Nebraska
Blood kicks off bid against Flood in Nebraska's 1st District U.S. House race | Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue came to Lincoln seven years ago to serve in the Nebraska Legislature. Now she is asking the region’s voters to send her to Congress.
Blood formally kicked off her 1st District campaign against U.S. Rep. Mike Flood during a rally Saturday at a union hall for electrical workers in suburban southwest Lincoln. The 12-county district also encompasses Fremont and Norfolk.
Flanked by Nebraska Democrats and several of her legislative peers, Blood said it was time to remind Flood that Nebraska voters liked him better when he seemed more moderate.
“Our Congress is in complete disarray, and our congressman, Mike Flood, has forgotten his nonpartisan roots and ability to work with the other side because of this blind allegiance to political parties,” Blood said, eliciting cheers.
The former Bellevue City Councilwoman criticized Flood for focusing too much attention on a “vocal minority,” instead of his entire constituency.
Fighting national GOP playbook
She said she expects Flood to follow the national GOP playbook and attack her on immigration enforcement even though the House GOP has had chances to fix the issue and hasn’t acted.
On border security, Congress and presidents from both parties have negotiated potential deals that a divisive House GOP then killed, she said. She said some House Republicans act like babies and need “a timeout.”
“The fact that we don’t have enough border patrol, immigration judges and humanitarian resources for this crisis sits squarely on Mike Flood and the GOP, who refuse to pass a long-term budget bill to protect our border,” she said.
Flood’s campaign had no immediate comment Saturday about Blood’s campaign kickoff or her criticism of the incumbent.
Flood, who is seeking a second full term, has emphasized the need for House Republicans to restrain the spending impulses of Democratic Senate leaders and President Joe Biden.
State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln praised Blood on Saturday for her tenacity and compassion. He said she has worked in the Legislature to protect its independence.
Parts of Blood’s announcement mirrored her pitch during her run for governor in 2022 against Jim Pillen, when she stressed the need for leadership for “all Nebraskans.” Blood secured 36% of the statewide vote against Pillen, in a state where Republicans outnumber Democrats 2-to-1.
In the Legislature, she represents a GOP-leaning slice of Sarpy County.
Differences with Flood
On Saturday, she said she would protect the social safety net for Nebraska seniors and people in need, saying she would keep political hands off Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
She said Republicans keep trying to find ways to offer options or privatize parts of benefit programs Americans have earned.
She also emphasized her support for public schools and said Flood, by contrast, supports the Opportunity Scholarship Act tax credit for donors funding private school education for students in need.
Blood said the widest gulf between the two candidates was on abortion.
Flood spoke Saturday to a crowd of more than 1,000 at the March for Life, where organizers applauded his work authoring Nebraska’s former 20-week ban (abortions are now banned in Nebraska after 12 weeks gestation) and nearly passing a trigger ban that would have effectively outlawed abortion.
Flood told the March for Life crowd near the Capitol steps that Nebraskans need to defeat a November ballot measure that could enshrine the right to an abortion in the State Constitution.
“What they’re pushing in Washington (D.C.) will end up on our ballot in November, and it means all of us have to step forward and raise our hands and say it is our turn,” Flood said. “It’s our turn to stop what happens in November, and it starts today.”
Blood initially supported a bill in 2020 aimed at outlawing dismemberment abortions but backed off in the end, expressing concerns about its language. During that debate, she described herself as “pro-life.” She said later she only supported the bill as an “olive branch” so more senators would listen to her perspective.
She said things are clearer now, after the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade in 2022. The threat to women’s rights is real and no longer theoretical, she said.
Ready to fight for reproductive rights
On Saturday, she emphasized her commitment to protecting women’s reproductive rights. She said she would push back on House GOP efforts to restrict abortion.
“I hear from women of every party who say that they feel that they’re being disrespected, that their voices aren’t being heard,” Blood said after her speech. “Now they’re concerned that politicians … refuse to listen to the medical community.”
Blood helped defeat Flood’s trigger ban by joining a filibuster against it. She also joined a failed fight last session to stop Legislative Bill 574, which shortened Nebraska’s abortion ban to 12 weeks gestation.
On Saturday, she told a campaign crowd of about 100 that she believes “safe and accessible reproductive health care” is a basic human right.
She also said Nebraskans deserve respect regardless of what they look like or how they identify. LB 574, in addition to restricting abortions, added new restrictions on gender-affirming care for trans minors.
As of the last federal campaign finance reporting period, Flood listed $235,000 in campaign cash on hand. Last year, Blood listed $2,700 in cash on hand left from her gubernatorial bid. She raised six figures during her gubernatorial bid.
She also received more votes in her race in the 1st District than Flood did in his, though political observers say state races typically draw more crossover voters than races for federal office.
She said she is in the race to win — and that she plans to knock on voters’ doors in the 12-county district the same way she did when running for the Legislature in her Bellevue district.
