If you’re new to Nebraska or younger than 35 or so, you might not believe what I’m about to tell you. There was a time when this state had a really great football team and a vibrant Democratic party.

Now when you see the sea of red that attend the sold-out games, and you notice the years of national championships that are on display around Memorial stadium, it’s easy to believe the Huskers used to be great.

But when you see the lack of qualified Democratic candidates on recent ballots, it’s hard to believe there ever was a vibrant Democratic party in the Cornhusker state. But I’m here to tell you there was.

JJ Exon, Bob Kerrey, Ben Nelson, and Ed Zorinsky were winning senate seats and governorships as recent as 20-25 years ago. If you really want to go back into the history of the state, William Jennings Bryant was a former Secretary of State and the Democratic nominee for president three different times. Historically, Nebraska has had more Democratic governors elected than Republicans.

But just like Husker football, the Nebraska Democratic party has fallen on hard times. Such hard times that they can’t even find enough qualified candidates to get in the game.

And while Nebraska football has gone through a series of coaches to try to get back on the winning track, the Nebraska Democratic party keeps hanging on the leader who has failed to rebuild their team.

For the record, I like Jane Kleeb. She has always been good to me when I needed to interview her or get some information. I think she is a nice person who has a strong passion for the environment, human rights, and other Democratic party principles. But she’s an ineffective leader.

To head up a party you need to be able to raise money, recruit candidates, organize volunteers, and run credible campaigns.

She’s been unable to accomplish any of that.

Before I get accused of being some far-left woke liberal by the right, or some misogynist from the left let me state for the record that what I’m looking for is a strong bipartisan form of government. I don’t care what the gender, race, color, or creed is for whoever is next to head up the Nebraska Democratic party. Just make it relevant again.

If any one party, regardless of their ideology, has too much power, bad things can happen.  You need the checks and balances to keep the government in line. That is something Nebraska doesn’t currently have.

So, what’s it going to take to be able to rebuild the Nebraska Democratic Party?

Evidently someone like Dan Osborn. Now I know Dan was an independent who at least publicly disavowed any connection to the Democratic party. But Dan knew how to raise money and organize a team. He worked hard and got in front of as many people as he could. As an independent candidate, he gave the incumbent Deb Fischer a run for her money.

The Nebraska Democratic party couldn’t even get a candidate on the ballot.

The Democrats need to find someone who can relate to the farmers in the field and the executives in the offices. Someone who can support LGBTQ rights without upsetting people about what bathroom they will use.

They need a charismatic leader who is up to the challenge of making the Nebraska’s Democratic Party relevant again.

Or they need to give up the fight and just admit that there is no serious Democratic party West of 90th Street. They can hope that Omaha will elect enough members to the Unicameral to keep some of the more outlandish ideas from Western Nebraska senators in check.

Now and then I see a glimmer of hope that Nebraska football is on track to return to prominence. As of today, I see no such thing on the horizon for the Nebraska Democratic Party.

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.

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