Progressive State Senator Speaks Out Against Cavanaugh in CD-2 Race
by John Gage
OMAHA — Progressive State Senator Megan Hunt spoke out against her Democratic colleagues who endorsed State Sen. John Cavanaugh’s second district congressional campaign, saying that they were not being “honest” about the risks Cavanaugh’s run meant for the future of the “Blue Dot.”
“The thing that frustrates me about this congressional primary is the refusal to be honest about the stakes in the Legislature,” Hunt said Monday in a Facebook post. “We have a razor-thin margin right now. On some of the worst bills, e.g. Winner Take All which would do away with the blue dot, a total abortion ban, increased attacks on trans Nebraskans, any of these wacky church-and-state bills, you name it, we are only a vote away from losing.”
“It is not responsible to promise people that ‘we will not lose’ reproductive rights, the Blue Dot, or our firewall in the Legislature if key senators leave. My colleagues who have endorsed John keep repeating this fantasy. Nobody can guarantee that,” she added.
The comments from Hunt come after Cavanaugh released a campaign commercial featuring Democratic State Sens. George Dungan and Ashlei Spivey defending Cavanaugh from attacks by a Super PAC associated with one of his Democratic opponents, Denise Powell.
“Don’t buy the lies from the MAGA Republicans about losing the Blue Dot or a woman’s right to choose,” Spivey said in the ad. Dungan added that “we know Nebraska Democrats will pick up additional seats this election.”
Cavanaugh has been quick to attribute criticism of his campaign to Republicans despite Democratic Super PACs piling on attacks against his run. PACs associated with Powell, including Fight for Nebraska and BOLD PAC, have accused Cavanaugh of putting the “Blue Dot” at risk.
Fight for Nebraska has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in its attempt to get Powell elected, while BOLD PAC announced it was launching a million-dollar spend this month.
Last week, Cavanaugh told The Plains Sentinel that he believed the Super PAC attacks were helping Republicans win Congress.
“I think that it’s clear there are national super PACs attacking me who want the Republicans to win the general election,” he said. “I’m opposed to dark money attacks, and I think that anyone spending money attacking me is helping the Republicans win the general election.”
Cavanaugh’s sister and fellow State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh had previously warned Powell against going negative in the race, saying it was “sad” she was not running a positive campaign. “Can’t you be positive Denise?” she asked. “We should be fighting Trump — not each other.”
John Gage is the executive editor of The Plains Sentinel.
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