Jeff Fortenberry And Mike Flood Are Extreme
The Nebraska political scene continues to be roiled by Jeff Fortenberry’s multiple felony indictments. Things got even more interesting when State Senator Mike Flood announced his bid for the CD01 seat and was endorsed by Pete Ricketts and Dave Heineman shortly after that announcement. It’s a sure sign that the Nebraska GOP establishment sees Fortenberry as dead man walking — from a political perspective.
At a recent press conference to announce their support for Flood, both Ricketts and Heineman referenced the indictment. They weren’t afraid to go there — they are Republicans after all. “Certainly, I think Congressman Fortenberry has got a lot of uncertainty with regard to whether he would be able to remain in the job with this indictment,” Ricketts said during the news conference at the State Capitol. “He is in the fight of his life in this legal battle,” Heineman said. “It’s going to have a significant impact on his personal and professional life.”
What has been largely overlooked since his announcement is that Flood is a Trumpist extremist. The Norfolk state senator promised to be a so-called “strong conservative.” In his announcement for the CD01 seat, Flood launched a partisan screed using Trump like buzz phrases such as “radical socialist agenda” and contended that the Democrats would allegedly “destroy the country.” These are right wing nut talking points.
Fortenberry responded to the Flood challenge with a brutal television advertisement that attacked Flood’s vote to provide Medicaid benefits to pregnant women who were undocumented immigrants. It was pro-life and saved the taxpayers money. The bill passed with bi-partisan support over Heineman’s veto.
Fortenberry’s advertisement was deeply dishonest and reeked of desperation. It showed numerous grainy black and white images of large numbers of scary people crossing the border and falsely claimed that Flood agrees with Biden on immigration policy. The advertisement clearly played the race card.
The indicted CD01 incumbent has always been an extremist on immigration. During the Bush Administration, he voted for the Sensenbrenner bill that would have made it a felony to assist undocumented immigrants. A priest could’ve gone to jail under this bill. In addition, Fortenberry voted against the Dream Act during the Obama Administration and joined fellow House radicals in blocking the bi-partisan 2013 Senate immigration bill.
Fortenberry’s record on immigration is every bit as extreme as the rest of his record. The longtime CD01 incumbent has voted numerous times to cut Medicare, throw 20 million people off insurance, end pre-existing condition protections and has voted against minimum wage increases.
Fortenberry doubled down on his radical record when the Republican Study Committee — of which Fortenberry and Bacon are members — came out with an extreme plan last year to cut Social Security and Medicare. This plan would raise the eligibility age for these programs to 69. Combined, these increases would likely keep many older workers in the workforce for years more than they desire or expect.
Fortunately for Nebraska CD01 voters, State Senator Patty Pansing Brooks is challenging Fortenberry. Patty will stand up for working families and seniors. She will protect our health care and pensions. As Pansing-Brooks said: “We need health care for all, access to affordable child care, living wages for all workers,” she said. “This includes support for development, for enhanced infrastructure, educational opportunities and economic development for our native people through health care.”
Patty has worked across the aisle with Republican senators on numerous issues. She has worked to expand children’s rights in the juvenile justice system, and passed legislation that reduces the school-to-prison pipeline by reorienting the purpose of peacekeeping officers. Patty tweeted: “Our kids are our future, and they deserve the opportunity to learn and thrive.”
If you want different results out of Washington, you have to vote for different people. Vote for Patty Pansing Brooks for a change!