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Contact: Rhonda Porter: 402-391-2273, Dave Nabity: 402-618-6759

Nabity Says Hedging on Debates Not Good for Nebraska

(Omaha—December 2, 2005) Republican candidate for governor, Dave Nabity, today said the other two gubernatorial candidates’ disinterest in a request for a series of debates shows little concern for news organizations and communities who have stepped forward to host debates outside of Omaha and Lincoln. He challenged the candidates to rethink their positions and make a bigger effort to reach out to Nebraskans and give citizens who live outside of Lincoln and Omaha the chance to be better informed before the primary election. He said it is clear that the citizens would like to see these candidates face-to-face in a public forum of debate.

Nabity yesterday issued a request by letter to Governor Dave Heinemann and U.S. Representative Tom Osborne for a series of eight debates before the Republican primary. “We need to do a series of separate debates,” Nabity said, “rather than lumping too many subjects into just three debates, where the candidates’ answers would be insufficient to give the voters a clear idea of their stands on the issues.”

In response to Nabity’s requests, Representative Osborne said he could not fit more than three debates into his schedule. Goverrnor Heinemann’s office issued a statement saying he is not prepared to discuss the issue of debates at this time.

“It appears that my two opponents are afraid of debating me in an expanded format,” Nabity said, “which is fascinating, given that they’re the ones with policy staffers who can develop all of their talking points and do their research on the issues for them. It can’t be that difficult for them to prepare for issues that, as our elected officials, they should already be working on. In addition, they are constantly traveling the state anyway, so stopping outside of Omaha and Lincoln in many of the important communities of Nebraska for a one-hour or so debate should be a piece of cake for them.”

Nabity pointed out that Representative Osborne travels home to the Third District from Washington D.C. nearly every weekend, and that is where most of the debates are slated to take place. Governor Heinemann also has already demonstrated that he is willing to travel Nebraska extensively, Nabity said.

In the letters to the other two candidates yesterday, Nabity suggested a series of eight debates held in eight different cities over a period of four months, so many citizens would have a chance to hear from the candidates in person. Media companies from Kearney, Lincoln, Grand Island, McCook, Norfolk, North Platte, Omaha and Scottsbluff already have agreed to sponsor the debates in each town, and would help distribute news of the debates across the state. He said the topics of the debates should be decided on by the candidates, but logical choices are: tax relief, government spending, education reform, water policy, the future of agriculture, health care, creating economic growth and crime.

“Why not deviate from the same old way of doing debates, and really bring this election to the people where they live, and give them an opportunity to participate,” Nabity asked. “It will be great for the communities that host the debates.”

“How can the other two candidates not have time to go straight to Nebraskans and talk to them face-to-face about these important issues?” he asked. “The race for governor will dictate the future for all of us, and I think it’s one of the most important things we can do to give our citizens an informed choice.”

Dave Nabity for Governor
9140 West Dodge, Suite 100
Omaha, NE 68114
(402) 391-2273
www.davenabity.com