Roy Christensen
Roy Christensen states that he is mostly libertarian, but registered as a Republican because he feels that in order to have a chance to win, he needs the support of a major party. He decided to run after both his wife and Governor Pete Ricketts encouraged him to do so.
Roy states that one public service he has used is the child welfare system when his daughter was moving to the state. He states that they checked in on his daughter’s family after an injury, and had a positive experience. He would like to see tax assistance programs implemented across the state.
Roy states that he will work to ensure that public services are fully funded.
When asked how federal infrastructure funding should be allocated, Roy states that funding should be given to the lowest levels of government for projects to ensure accountability.
Roy opposes the privatization of state services. He also states that public/private partnerships vary in quality, but can be supported with the proper oversight.
Roy supports the right of Nebraska State Employees to unionize, as well as ensuring state employee wages are equal to or greater than inflation. He states that in his restaurant, his lowest paid worker is paid $18/hour, which has allowed for the restaurant to be fully staffed. Roy states that he supports paid parental leave for large entities, such as the state.
In order to fill vacancies and end staff turnover, Roy states that the State must “pay people what they’re worth.” He further states that, “balancing budgets off the backs of state employees is not a good idea.”
Roy opposes the election of committee chairs through secret ballot, and opposes the current rules surrounding the filibuster. He supports a change to 33 actual votes.
When asked what differentiates him from his opponent, Roy states that he supports unions. He states that he was neutral on unions until his work on city council exposed him to issues with the firefighters’ union, and decided to advocate for unions. He further states that his opponent has “basically said she doesn’t believe in collective bargaining.” Moreover, Roy states that he is independent and open minded.
Roy further states that voters should vote for him because he represents the people, and he only belongs to a party to “get things done.” He states that he would never vote “present- not voting,” whereas his opponent did on her first day on city council. He intends to spend his first year in the unicameral building relationships, and the first six months learning.
Jane Raybould
Jane Raybould was born and raised in District 28. She has served as a county commissioner and city councilmember and currently runs her family grocery store chain, which is the largest independent grocer in Nebraska. She states her business employs 2,500 employees and just acquired 10 stores in Missouri. She states that she loves public service, and feels capable and confident in her ability to listen to people. She further states that she is a hard worker and wants to move the state forward, as she states she did during her time on city council.
The public services Jane uses the most include the Accountability and Disclosure Commission during her campaign, the Department of Environment and Energy in order to make business environmentally friendly, and the Liquor Control Commission to license her grocery stores.
Jane would like to see housing, job training, and administrative support for formerly incarcerated individuals to reduce recidivism. She states she would also like more probation, parole, and correctional officers within facilities. Moreover, she states that the education and corrections systems need therapists, and the Department of Environment and Energy needs more inspectors. She also states that she would like to expand problem-solving courts.
Jane states that she will work to ensure that public services are fully funded, and that her track record on Lincoln City Council shows this.
When asked how federal infrastructure funding should be allocated, Jane states that roads need to be assessed and updated, before many need total replacement. She states that she would also like to combine projects in order to attract bidders and get competitive bids. She also wants to expand the State’s current highway system.
Jane states that she opposes the privatization of state services. She also states that she is supportive of public/private partnerships, and cites Pinnacle Bank Arena as an example of success. She states that public/private partnerships are a good economic development tool for communities, and allow for projects to be completed that wouldn’t previously have been possible with State funding alone.
Jane states that she supports the right of Nebraska State Employees to unionize. She also states that she supports ensuring state employee wages are equal to or greater than inflation, but within budgetary limits. She further states that recent wage increases couldn’t have been possible without ARPA funding, and that with current revenue, the state should focus on correcting pay scale issues. She also states that she supports paid parental leave.
In order to fill vacancies and end staff turnover, Jane states that Nebraska needs more people. She states that in order to attract people, the state must be more welcoming, and it must create internships and apprenticeship programs to keep students in the state. She further states that agencies and corporations should figure out best practices, and offer better hours for working parents. Moreover, she wants the state to embrace DACA recipients and the LGBT community, and issue more guest worker permits.
Jane supports the election of committee chairs through secret ballot and the current rules surrounding the filibuster.
When asked what sets her apart from her candidate, Jane states that she knows her constituents. She states she has been knocking doors since last year, and has gained name recognition and community trust. She further states that she does her research, and “brings stakeholders together,” and wants to find common ground in order to come to an agreement. She states that she will win because she’s been listening to her constituents for years.
When asked if she would support her grocery store employees unionizing, she stated that she would listen to her employees’ input. She further stated that she has an employee council that advises her on employee needs.