Wahoo, Nebraska — Charles W. Herbstar, who ran for Governor of Nebraska, is the perfect imitation of former President Donald J. Trump.
His 90-minute campaign speech includes complaints about illegal immigrants, a victorious story of his business, a conspiracy to connect China, a coronavirus pandemic and the 2020 election, and he seeks women at political events. It is full of denials of recent criticism that it did.
He even vows to wipe out the “swamp” — but he means the state capital, Lincoln.
Like his political role model, and like the chief backer, Mr. Herbstar proves to be a politically destructive ball.In a state that has been known for a long time GentleHerbstar’s bid, which has been one-party ruled for the past 24 years, has led his party to three camps, with Trump supporters, established conservatives, and moderate business-friendly contenders for power. Divided into. Herbstar, a longtime major donor to conservative candidates, was abandoned by a long-standing political alliance and saw his running companion quit his ticket to run for governor. .. The Petition for groping Is coming From Republicans..
Behind every drama is a question with resonance that goes far beyond Nebraska. Mr. Trump’s support for Mr. Herbstar, a major donor to Mr. Trump’s political career, is not only the highest qualification for a first-time candidate, but also the overall rationale for his campaign. Mr. Trump’s name can be found on Mr. Herbstar’s lawn signs, advertisements, and signs.Mr. Herbstar spent friday Cross the western part of Nebraska With Stephen Moore, a former Trump economic adviser who is a minor Trump World celebrity.
Herbstar is trying to find out if Trump’s support alone can win a major Republican primary.
“”This is a proxy war between the entire U.S. Republicans against President Donald J. Trump, “said Herbstar, who campaigns in a white cowboy hat and black vest with the cow semen business logo on Thursday. Said in an interview. “Anyone who has no control over the facility is afraid.”
Herb Star, a longtime Trump ally The person who was with the members of the Trump family On January 6, 2021, the attacks on the Capitol were the regent of the University of Nebraska, Jim Pilen, backed by the state’s powerful Ricketts political body, and the rest of the party’s moderates and Democrats. Over 8,000 Democrats Overwhelmingly, I’ve switched parties in the last few weeks to have some impact on the Governor’s contest in the Republican state. Polling on the last day before the vote on Tuesday indicates that the race is a dead heat between the three.
If the Ohio Senate’s recent Primary is the guide, the Three-Way Race is in favor of Mr. Herbstar. Senate Trump Support Candidate, JD Vance won Take less than one-third of the votes in a crowded field. (This has a precedent in Nebraska. Eight years ago, Governor Pete Ricketts wins Nomination of a little over a quarter of the vote. )
But Mr. Trump’s touch doesn’t look very golden in two-way contests for other states, especially the governor. In Georgia, former Senator David Perdue, elected by Mr. Trump, is leading Mr. Trump, far behind Governor Brian Kemp’s vote. To keep yourself away from the campaign.. In Idaho, the former president helped Lieutenant Janice McGeachin challenge Governor Brad Little. McGeetin is having a hard time getting her traction, and Trump hasn’t mentioned her since her support in November.
How Donald J. Trump is still approaching
Mr. Trump put all his energy behind Mr. Herbstar.On Sunday he traveled to Nebraska For a rally And on Thursday night, he appeared in a conference call with Herbstar supporters, where he cast Herbstar’s rivals as “name-only Republicans.”
“Charles was a stubborn MAGA champion,” Trump said on the phone. “Vote for Charles in the primary and you can give a bitter rebuke to the losers who sell out with RINO and don’t represent your state very well.“
Like Mr. Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Mr. Herbstar is faced with accusations of abusing women and trying to take advantage of that fact to gain support. .. Two women, including a state senator, have publicly accused them of groping for them at a political event in 2019. Herbstar denied that claim, Broadcast TV ads Condemn his whistleblower.
“Any claim made by my method is 100 percent completely wrong,” he said in an interview.
