Nebraska
Bacon brings backup from Legislature to bash Vargas in 2nd District • Nebraska Examiner
OMAHA — U.S. Rep. Don Bacon brought some Republican friends from the Nebraska Legislature to the food fight in his Omaha-based 2nd District race against Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas.
Revenue Committee Chairwoman Lou Ann Linehan, Speaker John Arch and other GOP lawmakers helped Bacon amplify some of his recent criticisms of Vargas’ record.
Linehan, whose committee handles tax-cut proposals, relished reinforcing Bacon’s debate critiques that Vargas was often an impediment to passing property tax relief proposals.
She has skewered senators who claim credit for passing tax cuts but rarely provided her one of the 33 votes needed to break a filibuster until it’s clear a measure has overwhelming support.
“We have a saying down there that it’s hard to get to 33, but boy then do you get to 42,” she said. “The idea that he ran ads saying he fought for property taxes (relief) is just not true.”
Former State Sen. Brett Lindstrom, who has been appearing more with Bacon after many have speculated he might run in the 2nd District when Bacon retires, supported Linehan’s criticism.
He worked with Vargas but said his participation in the Bacon press conference “was just business,” not personal. He said he struggled to get Vargas’ vote for income tax cuts.
“What you see on the advertisements is not particularly accurate,” said Lindstrom, a former GOP gubernatorial candidate who acknowledged interest in an open-seat 2nd District bid.
Vargas defends record
Vargas pointed during debates with Bacon to votes in support of $6 billion in tax cuts or tax relief. He also touted his being named a defender of taxpayers by a conservative organization.
Vargas said Wednesday in a statement that he was proud of his record of supporting tax relief and said that no amount of partisan machinations can change what he has done.
His defenders in the Legislature point to his work on the Appropriations Committee and call him a serious legislator who spent much of his time trying to steer funding.
“MAGA Republicans can say whatever they want three weeks before an election to try to keep Don Bacon in office, but my record is clear,” Vargas said in response to the press conference.
Vargas used the term MAGA, which is short for Make America Great Again, the campaign slogan of former President Donald Trump. He often points out Bacon has endorsed Trump three times.
Trump is popular statewide in Nebraska, and he won the 2nd District in 2016. But President Joe Biden beat Trump in the 2nd District in 2020, securing a stray Electoral College vote.
Nebraska and Maine award an electoral vote to the winner in each congressional district, as well as awarding two electoral votes to the winner of the presidential popular vote statewide.
Vargas supporters seek to tie Bacon to Trump and to tie Vargas to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign. They argue Bacon enables Trump. Harris polls better than Trump in the 2nd District.
Bacon points to public spats between him and Trump over infrastructure funding and more and says he faced a primary challenger this spring for being insufficiently MAGA.
Bacon, Vargas spend final 2nd District debate swinging for undecideds
More than taxes
Bacon’s GOP crew did more than talk taxes. State Sen. Kathleen Kauth, an ally of police unions, slammed Vargas for supporting juvenile justice reforms that Linehan joined Vargas in backing.
Linehan acknowledged to reporters that she, like Vargas, had supported the broader criminal justice package that included the amendment making it harder to detain underage offenders.
She said the Legislature often has to compromise and that not everyone will support everything in a package that contains items they want to pass. Linehan is term-limited.
Kauth then bashed Vargas for opposing her legislation limiting access to some gender care for transgender minors and her bill seeking to restrict them from using certain school bathrooms and locker rooms.
“He did not support that at all,” Kauth said.
Some advocates for trans youth have argued that such legislation risks increasing the risks of self-harm and suicide to a population of children already at greater risk of suffering.
Kauth’s trans health care bill was combined with Nebraska’s current abortion ban, at 12 weeks gestational age, with exceptions for the life of the mother and for rape and incest.
Vargas supports abortion rights. Bacon has co-sponsored federal legislation that would have effectively banned abortion, and the language did not contain exceptions, though he has long said he supports exceptions.
Lately, Bacon has said he accepts Nebraska’s current ban as where the people are and said he would support Initiative 434, which largely sets current law as a ceiling but sets no floor.
Vargas and his campaign have criticized Bacon for trying to soften his abortion stance without acknowledging that Bacon co-sponsored legislation with no exceptions.
Bacon has argued that the legislation did not contain the word abortion and would not have penalized women getting an abortion. But legal experts said it would have made the procedure illegal.
On Wednesday, Bacon said that Vargas is emphasizing abortion because it’s “the only issue he has.” Bacon said voters care more about inflation and jobs, immigration and public safety.
