Nebraska senator proposes pre-session voting for speaker and committee chairs

Nebraska state Sen. Kathleen Kauth, a Republican running for speaker of the officially nonpartisan Legislature, is proposing that conservative senators convene before the legislative session to vote for committee chairs and speaker.

Currently, senators elect their speaker and committee chairs on the first day of the legislative session. In a letter she said she sent to the 33 Republican senators in the 49-member Legislature, Kauth wrote “My proposal to the conservative senators is to convene ahead of the session and vote for all Speaker and chair positions. Only by maintaining a unified front will we be able to enact conservative legislation.”

Kauth is a conservative best-known for sponsoring legislation aimed at restricting treatments for transgender youths.

In an interview on Monday with Nebraska Public Media News, Kauth likened her proposed pre-session vote to a “straw poll.” She denied that contradicts her opposition to secret ballot elections for speaker and committee chairs.

“I think that if you are on the floor making a vote, you should say, "Yep, this is who I vote for. But when you're talking to people ahead of time, 'Hey, here's what I would like to do. I would like your vote.' I don't necessarily think that all has to be in the public,” Kauth said.

Sen. Mike Jacobson, also a Republican, criticized Kauth’s proposal. Jacobson said a speaker needs to work with all senators, adding that he will run for speaker if Sen. Brad von Gillern, Kauth’s current opponent for the job, fails to win reelection in his legislative district.

Von Gillern faces a tough reelection battle against independent candidate Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek, who outpaced von Gillern in the primary by more than 600 votes.

Kauth's letter: