Nebraska

100 Years Ago, A Nebraska Republican Changed Democracy in His State Forever

Published

1 year ago

October 15, 2024

100 Years Ago, A Nebraska Republican Changed Democracy in His State Forever

Editor’s Note: This op-ed, written by Open Primaries Senior Vice President Jeremy Gruber, originally published on The Fulcrum and has been republished on IVN with permission from the publisher. Photo by Nicolas Henderson on Flickr.

With Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s announcement on Sept. 24 that he doesn’t have enough votes to call a special session of the Legislature to change the way the state allocates electoral votes, an effort led by former President Donald Trump to pressure the Legislature officially failed.

Nebraska is one of only two states that award a single Electoral College vote to the winner in each congressional district, plus two votes to the statewide winner of the presidential popular vote. Much has been made — justifiably — of Republican state Sen. Mike McDonnell’s heroic decision to buck enormous political pressure from his party to fall in line, and choosing instead to single-handedly defeat the measure. The origins of the senator’s independence, though, began in a 100-old experiment in democracy reform.

In 1933, after years of rampant corruption, Nebraska’s two-chamber, partisan gridlocked on a series of basic tasks, from tax allocation to the repeal of Prohibition. U.S. Sen. George Norris (R), a Republican, refused to sit idly by as his state faced enormous political and social unrest. He firmly believed partisan politics were detrimental to the democratic process. For him, “men in the legislature, elected on a partisan political platform, are inclined to follow the bidding and the dictates of party machines and party bosses.” Norris himself practiced a brand of practical, can-do politics that demanded he follow his own belief system. For him, partisan politics gets in the way of building any meaningful, lasting change.

So, he led an effort, using his own money, to fundamentally reimagine how Nebraska does politics, by putting a measure on the 1934 ballot to abolish the legislature and replace it with a unicameral body operating with nonpartisan rules and elected on a nonpartisan, open primary ballot. The entire political class of the state and both the Democratic and Republican parties opposed it. The people of Nebraska overwhelmingly voted in favor of it.

This restructuring has generally freed the Legislature from the type of strong-arm partisan politics that pervades political activity in Congress and most state legislatures. With no formal party alignments or caucuses, the Nebraska Legislature operates under a unique political reality that allows coalitions to form issue by issue. Because committee chairs are elected by the members and not partisan leaders, with minority party members regularly holding leadership posts, the Nebraska Legislature is largely a meritocracy.

Perhaps most unique about the Nebraska system is how voters elect state senators. Instead of separate, partisan primaries to select Republican and Democratic nominees, Nebraska utilizes a single, nonpartisan open primary. The primary ballot lists all candidates without partisan affiliation. The top two candidates, regardless of party, advance to the general election.

That means that senators elected in the Nebraska system are not strictly beholden to their party and its leadership to get elected and stay in office. Senators can define what “left,” “right” and “center” mean — or don’t mean — instead of letting the party define it for them.

That Nebraska legislators are not bound by party dogma is incredibly empowering. It gives them the space to consider new legislative approaches, and to reach out more broadly in crafting policy. It shakes off the mythology and false assumptions of what it means to be a Republican, Democrat or independent. And it allows elected leaders to vote their conscience, and not be forced into supporting narrow party agendas.

That doesn’t mean Nebraska’s elected leaders are free from partisan politics — far from it. And the pressure is particularly acute since statewide offices and Nebraska’s federal delegation operate under typical partisan rules. What it does mean is that they are able to move the people’s business forward despite those challenges. Which is why they’ve made progress on issues ranging from tax reform to immigration, while the state’s congressional representatives — representing the same constituents — have stuck close to their party’s agendas and shown little leadership on the same issues despite their priority among voters.

That bring us to McDonnell, who in opposing the proposed change to how Nebraska counts electoral votes made a clear statement of conviction: “The idea that the coach calls a timeout with two minutes left and says, ‘I want to change the value of the field goal from three points to four, and that’s how I’m going to win,’ it doesn’t ring true, and that’s not part of Nebraska…If the people of Nebraska want to do it two years out and let whoever wants to run for president of the United States know the rules, I think that would be fair.”

It’s a statement that could have just as easily come from Norris himself.

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Nebraska

How to buy Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska 2026 March Madness tickets

Published

9 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

How to buy Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska 2026 March Madness tickets

No. 5 Vanderbilt Commodores defeated the No. 12 McNeese State Cowboys in the first round of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Vanderbilt eliminated McNeese by a score of 78-68 on Thursday afternoon in Oklahoma City. McNeese took the lead early in the first half, but Vanderbilt came back in the second half in a close, back-and-forth game.

Now, Vanderbilt will face off against the No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second round at Paycom Arena in Oklahoma City on Saturday, March 21.

Here is everything you need to know in order to buy Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska March Madness basketball second round tickets.

Shop Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska March Madness tickets

When is March Madness 2026?

The First Four tipped off the 2026 March Madness tournament on Tuesday, March 17. The two rounds run between Thursday, March 19 and Sunday, March 22. The tournament concludes with the Final Four on Saturday, April 4 and the National Championship game on Monday, April 6.

Vanderbilt March Madness next opponent

Vanderbilt earned a No. 5 seed in the South regional. They defeated McNeese in its opening game and have advanced to the Round of 32, where they will play the No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers. Tickets to Vanderbilt’s Round of 32 game start at $193.

Vanderbilt March Madness basketball tickets

Limited Vanderbilt NCAA Tournament tickets are still available for the Round of 32. Get your Vanderbilt March Madness tickets now.

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Vanderbilt March Madness schedule

After defeating McNeese on Thursday, No. 5 Vanderbilt Commodores will take on No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, March 21. The tipoff time for that game is still to be determined. Shop Vanderbilt Round of 32 tickets now.

