PLATTSMOUTH- A third of Nebraska gets no summer break from voting this year. The state set a June 28 special election to fill the 1st Congressional District’s open House seat.

Nebraska must select someone to finish the last six months of former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s term. He resigned in March after a federal jury convicted him of three felonies.

Two former state senators are in the running to replace him — Republican Mike Flood, a former Speaker of the Legislature from Norfolk, and Democrat Patty Pansing Brooks, a lawmaker from Lincoln.

Both candidates agree that motivating voters to turn out for the special election, just a month after the primary, is one of the most difficult aspects of running. Typically they would expect a breather from political campaigning.

"The critical issue right now is getting people out, recognizing they’re all exhausted,” Pansing Brooks said.

Flood said he intends to focus on "kitchen table issues" like trying to slow the inflationary pressures on food and fuel costs by cutting federal spending.

Pansing Brooks said she wants to curb inflation, too. But she’s seen a change in what voters emphasize since the leak of a potential Supreme Court ruling that could overturn Roe vs. Wade.

Flood advocates outlawing abortion in Nebraska and voted for a late-term abortion ban. Pansing Brooks backs abortion rights and helped to filibuster a bill that Flood co-sponsored to ban abortion if the Supreme Court acts.

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