Nebraska — 3rd District

Independent Mark Cohen brought his campaign calling for Nebraskans to reject the two-party system this November to western Nebraska on Friday.

Cohen, who is challenging 10-term U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, outlined his positions on agriculture, healthcare, tariffs and congressional reform before a crowd of roughly 40 at the Legacy of the Plains Museum.

Cohen, of Lemoyne, submitted more than double the signatures required to appear on the ballot in Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District race on July 30, drawing from 54 of the district’s 80 counties. Smith has also been challenged by Democrat Becky Kelly Stille of South Sioux City, Legal Marijuana NOW Party candidate David J. Else of Overton, and fellow nonpartisan write-in candidate Macey Budke of North Platte in the Nov. 3 general election.

Cohen, who also spoke to the Star-Herald before Friday's rally, says he is running to give voters an alternative to a two-party system he describes as failing rural Nebraskans on agriculture, healthcare and trade.

"This is a race where people can say they're tired of the two-party system altogether and take a chance on somebody going a different way."

Cohen leans into the message that the two-party system is failing rural Nebraska in his campaign.

"I talked to a lot of folks this last year, and they're not happy with the two-party system," he told the Star-Herald. "They felt like Trump was more likely to bring about change than anybody else, so Adrian kind of rode his coattails. They certainly don't trust the Democratic Party to do anything either. But they're not all the same; they're not monolithic, and a lot of them aren't getting the change they wanted."

On congressional reform, Cohen said he supports term limits, a position he said he has changed his mind on. He also called for a ban on members of Congress trading individual stocks and a requirement that bills cover a single subject rather than being bundled into large packages.

Audience perspectives

During the rally, Cohen was introduced by Jeff Tracy of Scottsbluff, a longtime local Democratic Party member. Tracy said he has voted for Smith in the past and remains personally friendly with him, but is backing Cohen instead in this race.

“He’s the most qualified candidate that we have had running for the 3rd District in decades,” Tracy said.

During a question-and-answer session after his remarks, an attendee asked about how supporters should respond to criticism that Cohen isn’t “a real Nebraskan” because he grew up in Colorado and still owns property in the state.

Cohen said he first came to Nebraska in 1983 as an Air Force lawyer and spent 12 years in Omaha. In addition to serving as an Air Force judge advocate, he served as a special assistant U.S. attorney for Nebraska and also holds an advanced degree in agricultural law.

He bought his home in Lemoyne roughly seven years ago. He still owns a home in Colorado; he told the audience because he has been unable to sell it.

In discussing political parties and the "real Nebraskan" claims with the Star-Herald, Cohen pointed to his campaign tagline, "We're smarter than they think."

"I don't think anybody actually cares," he said. "I think they want somebody who's going to represent them and fix their problems."

When asked by an attendee whether he'd commit to regular in-person town halls if elected, Cohen said he would hold quarterly town halls, aiming for at least two in person. He said he would not screen questions submitted in advance.

Cohen also said he sent Smith and Democratic candidate Becky Kelly Stille certified letters roughly two weeks ago proposing a debate before early voting begins in October. He set Sept. 4 as a deadline for a response. As of Friday's rally, he said neither campaign had replied. Cohen said he would pursue a debate through a media organization or hold one independently if Smith and Kelly Stille decline to participate.

Joy Branlund, a recent transplant to Scottsbluff, attended after signing Cohen's ballot petition.

She said she came away with a favorable impression of Cohen, but was still looking for more detail on his climate change position, specifically.

“I was happy he mentioned the debt and the deficit,” Branlund said. “We need to take it seriously, and the government right now, they’re just cutting taxes and increasing spending, and somehow they think it’s going to magically fix itself.

Roberta Boyd, of Gering, also said she was impressed by Cohen. She said she met Cohen in June at a campaign event and was happy to see him again.

Boyd said she was upset with the lack of diversity among political parties and prefers to support an independent candidate.

“The two parties right now are just all about money,” she said.

Nebraska's general election is Nov. 3.

Contact Elliot Akerstrom: [email protected], 308-632-9041

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