Excerpt included below. Read the full piece on omaha.com.
Nebraska voters are faced with an unprecedentedly long ballot in the 2024 election. Ready, set, vote, Nebraska: Here are the key dates voters should know in the 2024 election
Deadlines are approaching soon to register to vote, to ask for an early ballot, to return that ballot, to vote early in person, to update registration for the 2024 election.
In addition to the presidential race, voters will decide who they want in two U.S. Senate contests, U.S. House seats and six statewide ballot measures addressing weighty issues including abortion policy, paid sick leave, marijuana access and school scholarship funds.
Many voters in the Omaha metro area also will make choices in races for the Legislature, State Board of Education, local school boards, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, utility boards and county board.
To help you do your research, the Omaha World-Herald, in collaboration with the Lincoln Journal Star, asked more than 100 candidates for office for information about themselves, their priorities and their positions.
Six-year Senate term
Deb Fischer
Party: Republican
Age (as of Oct. 1): 73
Home city: Lincoln
Occupation: Rancher, United States senator
Family: Husband, Bruce; three sons; six grandchildren
Elected offices held: Valentine School Board; Nebraska Legislature
Website: debfornebraska.com
Education: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Bachelor’s degree in education
Why are you running for office?
I’m running for reelection to the United States Senate to make life better for working families. I want to keep America safe and build a stronger Nebraska for the next generation.
What experiences qualify you for this office?
My husband and I raised our family on our family ranch south of Valentine. I learned the value of hard work and what it takes to take care of a family. Ever since, I’ve been working to make Nebraska a better place to work and live, whether it was on the local school board, in the Nebraska Legislature, or in the U.S. Senate.
What is your top priority?
Keeping Nebraska’s farm economy strong. With so many Nebraska jobs tied to agriculture, we need to pass a farm bill that lets our ag economy thrive.
Supporting Nebraska families by making my paid family and medical leave law permanent. You shouldn’t have to choose between earning a living and taking care of loved ones.
What do you see as the top problem facing Nebraskans?
Public safety and national security: It is the primary responsibility of the federal government to protect our homeland. America must be strong abroad, at the border and in our communities.
Transportation and infrastructure: Nebraska’s future depends on good roads, bridges, and airports, clean water and reliable internet.
What role should the federal government play in regulating access to abortion, contraception and fertility treatments?
I believe in the sanctity of innocent human life, and taxpayer money shouldn’t be used for abortions. The Supreme Court was right, morally and legally, to strike down Roe v. Wade, returning the issue to the states.
Raising a family in this country is a beautiful part of the American dream. I strongly support IVF, which has made that dream a reality for millions of Americans, including my extended family.
How should the federal government handle undocumented immigrants already in this country?
I support the deportation of illegal immigrants in the United States, but our first priority should be to stop the flow of illegal immigration before the problem gets even worse. Those here already absolutely should not be given benefits like Social Security. We must secure the border.