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The No. 20 Nebraska women’s basketball team put out a statement in its first road trip of the early 2024-25 season. Behind a school-record 20 three-pointers, the Huskers destroyed South Dakota in a 113-70 thrashing at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls on Saturday.
Four NU players put up double-digit points, including a team-high 23 from five-star freshman Britt Prince in her second game after returning from injury. She was an outstanding 10-for-13 from the field with four assists. Reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year Natalie Potts added 22 points with seven rebounds while Alexis Markowski (14), Kendall Moriarity (13) and Kendall Coley (12) also added to the stat sheet.
Nebraska shot over 63% from the field and went 20-for-34 from deep in a performance that will keep the Huskers’ confidence riding high going into Tuesday’s contest at home.
Here’s all you need to know as NU welcomes in North Alabama for a week night matchup.
How to Follow Along
Matchup: No. 20 Nebraska (4-0, 0-0 B1G) vs. North Alabama (2-2, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)
When: Tuesday, November 19
Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, NE
Time: 7 p.m. CST
Watch: B1G+
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
North Alabama Scout
Head Coach: Candi Whitaker | 1st Season | 233-224 (.510) Career HC Record | 7 WNBA Draftees, 2x DII NCAA Tournament Appearances | Past head coaching stops at Missouri Western (DII), Texas Tech and UMKC.
2023-2024 Record: 12-18 (8-8 Atlantic Sun, T-6th) | 1x Third Team All-ASUN, 1x ASUN All-Freshman Team | Did not qualify for the postseason.
All-Time Series: First meeting.
Fun Fact: North Alabama head coach Candi Whitaker is no stranger to the Huskers, despite it being the first meeting between the two programs. The starting point guard for Texas Tech during her playing days, Whitaker led the Red Raiders to a pair of victories over Nebraska. In 2001 Tech won 66-50 and followed up with a 99-57 thumping of NU in 2002.
Key Returners: Alyssa Clutter, G, Jr. | Veronaye Charlton, G, Soph. | Rhema Pegues, G, Jr. | Sara Wohlgemuth, G, Gr. | Katie Criswell, G, Soph. | India Howard, F, Jr.
Key Additions: Charity Gallegos, G, Sr. (Cal-State San Marcos) | Jazzy Klinge, F, Jr. (Johnson County CC) | Sarang West, G, Jr. (Allen CC).
Key Departures: Alexis Callins, G, Gr. (Union) | Allie Craig Cruce, F (Eligibility).
Outlook: It’s a new era for North Alabama women’s basketball in just the school’s third season as part Division I and the FCS after coming up from Division II. UNA did not renew the contract of former head coach Missy Tiber, who led the Lions to a 172-147 record over 11 seasons.
Instead, athletic director Josh Looney brought along his hire from Missouri Western Candi Whitaker. Looney hired Whitaker at MWSU in 2019, in which she led the Griffons to an overall record of 100-47 with an Division II Elite Eight Appearance in 2022, 2024 MIAA Regular Season Championship and 2024 MIAA Coach of the Year. Whitaker also brings key experience as a head coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (two postseason appearances) from 2006-12 and Texas Tech–her alma mater– where she averaged just over 10 wins a season.
The Lions are .500 early in Whitaker’s first season, beating UT Martin (66-63) and South Alabama (71-62) while losing to Tennessee Tech (73-64) and a most recent trip to Kansas (81-64).
Only two players averaged double-digit points last season and both Alexis Callins (Union) and Allie Craig Cruce (graduated) are both gone from the roster. However, the Lions returned most of their roster that went 12-18 in 2023-2024. Give credit to Whitaker, who unlocked the abilities of Cameron Jones (10.5 PPG) and Emma Kate Tittle (9.3 PPG) who were the bottom two scorers from last season.
Cal-State San Marcos transfer Charity Gallegas has been leading the way with 11.3 points per game with Clutter (7.8 PPG), Katie Criswell (6.8 PPG) and India Howard (5.8 PPG) all adding help. Transfer forward Jazzy Klinge has also provided four points and two rebounds per game off the bench. She came in from Allen Community College where she was a first-team NJCAA All-American last season.
For a program trying to find its footing in the Division I scene, a hire like Whitaker should spell confidence moving forward. However, it could be a painful couple years before seeing the rewards. A 10th-place voting in the ASUN preseason poll points toward a rough season, and the Huskers will most likely be their second consecutive blowout loss for the Lions.