“That’s how races are won,” she said.
On Saturday afternoon (3 p.m. CT, Peacock), No. 13 Illinois (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten) will host No. 23 Nebraska (10-0, 1-0 Big Ten) in Champaign for an early-season ranked-on-ranked Big Ten showdown.
The Cornhuskers made their season debut in the AP poll this Monday. Two days later, they dismantled – by 30 points – a Wisconsin club that entered the season ranked in the top 25, knocking off the Badgers 90-60 in Lincoln.
Blood in the water. 🦈📹https://t.co/LKzCqN3tcz
— Nebraska Men’s Basketball (@HuskerMBB) December 11, 2025
ESPN’s matchup predictor makes its pick for Illinois-Nebraska
Yet on Saturday, according to ESPN’s analytics, the odds are not at all in Nebraska’s favor. The matchup predictor gives Illinois a 77.5 percent chance of staving off the visitors this weekend.
And it makes sense for two key reasons: 1) Home-court advantage. Playing at home, especially in Big Ten action, already gives any team a massive leg up. For example, the Illini, despite losing 14 conference games over the past two seasons, have just five league losses on their home floor during that stretch.
2) Illinois is really good.
The AP poll doesn’t always reflect reality. Both of these clubs may, in fact, be better than their respective rankings in that poll. Nevertheless, the difference between the No. 20 team and the No. 25 team isn’t nearly as drastic as the difference between the No. 5 and No. 10 team.
The Illini should absolutely dominate the Cornhuskers on the glass. Given the relative shortcomings of Brad Underwood’s squad in that department in its past few outings, it’s possible the margin is closer than it should be, but Illinois will undoubtedly control the boards to at least some extent.
And given the level the Illini defense has been operating at, specifically on first attempts in each possession, the Cornhuskers are going to find points extremely tough to come by. Offensively, Illinois will surely rely heavily on its talent once again, staying away from any complex schematic design and simply letting its players operate.
As the old adage goes: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And with an Illinois offense currently ranked No. 5 in KenPom in terms of efficiency, it very clearly isn’t broken.
As Nebraska has done all season thus far to its opponents, Fred Hoiberg’s unit figures to make the Illini appear somewhat less than. But between the size and talent disparity, not to mention the home-floor advantage, Illinois will still very likely put an end to Nebraska’s exceptional undefeated start – even if it is a tighter battle than the Illini would like.
LINCOLN, Neb. (KSNB) – One lucky player who bought a Nebraska Pick 4 ticket for the Wednesday, Dec. 10, drawing is holding a ticket worth $3,125.
The ticket was sold at Pump & Pantry No. 16 at 109 Lincoln Avenue in York. The winning numbers from Wednesday’s Nebraska Pick 4 drawing were 02, 00, 01, 05.
Winning Nebraska Lottery tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Tickets with total prize amounts of $501 to $19,999 must be claimed by mail or at a regional lottery claim center. Additional information about claiming prizes can be found at nelottery.com or by calling 800-587-5200.
Nebraska Pick 4 is a daily lotto game from the Nebraska Lottery. Players select four numbers, each from a separate set of digits from 0 through 9, for a chance to win up to $6,000. Players choose one of six bet types to set their play style and potential prizes. The odds of winning the $3,125 prize in Nebraska Pick 4 are 1 in 10,000.
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LINCOLN, Neb. — One month ago, on the heels of a breakthrough performance by Emmett Johnson against UCLA, Nebraska launched a Heisman Trophy push for the junior running back.
Johnson enjoyed the limelight. Fans flocked to see him during an appearance in downtown Lincoln and at the high school championship games inside Memorial Stadium. He traveled home to Minneapolis during the Huskers’ bye week and visited his high school, Academy of Holy Angels. He had stopped in previously, but this trip was different.
“It was like a celebrity came to the school,” Holy Angels coach Jim Gunderson said.
In the final two games of the regular season with Nebraska, Johnson rushed for 320 yards, but the Huskers lost them in ugly fashion against Penn State and Iowa to cap a 7-5 regular season. As fast as the Heisman campaign began, it was over — but worthwhile, nonetheless.
Johnson ran this season in part so that running backs at Nebraska who follow him can fly. He leaves Nebraska with a sterling legacy.
On Wednesday, Johnson became the first Nebraska player to receive first-team All-America mentions since linebacker Lavonte David in 2011 — and the fourth running back in the past 70 years, matching Mike Rozier (1982 and ’83), Jarvis Redwine (1980) and Jeff Kinney (1971). His final year ranks among the top five in school history by a running back. Stack it alongside Rozier’s 1983 Heisman season, Lawrence Phillips in 1994, Ahman Green in 1997 and Ameer Abdullah in 2013.
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule and his staff aim to use Johnson’s success to help bring backs to Lincoln who can finish what he started.
