Nebraska Public Media News on Saturday, NDP Chair Jane Kleeb said, “Billionaire Pete Ricketts is at it again. Nebraska Democrats are building a coalition to end one-party Republican rule – and with 130 days left before the election, there’s only one reason to launch a new party this late – divide the vote and create chaos. Voters see through spoiler games funded by special interests.”

Ron Kaminski, NDP vice chair, shared a similar message on social media, writing, “Nebraskans: If someone asks you to sign a petition for a new political party called the Nebraska working families party, don’t sign it. It is not supported by labor. It is not supported by the Nebraska AFL-CIO, Nebraska Building and Trades, or the Omaha Federation of Labor. It is being started by losing candidates and they are using that name to deceive voters. They are mad they lost their elections and don’t have any way to rip off donors any longer. It is also being funded by Republicans because all this new party wants to do is help Pete Ricketts, Jim Pillen, Mike Flood and Brinker Harding win their elections.”

Media requests sent to the Ricketts and Flood campaigns were not returned before the publication of this story. Leaders with the Nebraska GOP didn't confirm or deny if the state's top Republican leaders were involved with the effort.

"Nebraska Republicans are focused on electing Republicans. We respect everyone’s right to file petitions, but our focus remains clear: to win in November with Republicans up and down the ballot," NEGOP Chair Mary Jane Truemper said. "You can see all the Nebraska Republican nominees for statewide office at ne.gop."

These are the latest allegations of spoiler candidates in Nebraska’s midterm elections. A Trump-voting pastor in western Nebraska filed to run as a Democrat in the U.S. Senate race against Democrat Cindy Burbank. However, he garnered only 10% of the vote.

Burbank herself has posted on social media that she plans to eventually drop out of the race and support Dan Osborn, an Independent candidate who earlier this month turned in what are likely enough signatures to get on the ballot. And then there were two alleged plants in the Legal Marijuana NOW Party primary – both of which were accused of entering the race only to help either Ricketts or Osborn.

Several political insiders claim Robin Richards, who attempted to run as a write-in candidate for Legislative District 12 in the primary, and Crystal Rhoades, who finished third in the Democratic race for the 2nd Congressional District, are also tied to the effort. Rhoades told Nebraska Public Media News that she was unaware of the new political party. A call to Richards’ campaign was not returned.