MORE: Nebraska Volleyball Setter Claims Fourth Weekly Big Ten Conference Honor
MORE: Carriker Chronicles: Dawson Merritt on Choosing Nebraska Over Alabama & More
MORE: Huskers Have Two Chances for Win No. 6
MORE: Nebraska Volleyball Remains at No. 2 in Latest AVCA Rankings
MORE: What Will it Take for Nebraska Football to Turn the Corner?
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
Bergen Reilly’s stellar sophomore season continues to add more accolades.
The Nebraska volleyball setter claimed the Big Ten Conference’s Setter of the Week honor on Monday as the conference awarded weekly honors. It is the ninth time this season a Husker has been honored, and the fourth time for Reilly in 2024.
The sophomore led No. 2 Nebraska to wins over No. 16 Minnesota and Indiana with over ten assists per set and nearly four digs per set in the wins last week. In the four-set over the Golden Gophers Thursday, Reilly had 40 assists and a career-high 20 digs with six kills. She became the first Husker setter to record at least 40 assists, 20 digs, and five kills in a match in the rally scoring era.
Reilly then capped the weekend in a dominant Saturday sweep of Indiana, adding 35 assists with seven digs. She aided the Nebraska offense to a .324 hitting percentage, and totaled 75 assists, 27 digs, eight kills, seven blocks, and one ace over the two matches.
Reilly joins her own company for the fourth time this season as the Huskers’ Setter of the Week honoree, claiming the award for the first time in November. She last won the award on Oct. 14, and had previously claimed the honor on Sept. 2 and Sept. 16.
Reilly’s fourth award keeps her ahead of Penn State freshman setter Izzy Starck, who has claimed the conference’s honor three times this season. Nebraska has had four players claim conference honors, as Reilly, middle blockers Andi Jackson and Rebekah Allick, and libero Lexi Rodriguez have all earned a weekly award this year.
Allick has won two defensive players of the week honors, while Rodriguez has earned two. Jackson, a fellow sophomore, claimed defensive player of the week honors on Oct. 28. Reilly’s Nov. 18 honor marks the eighth Big Ten Setter of the Week honor of her career, as the South Dakota native won four weekly honors in 2023.
Nebraska (26-1, 16-0 B1G) continues to lead the Big Ten regular season race with key wins over the top teams in the conference, including No. 7 Wisconsin, No. 8 Purdue, No. 13 Oregon, No. 16 Minnesota, No. 21 USC, and RV Washington. The No. 2 Huskers head to Iowa on Wednesday for a match in Iowa City, then return to Lincoln Saturday night for a home rematch against the Badgers.
MORE: Carriker Chronicles: Dawson Merritt on Choosing Nebraska Over Alabama & More
MORE: Huskers Have Two Chances for Win No. 6
MORE: Nebraska Volleyball Remains at No. 2 in Latest AVCA Rankings
MORE: What Will it Take for Nebraska Football to Turn the Corner?
MORE: Big Ten Jumps Into Latest College Basketball Top 25, 5 Conference Teams Ranked
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Nebraska’s own Larry the Cable Guy is gearing up for a road trip, bringing his comedy to nine communities across the state.
“Larry’s Nebraska Road Trip” featuring special guest Nick Hoff kicks off early next year with stops planned in Kearney, Wahoo, Central City, Pawnee City, Falls City, Norfolk, York, Scottsbluff and Chadron. The comedian said he’s excited to perform at intimate venues that bring him closer to the communities that have supported him over the years.
“I’ve spent a lot of time traveling the United States, but there’s nothing like sharing some laughs with folks in small towns across Nebraska,” Larry the Gable Guy said. “These people have been my biggest supporters, and I can’t wait to put on a great show and give back to the places that shaped me.”
The tour will feature fresh material, and Larry is pledging proceeds from each show to benefit local charities in each town.
Tour dates:
- Thursday, Jan. 23 at Merryman Performing Arts Center in Kearney
- Friday, Jan. 24 at Wahoo High School in Wahoo
- Saturday, Jan. 25 at Central City Senior High School in Central City
- Friday, Feb. 14 at Pawnee City High School in Pawnee City
- Saturday, Feb. 15 at Prichard Auditorium in Falls City
- Thursday, Feb. 27 at the Johnny Carson Theater in Norfolk
- Friday, Feb. 28 at York High School in York
- Saturday, March 1 at Midwest Theater in Scottsbluff
- Sunday, March 2 at Chadron State College in Chadron
Tickets go on sale this Wednesday and can be purchased on his website here.
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