More than 50 people attended a candidate forum Monday evening at the Eagle’s Club in North Platte, organized by the Lincoln County Republicans.

The event featured candidates for the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, county commissioner and city council. Each of them had seven minutes each to address the crowd, and they discussed their reasons for running and their goals if elected.

The three candidates are running for the Ward 4 seat on the city council — Tracy Martinez, Nick McNew, and Aaron Edwards said they’ve lived on the north side of town throughout their lives.

Martinez said his primary focus would be to apply for urban renewal funds for the north side of town. He said former city councilwoman Rita Hernandez encouraged him to run for the seat. He also said that family values are a top priority for him, and he is proud of his three daughters and their achievements. He is working with the North Platte city administrator to extend Eighth St., which will allow the construction of more homes in the area.

McNew said he is committed to being a voice for every community member. He believes in the values of togetherness, unity, and community and is passionate about the proper upbringing of children in town. Following the city council’s vote against the recreation center project, which created the need for a petition drive, McNew felt that his opinions and concerns were not being considered.

This led him to run for office to represent and advocate for all community members. He strongly feels that everyone should be heard and that the city should invest in its own growth rather than directing resources to Kearney and Grand Island.

Edwards said the city needs good long-term planning to facilitate the economic growth in North Platte. He is tired of the north side being considered the trashy side of town. Edwards said infrastructure around town is crucial and needs to be addressed.

He said that with all the new developments, such as Sustainable Beef, the Inland Port, etc., the city needs to be ready for the motor vehicle traffic. Edwards is a proponent of using microTIF to help clear some of the run-down lots and establish new housing. Edwards wants to hear from the community. He said his phone is always on, and he is always available to listen to concerns.  

County commissioners

Two Lincoln County commissioner seats will be decided in the May 14 primary — the races for District 1 and District 4.

Joe Hewgley, who has been a commissioner for District 1 for 38 years, is challenged by Stuart Simpson. Meanwhile, Chris Bruns, the incumbent commissioner for District 4, is finishing his first term and is challenged by Nancy Seifer Nelson.

Hewgley said he assumed office in June 1985, and the following year, the county faced a financial crisis and had to borrow money to meet payroll obligations. This made him realize the importance of fiscal responsibility, which, according to him, starts and ends with the commissioners.

Hewgley takes pride in the combining of some city-county services to save time and money, such as ambulance, dispatch, maintenance shops, library services, emergency management, and planning and zoning. For the past 38 years, he has been instrumental in making this possible and has always prioritized public safety as his No. 1 concern, he said.

Simpson said that he and his wife have been living in North Platte for 18 years. He believes in firmly committing to the community and staying here long-term. Simpson expressed his willingness to serve the residents of Lincoln County in any way possible. He is the treasurer at the Church of Christ, chair of the Lincoln County Emergency Planning Committee, and a board member of Community Connections and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates.)

Simpson wants to utilize his serving nature and extensive background in finance to assist the county as a commissioner. He aims to understand Lincoln County’s needs better and work towards bringing positive changes. Simpson believes that controlling appropriate spending is necessary to control taxes.

Nelson said she never expected to be involved in politics, but she felt a calling from God to run. She believes a commissioner should have a servant’s heart, which she possesses. Nelson is enthusiastic about the county’s growth and willing to work hard to learn and become the best commissioner possible. She plans to use her strong Christian values to guide her in serving Lincoln County to the best of her abilities.

Bruns reflected on the past four years as a commissioner and expressed his excitement for the progress made in the county and city in that time. He is proud to have been a part of it and ran on a solid platform of transparency and accountability in local government, tax control, and reduction, infrastructure development for future growth, and creating economic opportunities.

Bruns has worked hard to achieve these goals and spearheaded various initiatives such as the live-streaming of county commissioner meetings, a reduction of more than $1 million in the county’s tax request in the past four years, the renovation of the Sutherland bridge, and bringing the Inland Port project to Lincoln County. Bruns is committed to maintaining this track record to ensure future generations have a place to live, work, and play.

National offices

John Walz is running for the District 3 congressional seat against Congressman Adrian Smith. He has decided to contest the election because he is deeply concerned about the future of his 10 children.

According to Walz, the country’s $35 trillion debt is being unfairly passed on to the next generation, putting an unnecessary burden on them. He also believes that the weaponization of government needs to be stopped.

Nebraska will vote for both of its Senate seats in this year’s elections. The seat of former Sen. Ben Sasse is up for election to complete the final two years of his term. Sen. Pete Ricketts, appointed by Gov. Jim Pillen last January, is currently filling the seat.

On Monday night, two Republican candidates challenging Ricketts were present. Mac Stevens, who hails from Frontier County, is focused on manufacturing, agriculture, Church, and America.

John Glen Weaver, a retired lieutenant colonel from the Air Force, wants to serve God, the Constitution, and the people, in that order. He also mentioned that he would start the Senate Freedom Caucus on day one if elected. His other priorities are closing the border, the Department of Justice and country of origin labeling. It is worth noting that there is also a Democratic candidate running for this seat — Preston Love, Jr.

Sen. Deb Fischer is running for re-election to the Senate. She faces Republican Arron Kowalski and candidates from the Legal Marijuana NOW party — Kenneth Peterson and Kerry Eddy.

During the meeting, a representative for Fischer, Derrick Odin, stated that she was absent from the meeting as she was in Washington, D.C. for a vote. Odin said that Fischer is currently focused on securing the border and the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill aims to address foreign involvement in purchasing agricultural lands.

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