Nebraska Working People Party, America First Party submit petitions to form new political parties

The Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office confirmed Wednesday afternoon that two groups met the deadline to turn in signatures to form new political parties ahead of the November general election.

Robin Richards, the sponsor of the Nebraska Working People Party, turned in petition pages Tuesday, and John Cartier, the sponsor of the America First Party, turned in petition pages Wednesday, according to a spokesperson for the office.

A copy of the affidavit filed with the office on June 25 shows Richards, a registered Democrat who attempted to run as a write-in candidate for Legislative District 12 in the primary, said the Nebraska Working People Party’s purpose is to "provide Nebraska voters with a political organization dedicated to advancing the interests of working families, middle-class Nebraskans, rural communities, small businesses, farmers, ranchers, and individuals seeking practical solutions to improve economic opportunity, strengthen communities, and promote responsive and accountable government."

A copy of the affidavit filed by Cartier, a registered nonpartisan and the attorney general for the Omaha Tribe, said the America First Party’s purpose is to “provide voters with a political organization committed to putting Americans and Nebraskans ahead of all others by cracking down on out-of-control government spending and wasteful foreign aid, getting tough on illegal immigrants, standing up against abortion, and rigidly defending the Second Amendment.”

The Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office had 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 groups succeed in collecting enough valid signatures, Nebraska state law allows them to place their own candidates on the general election ballot, essentially letting the parties bypass a primary election.

But party leaders from both sides of the aisle are claiming the new parties are seeking to put spoiler candidates in tight races on Nebraska’s November general election ballot.

Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb said the Nebraska Working People Party is a "grievance project bankrolled by right-wing money, just like the Ricketts-backed tricks we saw in the primary." But in a call with reporters on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts said his understanding of the potential party is "actually lefty Democrats who have started because they're not happy with what the main Democrats are doing by running a candidate who promised to drop out of the primary when she was running for election, presumably she still will."

The accusations from both sides stem from alleged "plants" in the May primary election.

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.

A spokesperson with the Nebraska GOP has said their group is focused on electing Republicans, and that there is only one Republican Party in Nebraska.

No "top" Republican would ever try to undermine our nominees," NEGOP Chair Mary Jane Truemper said.