6 | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2014
DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM
CANDIDATES FOR SENATE
CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR
COURTESY PHOTOS
PETE RICKETTS
Age: 50 Party: Republican Hometown: Omaha Pete Ricketts, a former TD Ameritrade executive and Republican National Committee representative, supports school voucher programs, or state-funded scholarships that pay for low-income students to attend private school rather than public school. Education isn’t one of Ricketts’ primary platforms, but he’s a board member and treasurer for Bellevue University and a board member of the Christian Urban Education Service Foundation. He’s a proponent of keeping God in the public sphere. The Westside High School graduate got his bachelor ’s degree in biology and MBA from the University of Chicago. Ricketts, who says his real-world business experience has prepared him to address Nebraska’s economy, worked as a customer services representative in his family’s business, TD Ameritrade. He went on to hold several roles before becoming chief operating officer. He left the company in 2006 to run for Senate and was primarily known for his great wealth at the time, spending more than $12 million of his own money on the campaign. Ricketts’ stances on other economic and social issues are conservative. He opposes tax increases on the wealthy, abortion rights, medical marijuana legalization and samesex marriage.
CHUCK HASSEBROOK
Age: 59 Party: Democrat Hometown: Lyons, Nebraska A former University of Nebraska regent and executive director of the Center for Rural Affairs, Chuck Hassebrook says he has a unique understanding of both the Universi-
ty of Nebraska-Lincoln and the state’s rural culture. Because of this, Hassebrook is running on the platforms of increasing investments into the universities. He argues the University of Nebraska is the singular most important public institution in the state. Hassebrook wants to invest in higher education to achieve long-term prosperity. He also plans to invest in early-childhood education and job-training programs, providing the state with both short and longterm tracks to give Nebraskans the skills and opportunities they need to succeed. Hassebrook has also voiced strong support to increase the state’s minimum wage, which will increase to $9 an hour if Nebraskans approve the change on Tuesday. Additionally, Hassebrook supports civil unions for same-sex couples. He also backs the legalization of cannabis oil, if approved by scientific research, for medical uses on a case-by-case basis. He began his political career in grassroots politics with the Center for Rural Affairs, located in Lyons, Nebraska. The center, which was created by rural families who want to make sure rural farmers were represented in politics, employed Hassebrook for 36 years, 18 of which he was the executive director. During his tenure, he worked with more than 10,000 small businesses in Nebraska to provide loans and business planning. Hassebrook also served as a regent on the NU Board of Regents from 1995 to 2013. On the board, he worked to make college more affordable for students from median income families and helped create the Rural Futures Institute. -COMPILED BY KELLIE WASIKOWSKI AND ALI PAASCH NEWS@ DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM
COURTESY PHOTOS
BEN SASSE
Age: 42 Party: Republican Hometown: Fremont, Nebraska Education: Bachelor ’s from Harvard, aster ’s from Oxford and St. John’s, Ph.D from Yale Profession: President of Midland Universityin Fremont Ben Sasse was previously chief-of-staff for Congressman Jeff Fortenberry and assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the George W. Bush administration. Sasse’s campaign in the Senate race has provided glimpses into his conservative views on national security, gun control and government expenditures, as well as a notably fierce criticism of Obamacare. Although his campaign doesn’t include a particular education agenda, Sasse has served as president of Midland University in his hometown since 2010 and is credited with its progress as Nebraska’s fastest-growing school for the past four consecutive years, as well as its four-year graduation guarantee, MBA program and newly added athletic teams and performing arts initiatives. Sasse is a self-described “fixer of broken institutions” and recently took failing Dana College under Midland’s wing in an effort to continue providing post-secondary education options for as many Nebraska students as possible. His campaign endorsements include FreedomWorks, the Family Research Council, the Nebraska Farm Bureau and several politicians, such as former Nebraska governor, Kay Orr, 2012 vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan and former chairman of the Nebraska Republican Party Mark Fahleson. -COMPILED BY KAYLIE ERICSON
DAVE DOMINA
Age: 63 Party: Democrat Hometown: Coleridge, Nebraska Education: Graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law in 1972 Profession: Lawyer, holds active bar admissions in Nebraska, Missouri, Michigan and New York. Served as a Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Army. Dave Domina, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, takes pride in being “all Nebraskan.” He was born in Laurel, raised on a farm in Coleridge and graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1972. Nowadays, Domina raises three kids alongside his wife, Carol, and runs a law firm based in Omaha. Since 2012, he and his firm have been arguing for opponents of the Keystone XL Pipeline, a case that has gained national attention. But attention may be something Domina’s used to, as this November won’t be Domina’s first election. In 1986, he placed second in the election for Democratic Primary for governor. Since then, he’s taken some strong stances in his campaign. One of Domina’s biggest focuses is to achieve tax fairness by closing tax loopholes that aid the wealthy and big businesses. Domina also supports marriage equality, the Affordable Care Act and gender equality (such as equal pay). One issue that relates to college students is Domina’s stance on interest rates and loan debt. On Oct. 6, Domina sat down with two other candidates running for the Senate. He made sure to voice his stance to the students and informed them of his goals to lower federal interest rates and eliminate loan debt at for-profit institutions while in office. Such an
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