Author

Aaron Sanderford

Aaron Sanderford

Political reporter Aaron Sanderford has tackled various news roles in his 25-year career. He reported on politics, crime, courts, local government and business for the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal-Star. He also worked as an assignment editor and editorial writer. He was an investigative reporter at Omaha’s KMTV.

Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

War of words in Fischer-Osborn U.S. Senate race in Nebraska

By: - September 30, 2024

OMAHA — Allegations flew Monday in Nebraska’s most competitive U.S. Senate race, with one campaign threatening legal action over campaign advertising and a report about talk of “Hitler Youth.” Nebraska nonpartisan candidate Dan Osborn’s campaign sent a cease and desist letter to an outside group advertising in support of U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb. The […]

Democrat Ann Ashford endorses GOP U.S. Rep. Don Bacon in 2nd District 

By: - September 30, 2024

OMAHA — Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon secured the endorsement Monday of Ann Ashford, a former Democratic candidate for his House seat and widow of former Rep. Brad Ashford, whom Bacon defeated in 2016. Ashford said she supported Bacon partly because outside groups advertising in congressional campaigns keep trying to label candidates like Bacon and […]

Group’s ads encourage GOP voters in Nebraska to step away from Trump

By: - September 30, 2024

OMAHA — The text messages started popping onto cell phones in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District last week, with words and videos tailored to appeal to a slice of Republican voters who might be squeamish about voting for former President Donald Trump. The texts are part of a $500,000 digital and streaming media advertising push in […]

Sleepy no more: Fischer-Osborn U.S. Senate race in Nebraska wakes up

By: - September 27, 2024

OMAHA — Nebraskans raised in an era of Republican dominance have grown accustomed to sleepy statewide races decided in GOP primaries. But the television airwaves this fall hint at something different: a U.S. Senate race with two candidates competing for ad time. Local political observers still expect Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Lincoln to […]

More than 200 businesses back Nebraska paid sick leave ballot measure

By: - September 25, 2024

OMAHA — Organizers of a November ballot measure that would require Nebraska businesses to provide employees with a minimum level of paid sick leave announced Wednesday that they had secured the public backing of more than 200 businesses. Paid Sick Leave for Nebraskans rolled out the list of supportive businesses as part of the latest […]

Nebraska State Sen. McDonnell says his position on winner-take-all never changed

By: - September 24, 2024

LINCOLN — Nebraska State Sen. Mike McDonnell, a four-decade Democrat and longtime leader of the Omaha fire union, became a Republican in April after Democrats censured him for supporting a stricter abortion ban and health care limits on trans minors. While announcing the switch, McDonnell said he opposed changing Nebraska’s presidential election process. He said […]

State Sen. Mike McDonnell deflates GOP hopes for Nebraska winner-take-all in 2024

By: - September 23, 2024

LINCOLN — The Republican push to change how Nebraska awards its Electoral College votes and boost former President Donald Trump ran into political reality Monday as a key lawmaker, State Sen. Mike McDonnell, announced he won’t support the change. McDonnell, of Omaha, said he had heard from people passionate about the issue who live in […]

Trump spoke to Nebraska senator during Pillen’s winner-take-all meeting

By: - September 20, 2024

LINCOLN — Former President Donald Trump spoke by phone Wednesday with at least one of the two dozen Republican state senators who attended Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s winner-take-all meeting at the Governor’s Mansion. That meeting, which the governor called in support of shifting how Nebraska awards Electoral College votes in presidential elections, focused on potential […]

Sen. Mike McDonnell says he’s a no on winner-take-all ’as of today’

By: - September 19, 2024

OMAHA — Nebraska State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha acknowledged Thursday through a spokesman that he discussed on Wednesday the future of how Nebraska awards its Electoral College votes. McDonnell was among two dozen Republican state senators who met in Lincoln with Gov. Jim Pillen, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and others backing former President […]

Nebraska Governor's Mansion exterior

Winner-take-all push gets help of Gov. Jim Pillen, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Trump

By: - September 18, 2024

LINCOLN — The national Republican push to help former President Donald Trump win all five of Nebraska’s Electoral College votes is ramping up again, and this time it might work. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Wednesday hosted two dozen state senators at the Governor’s Mansion, along with Secretary of State Bob Evnen, the state’s chief […]

Outside groups ramp up advertising in Bacon-Vargas race in Nebraska’s 2nd District

By: - September 17, 2024

OMAHA — Two major national groups that spend big on competitive congressional races aired their first TV ads Tuesday in the U.S. House race to represent Nebraska’s 2nd District. The National Republican Congressional Committee launched an ad against State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha, the Democratic nominee. And the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee rolled out […]

Nebraska, other attorneys general challenge California regulation on big trucks 

By: - September 16, 2024

LINCOLN — Nebraska and 23 other Republican-led states asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday to block a push by Democratic-led California to require more trucks used for transporting goods to reduce carbon emissions. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who led the effort, argued in a letter that California is overstepping its authority and […]