LINCOLN- For the first time in their elected runs, none of Nebraska's five-member, all-Republican congressional delegation received an endorsement from the Nebraska Republican Party. Instead, the party's State Central Committee endorsed Republican challengers to three of the GOP incumbents: Lt. Col. John Glen Weaver, who is running against Sen. Pete Ricketts; Dan Frei, running against Rep. Don Bacon; and John Walz, running against Rep. Adrian Smith.

The central committee, which released its endorsements on Saturday, did not endorse candidates in the two other congressional races involving Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Mike Flood. Nebraska GOP chairman Eric Underwood had no immediate comment on Saturday's endorsements. One Republican attendee, however, said of the endorsements: "You can't win if you don't play."

Tension has existed between the state party and its top elected officials since Nebraska GOP leadership changed hands in the summer of 2022. John Glen Weaver, following the announcement, said it felt great to have active Republicans from across the state back his bid. "People here are passionate about saving our country," said Weaver, "It's not like a bunch of crazy people who got together in a room."

Following the announcement of the Nebraska GOP's endorsements, 26 Republican state senators signed a letter endorsing Ricketts, Fischer, Smith, Flood, and Bacon. "We, State Senators of Nebraska, endorse our current federal incumbents for re-election in 2024," they wrote. "The only message in the letter is unity," said Sen. Rob Dover of the letter. Dover, whom Ricketts appointed to the Legislature in 2022, said the purpose of the letter was not to take a shot at those who think differently of Nebraska's federal delegation.

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