He has repeatedly accused Mr. Ricketts, a conservative second-term incumbent who is unable to run again due to term restrictions. The Ricketts family had a feud with Mr. Trump.It Millions of dollars spent on last effort to stop Mr. Trump Because he won the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. Later, Trump said his family was better.Be careful.. “
Ricketts, who tried to talk to Trump last year in support of Herbstar, is frank about his opposition to Herbstar’s bid. He considers the groping claim to be disqualified. If Mr. Herbstar wins the Republican nomination, Mr. Ricketts will not support him “unless he apologizes to the woman who did this,” he said in an interview.
Herbstar had been facing criticism long before the allegations. Some Republicans struggled to focus on divisive cultural issues that would not normally control the state’s political protection. He is campaigning to abolish sex education in public schools in Nebraska, crack down on illegal immigrants and curb China’s influence.
In July, his running mate, former state legislator Teresa Shibodow, quit his ticket and later took part in the race himself. She said Herbstar had little interest in anything other than trying to emulate Mr. Trump.
“If you want to lead the state, you need to know about the policies that affect our state,” she said Thursday. “He had no initiative or willingness to do that.”
However, Herbstar’s message resonated with Trump’s conservatives, soon followed by one of his rivals. 66-year-old former defensive back Pyrene For the University of Nebraska football team In his grandfather’s attitude, he promised to ban critical racial theory at the University of Nebraska, Bar transgender woman From participating in women’s sports and using women’s bathrooms.
“Both the Pyrene and Herbstar campaigns focused on national issues that they had little control over, so we should have focused more on state issues,” said Herbstar’s salary after leaving. Said former Republican Governor Dave Heineman, who was paying. office. He hasn’t approved yet.
Pilen downplayed Trump’s influence in the race.
“Nebraskas, we like to understand things, solve our problems, and think for ourselves,” he said.
Lindstrøm, a 41-year-old state senator who played soccer in Nebraska, is running a campaign that has been carried since pre-Trump era. He emphasized cooperation with the Democratic Party in Nebraska’s unicameral parliament and said he had no regrets about voting twice for Mr. Trump, but said he preferred “newcomers” in 2024.
Nebraska’s Republican primaries are usually decided by conservative local voters who are deeply loyal to Mr. Trump, but unstable financial adviser Lindstrom appeals to experts in cities around Omaha. I’m betting on a campaign. Electoral colleges vote for President Biden.
“The current Republican style and brand has created a lot of wedges,” Lindstrøm said. “It’s not really healthy.”
About half of the 20 interviewees said they voted for Biden in 2020 during a fundraiser on Wednesday at Lindstrøm’s finest Italian restaurant in Omaha. ..
Allen Frederickson, CEO of a healthcare company who became a Republican and voted for Lindstrom, said that when Herbstar was elected, he would hire workers in Nebraska’s booming economy. He said it would be difficult. The lowest unemployment rate in the country..
“Trumpism will affect our internal and external image as a nation,” he said. “We need Nebraska to be an attractive state from a business perspective.”
Herbstar makes a little effort to sue outside of Trump supporters. He begins his speech by offering “Greetings from Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States,” regardless of whether he is a supporter wearing a Wahoo Trump hat or a banker in the suburbs of Omaha. ..
Like Mr. Trump, Mr. Herbster is questioning the legitimacy of American elections.of WahooHe insisted on a quirky theory about the loss of the former president.
“This is true,” he told his supporters. “The pandemic is from China. To make sure they can cheat the election, so Mark Zuckerberg can sacrifice $ 400 million in the last four months of the election. It was the perfect time, because they didn’t want it, whether you liked it or not. That’s exactly what happened when Donald J. Trump took office as president for two terms. “
Herbstar is of little use and interest in Nebraska’s political tradition. He called for the state’s nonpartisan election system to end, abolish the state board of education, and demanded that the Tourism Board change its eccentric slogan on his first day in office.Nebraska.To be honest, it’s not for everyone.. “
The question that Nebraska Republican primary voters will solve on Tuesday is whether it’s important, or more important than Mr. Trump’s approval stamp.
“That’s all,” said Lee Terry, a former Omaha representative who is a proponent of herbal stars. “There are a lot of Trump people in Nebraska.”
