Nebraska Dem head: Caucuses will work well
By Bret Hayworth Journal staff writer | Posted: Saturday, February 09, 2008
Some are debating if the first-ever caucuses used by the Nebraska Democratic Party to express a presidential candidate choice will prove to be a good move today.
Party executive director Matt Connealy, who splits time between an apartment in Lincoln and his family home in Burt County, already has his answer.
"It is a 'yes' already," Connealy said, "because of the fact that we are in the discussion and talking about politics instead of talking about the weather. Here in Nebraska, people are very excited about the opportunity to be part of the (presidential selection) system."
Nebraska Republicans haven't changed their selection process from the May primary, but the state's Democrats switched to a caucus format and took the extra step of moving it up the calendar by three months. Since there's a highly competitive race between Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama at hand, the Nebraska caucuses have heft, Connealy said.
"We are excited about what this will bring for our county and our state and our influence in the presidential election," said Julia Rembert of Hartington, chairwoman of the Cedar County Democratic Party.
Connealy noted Obama had opened three offices in the state by early February, and Clinton has opened an office as well in the past few days since Super Tuesday. That shows, Connealy said, that the candidates recognize "every delegate counts" and that they're hot after the 31 delegates Nebraska offers.
Connealy, who for years represented northeast Nebraskans in the Unicameral from Decatur, noted his son is a Sioux City attorney who caucused on Jan. 3 as part of record Iowa Democratic Party participation. But most native Nebraskans, although they may have heard of the Iowa caucus process, still are low on the learning curve when it comes to caucusing, Connealy said.
"We've had a lot of calls from people on where their caucus site is and how do you do this," he said.
Connealy encouraged voters to not let the caucus format spook them and keep them from participating.
"It is mainly just a meeting where we get together to talk about things. It is new because we haven't done it before, but it is not going to be that complicated," he said.
Connealy said Democrats, who have long operated in minority status compared with Republicans in Nebraska, will see some gains from Republicans and independents who are switching party affiliation to caucus.
"I think it will help the party going forward," he said.
Read more in Hayworth's Politically Speaking blog at www.siouxcityjournal.com/blogs
Party executive director Matt Connealy, who splits time between an apartment in Lincoln and his family home in Burt County, already has his answer.
"It is a 'yes' already," Connealy said, "because of the fact that we are in the discussion and talking about politics instead of talking about the weather. Here in Nebraska, people are very excited about the opportunity to be part of the (presidential selection) system."
Nebraska Republicans haven't changed their selection process from the May primary, but the state's Democrats switched to a caucus format and took the extra step of moving it up the calendar by three months. Since there's a highly competitive race between Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama at hand, the Nebraska caucuses have heft, Connealy said.
"We are excited about what this will bring for our county and our state and our influence in the presidential election," said Julia Rembert of Hartington, chairwoman of the Cedar County Democratic Party.
Connealy noted Obama had opened three offices in the state by early February, and Clinton has opened an office as well in the past few days since Super Tuesday. That shows, Connealy said, that the candidates recognize "every delegate counts" and that they're hot after the 31 delegates Nebraska offers.
Connealy, who for years represented northeast Nebraskans in the Unicameral from Decatur, noted his son is a Sioux City attorney who caucused on Jan. 3 as part of record Iowa Democratic Party participation. But most native Nebraskans, although they may have heard of the Iowa caucus process, still are low on the learning curve when it comes to caucusing, Connealy said.
"We've had a lot of calls from people on where their caucus site is and how do you do this," he said.
Connealy encouraged voters to not let the caucus format spook them and keep them from participating.
"It is mainly just a meeting where we get together to talk about things. It is new because we haven't done it before, but it is not going to be that complicated," he said.
Connealy said Democrats, who have long operated in minority status compared with Republicans in Nebraska, will see some gains from Republicans and independents who are switching party affiliation to caucus.
"I think it will help the party going forward," he said.
Read more in Hayworth's Politically Speaking blog at www.siouxcityjournal.com/blogs
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Mr. Randall wrote on Feb 9, 2008 11:17 PM: