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Nebraska Changes Governors: Is there reason to be worried?

By September 19, 2023No Comments

It looks a little sticky to us.  First, Governor Pete Ricketts appointed himself to fill the Senate seat left vacant by Republican Ben Sasse’s resignation. He can hold the seat until 2024 when he must run in a special election and then the seat will be on the ballot again for a full six-year term.

Then Ricketts’ pal Jim Pillen runs for Ricketts’ vacated governor slot.  Pillen is the biggest hog producer in NE, a co-founder of his own big packing plant, and one of the biggest hog producers in the U.S.  Agriculture production and Ag trade are really big deals in NE.  Now Governor Pillen can lead the way.  Our question:  Who will he represent?  Pillen Family Farm’s more than 100 hog farms in NE?  What about all these CAFOs?  What kind of shape is NE’s water supply?

Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest and Yanqi Xu, Flatwater Free Press:  Pillen’s Rise: After building pork empire, Nebraska’s governor stands at intersection of state and ag power