What's Brett Lindstrom Up To?

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
For all these years, we Nebraskans wonder just how popular
the backup quarterback in our state really is. Well, we're
about to find out. Brett Linstrom, the nice guy, former
Republican state Senator Husker backup quarterback, dropped a grenade in
the middle of what shapes up to be the most
competitive race for governor in thirty six years. He will

(00:20):
run as a third party nonpartisan against him battle GOP
incumbent Jim Pillen and Democrat former State Senator Lynn Walls.
Walls is the most credible Democrat to run for governor
since Ben Nelson. Pillin, the Columbus livestock billionaire, has amassed
a campaign war chest of ten million dollars, enjoys universal recognition,

(00:42):
is smart, tough, aggressive, survived a near death accident two
years ago, and still evokes memories of Gridon glory as
a former player himself. So what the hell is Linstrom doing?
It's a good question, and one that need not be
answered unless he can secure the signature of four thousand
registered voters with at least seven hundred and fifty from

(01:05):
each of the three congressional districts in thirty two days.
If so, we have a three way race. Pillan one
four years ago, beating back Lindstrom, Trump backed businessman Charles
Herbster and six other Republicans in the May twenty twenty
two primary, got thirty three percent, pretty good in a

(01:25):
field of nine. Lindstrom that night one just four counties
and finished third. Attack ads financed by sitting GOP Governor
Pete Ricketts, didn't help. In the general, Pillan walloped state
Senator Carol Blood with nearly sixty percent of the vote.
He was largely unknown save for one special gift. Nebraskans

(01:45):
from two generations remember how his heroics saved upsets of
Mighty Alabama and Oklahoma back in the seventies. But Blood
got thirty six percent, running almost a stealth campaign. That
number in mind, it matters a lot today. Here is
the reality without a party structure, a statewide organization, volunteers,

(02:09):
county chairs, at least six million dollars to spend and time.
He only has one hundred and sixteen days from today
if he gets the signatures in a state where retail,
not media politics wins. Brett Linstrom is staring up the
face of the political matter horn On the issues he

(02:30):
and Pilinara mirror. Both believe in low taxes, investing in education, deregulation,
safe spaces for girls, zero tolerance for abortion. Once in
a while, a third party cowboy wins when the other
two stumble face scandals, or there is a very divisive
issue on which the rogue can capitalize. Since World War II,

(02:52):
only seven third party candidates have ever won a race
for governor in the whole country. Lindstrom must belave a
funk of Pillan's voters from twenty twenty two will leave
him unhappy about unkept promises, the property tax relief, an
occasional deaf ear to the business community, and his running
afoul with some state laws regarding no bid contracts. Lindstrom

(03:17):
is banking on sagging poll numbers for the president. It's
a midterm race, which almost always means depressed turnout. Independents
don't like either of them, and Nebraskans are ready to
pull out an old, populous technique of bouncing incumbent Republicans
from Norbert Teeman to Jean Stothart just because so, let's

(03:39):
shuck this corn down to the cob. It is quite
probable Walls will do at least five points better than Blood,
which puts her at forty one percent of the vote.
To beat her, Pillan would need forty two percent. Between
those two, then is eighty three percent of the vote.
But wait, there's more. Rick Beard, the Omaha bar owner

(04:00):
and cannabis shepherd, is on the ballot. He will have
new and exclusive voters who believe in the economic and
social benefits of legalizing cannabis. What if he gets three percent?
Not possible? Ask Al Gore about Ralph Nader's three percent
in Florida in two thousand. If Beard gets three percent,

(04:21):
that covers eighty six percent of the vote. If Brett
Linstrom were to garner fifteen to seventeen percent, Lynn Walls
will be taking the oath in January, with one hundred
and sixteen days until election day, could it be possible
for Brett Linstrom to get forty two percent save for
a major scandal and the Pillar end or Walls campaigns. No,

(04:44):
The governor's people shouldn't worry about a Linstrom win. They
should worry about him getting seventeen percent.