“It’s very much not in vogue anymore not to wait your turn,” Rhule said. “Sometimes, it’s like, ‘I’ll just go here and do this, just go there.’ But guys like Emmett had chances. And they stayed. And he deserves everything that he’s getting.”
Johnson was named the Big Ten running back of the year, a first at Nebraska. Last Friday, he declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, foregoing his final season of eligibility and the Dec. 31 Las Vegas Bowl.
High praise for the B1G’s top back@Emmett21Johnson pic.twitter.com/g7EhpUE2EP
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) December 11, 2025
What separated Johnson this year?
• His 1,130 yards in Big Ten play were the most by a Power 4 back in conference play. He stands alone with 1995 Heisman winner Eddie George as the only Big Ten players to total 1,100 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards in one season of league play.
• Johnson led the nation by accounting for 40.8 percent of his team’s total yards.
• He was the fourth FBS player since 2017 to average 120 yards rushing and 30 yards receiving.
• His 1,821 yards from scrimmage and 1,451 rushing ranked second and third, respectively, in the FBS.
In form true to his roots, Johnson proved wrong skeptics who believed he could not handle 20 carries per game in Big Ten play.
Does everyone realize how freaking good Emmett Johnson is for @HuskerFootball ? Dude is a straight balla. Quick, decisive, tough, great as a receiver. One of the most underrated RB’s in the Country!
— David Pollack (@davidpollack47) November 28, 2025
“He has always had that chip to prove people wrong and be great,” Gunderson said. “This is how he envisioned it going, and he wasn’t going to be denied.”
Four years ago, on a Sunday in mid-December, less than a week before the signing period opened, Johnson accepted a Nebraska scholarship offer. Ron Brown extended it.
A month earlier, Scott Frost, the Nebraska coach from 2018 to 2022, fired four offensive assistants. Brown, with 24 years of experience as a Nebraska assistant under three head coaches, was elevated late in that season from offensive analyst to running backs coach. He reviewed tape of Johnson, who scored 42 touchdowns and rushed for 2,500 yards at Holy Angels in 2021.
And Brown wondered why no big school had snatched up Johnson.
“I was perplexed,” Brown said. “Because when I saw Emmett play, I thought, ‘This guy is special.’”
Brown had recruited Abdullah from high school in Alabama to Nebraska in 2011. And Brown coached Abdullah in his back-to-back 1,600-yard seasons as a junior and senior before an NFL career that continues this year in its 11th season. In Johnson, Brown saw some of Abdullah’s vision, change of direction, endurance and ability to recover.
Brown quizzed Gunderson, the Holy Angels coach, about Johnson.
“I probably threw 100 questions at him,” Brown said, “looking for something that might be a little bit off, something that I had missed.”
Nothing.
“Coach Brown could just see the intangibles,” Gunderson said, “the stuff that isn’t measured. He saw the potential and the kind of kid who was going to work and who believed in himself.”
Johnson started six games as a redshirt freshman in 2023. He started five in 2024 and found his rhythm in the Nebraska offense when Dana Holgorsen arrived as coordinator last season. In December 2024, Johnson considered entering the transfer portal.
Holgorsen’s commitment helped get him to stay.
“ I think he just wanted to know that somebody had a plan for him,” Gunderson said.
The plan was never to leave Nebraska early. Johnson simply wanted the chance to receive a heavy workload.
He got 32 offensive touches against Cincinnati in the 2025 opener, 24 against Michigan, 23 against Maryland and 29 against Northwestern. In November, after quarterback Dylan Raiola was injured, Johnson stacked three games with 31 opportunities apiece and a 27-touch effort against Penn State.
“This dude really did what he said he was going to do,” Nebraska tight end Luke Lindenmeyer said.
His reliability never came into question.
“I’m so proud of Emmett, man,” senior cornerback Ceyair Wright said. “I think his success is a product of who he is as a person, how he treats people and the work that he puts in.”
Emmett Johnson shouldered a heavy load late in the season, garnering 27-plus touches in each of his final five games for Nebraska. (Harry How / Getty Images)
His humility and care for others rate as Johnson’s most admirable trait. Johnson said he wanted to share credit with his teammates for the accomplishments of this season. He rushed for 177 yards in the first half against Iowa and 217 for the game. But he stressed in the aftermath that he felt badly for older teammates who played their final games in Lincoln on Black Friday.
Turns out, he was among them. Johnson takes pride, he said, in building a new reputation for Nebraska running backs — more than a decade after Abdullah departed, three decades after Green and 42 years after Rozier’s Heisman.
“It matters a lot,” Johnson said, “because Nebraska is a special place. I want to be able to have recruits look at this place and know it’s special. It is special. I’m blessed to be the one doing that and helping. It’s bigger than just football.
“There are a lot of great humans here. That’s what I want to help push.”
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