More March Madness: Everything fans need to know about the 2026 NCAA Tournament

Vanderbilt March Madness game locations

Vanderbilt will play their Round of 32 game at Paycom Arena in Oklahoma City on Saturday, March 21.

Limited tickets for the Round of 32 March Madness in Oklahoma City are available. Shop your Vanderbilt NCAA Tournament tickets now.

Vanderbilt Sweet 16 tickets

If the Commodores were to advance to the Sweet 16, they’d travel to they’d travel to Houston, Texas. Sweet 16 tickets in Houston are already available starting at $207.

Shop Vanderbilt basketball tickets

March Madness 2026 full schedule for the men’s tournament

April 6: National Championship
March 19-20: First round
March 21-22: Second round
March 26-27: Sweet 16
March 28-29: Elite 8
April 4-5: Final Four

Shop ALL March Madness tickets

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Nebraska

Has Nebraska won an NCAA Tournament game? Cornhuskers’ March Madness history

Published

21 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Has Nebraska won an NCAA Tournament game? Cornhuskers’ March Madness history

Nebraska men’s basketball is amid an historic season in 2025-26, earning a program-best No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. It’s unprecedented territory for the Cornhuskers, who have never experienced success in March Madness.

Literally.

Seventh-year coach Fred Hoiberg didn’t make the NCAA tournament with Nebraska until his fifth season with the program in 2023-24. The Cornhuskers missed the big dance again last season, although they won the inaugural College Basketball Crown championship before winning 20 consecutive games to start the 2025-26 season.

No. 13 seed Troy, who’s making its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, won’t be an easy out. Nebraska will also certainly be looking to lift some historical blunders off its shoulders with a win.

Here’s what to know of Nebraska’s NCAA Tournament history:

Has Nebraska ever won an NCAA Tournament game?

Nebraska is the only Power conference program to have never won a Men’s NCAA Tournament game, and has its best chance in program history to win its first when it faces Troy in the first round on Thursday, March 19.

It’s the Cornhuskers’ ninth-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, having last made the field in 2024. Nebraska lost to Texas A&M 98-83, despite being a No. 8 seed against the No. 9 Aggies in the first round.

Hoiberg said March 18 that he hasn’t addressed the program’s NCAA Tournament history leading up to the game, and that he doesn’t plan to. He did note, however, that there’s pressure involved with the game.

“I know the first question is going to be Nebraska has never won a tournament game,” Hoiberg said. “We realize that. Have I talked to our players about it? No, I haven’t. They know. They see it. Is there a pressure that goes along with that? Of course there is.”

Hoiberg’s son, Sam Hoiberg, is one of Nebraska’s top players. He also addressed what it would mean for the school to win a March Madness game.

“That’s what I’ve been dreaming of since I became a player in this program,” Sam Hoiberg said. “That’s the only thing left to do is get that tournament win. It’s the unsaid thing in every single room, is we don’t have a tournament win. So being able to do it as a senior would be pretty cool.”

Nebraska NCAA Tournament history

2024: No. 9 Texas A&M 98, No. 8 Nebraska 83
2014: No. 6 Baylor 74, No. 11 Nebraska 60
1998: No. 6 Arkansas 74, No. 11 Nebraska 65
1994: No. 11 Penn 90, No. 6 Nebraska 80
1993: No. 7 New Mexico State 93, No. 10 Nebraska 79
1992: No. 9 UConn 86, No. 8 Nebraska 65
1991: No. 14 Xavier 89, No. 3 Nebraska 84
1986: No. 8 Western Kentucky 67, No. 9 Nebraska 59

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Nebraska agland values decline for second consecutive year

Published

1 day ago

March 18, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska agland values decline for second consecutive year

Agricultural land values fell in Nebraska over the past year, marking the second consecutive year of declining land values in the state.

A preliminary report from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s 2025-26 Farm Real Estate Market Survey said agland values declined 1% over the past year, now averaging $3,905 per acre.

The two years of declines follow average valuations reaching $4,015 per acre in 2024.

The survey’s preliminary report was published Wednesday by the university’s Center for Agricultural Profitability, based in the Department of Agricultural Economics. It provides estimates of agland values and cash rental rates, broken down by region and land class across Nebraska.

A news release said officials who participated in this year’s survey attributed the decline to lower crop prices, higher farm input costs and prevailing interest rates.

“Many operations are facing tighter liquidity as crop revenues decline while input costs remain elevated,” Jim Jansen, an extension agricultural economist who leads the annual report, said in the release. “Those conditions are leading producers and lenders to take a more cautious approach when navigating these financial pressures.”

Center pivot irrigated cropland averaged a 2% drop statewide, while gravity irrigated cropland declined 3%. Dryland with irrigation potential fell 2% and dryland without irrigation potential decreased 1%. Grazing land and hayland values increased between 4% and 7% as strong cattle prices supported demand for pasture acres.

Crop receipts in Nebraska declined by about $576.6 million, or 16%, in 2025 as corn prices fell and soybean and wheat production dropped. Those losses were partially offset by a $3.22 billion increase in livestock receipts statewide. Jansen said the differences in crop and livestock profitability were reflected in land value trends across the state.

Average cash rental rates in Nebraska followed a similar trend. Rental rates for dryland and irrigated cropland declined between 1% and 9% across the state, reflecting lower commodity prices and tighter margins for crop producers. Rental rates for pasture and cow-calf pairs increased about 4% to 5% compared with the previous grazing season.

“Flexible lease provisions can help landowners and tenants manage production and price risk when margins are tight,” Jansen said. “Factors such as crop prices, input costs and drought conditions all play a role in how lease agreements are structured.”

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