Blake Aspen

How are we feeling about this today Sooner nation?

There have been very public comments made that show seeds are being planted to push yet another bitter fight over leadership within the @NEGOP this January.

I want to send a word of caution to all @NEGOP decision-makers:

A public and angry fight will be to nobody’s benefit—except for the Democrats.

This is a time where Nebraska Republicans should be gathering to work out the kinks to prepare for the 2028 election. And there’s no denying there are issues. However, the issues are all about our policies and how we deliver the message advocating for them.

Here’s where we ought to start:

There is serious irony to the Democrat Party’s resurgence. The resurgence itself is a result of failures from our party’s elected leaders.

The Democrat party is increasingly socialist. They are proposing more big government than ever before. This is at a time where the public’s trust in government and bigger government solutions is at an all-time low.

But what are we as Republicans and Nebraska Republicans doing to push smaller government, right-wing solutions? Does anyone really think that we’re doing enough to focus our energy on the big issues facing our state? Issues such as increasing homeownership among young families, keeping the farm in the family, reforming the property tax structure, or addressing federal issues on student loans and healthcare?

These were the decisive issues for Nebraska voters in 2026. Elections are rarely about what you’ve done for me. They are almost always about what you’re doing next.

So the truthful answer? As a party, we are not doing nearly enough to talk about these decisive issues.

Ultimately, this is what must change. The change starts with those who are going to run for office in 2028, from the top of the ticket down, and then follows to our partisan political operation.

Rearranging deck chairs on the top of the S.S. NEGOP will not change or fix what troubles the Nebraska Republican Party today.

As a final point, the vast majority of voters—and indeed, Republican voters—cannot tell you who the Chair of the NEGOP is. They cannot tell you who the NEGOP CD3 Chair is. And that’s okay!

To put efforts into an intra-party fight at this juncture would be a mistake.

Members of the NEGOP SCC: Please focus on what matters. Focus on how we’re going to get Republicans elected to secure policy victories for our nation, state, and communities.

Leave the leadership fight for another day.

Were you wearing a wire by chance?

Question for a friend:

When do your “late-twenties” begin?

This reminds me!

The State of Nebraska and the @NEGOP owes @KirkPenner a huge debt of gratitude for his service on the SBOE.

He was appointed at a time where the entire board was liberal. He was immediately public enemy #1. He convincingly won election in 2022, and is now leaving the Board with a GOP majority.

His efforts against the bureaucracy’s push to install the 1619 project and woke revisionist curriculum was brave. And when the Department was caught sending extra cash to bloated school districts, Kirk was all over it.

Kirk, thank you for your 5 years of excellent service to the Nebraska State Board of Education. We are grateful!