The Dan Parsons Show

With Election Day approaching, Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District has become a battleground in the fight for control of Congress.House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries came to Omaha this week to campaign for Denise Powell, the Democrat hoping to succeed retiring Republican Congressman Don Bacon.We were there as Jeffries made his case for a Democratic majority, promising action on Medicaid cuts, health care affordability, tariffs and congressional oversight of the Trump administration.But can Powell convince Nebraska voters she’ll be an independent voice in Washington?In an extended one-on-one interview, I ask Powell to compare and contrast her positions with Republican opponent Brinker Harding, explain what Congress can realistically do about rising costs, and identify where she’d be willing to break with her own party.For more than a year, The Dan Parsons Show has repeatedly invited Brinker Harding to participate in an interview. His campaign has declined. The invitation remains open.It’s a consequential election, not just for Nebraska, but potentially for the balance of power in Washington.The Dan Parsons Show — Nebraska’s leading independent news and politics podcast.Beyond the Headlines.Watch the video edition on YouTube: @DanParsonsShow.

What issues will define Nebraska’s next governor — and what answers do voters deserve before Election Day?With the November 3 election approaching, Brett Lindstrom joins Dan Parsons to discuss his campaign, the questions facing Nebraska voters and the challenges awaiting the state’s next governor.From property tax relief to disability services and public trust, the conversation examines the issues that will continue to matter long after the campaign commercials stop.In this conversation:• Lindstrom’s vision for Nebraska’s future• Property tax relief and the impact on Nebraska families• The future of disability services and support for families• Building public trust and accountability in state government• The questions voters should be asking before November 3The governor’s race may draw attention to who wins, but the real test begins after Election Day. Dan Parsons will continue asking the tough questions and holding Nebraska’s leaders accountable.Subscribe to The Dan Parsons Show for independent coverage of Nebraska politics. Join our LIVE Election Night coverage Tuesday, November 3, starting at 7:30 P.M. Central on YouTube, Facebook and TikTok.#NebraskaPolitics #NebraskaGovernor #BrettLindstrom #Election2026

Is Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District becoming a race to watch?One week before Election Day, Democratic challenger Chris Backemeyer returns to The Dan Parsons Show as national forecasters move his contest against Republican Congressman Mike Flood from solid Republican to likely Republican.Dan asks Backemeyer what has changed, and why dissatisfaction with Washington should translate into support for him.The former diplomat discusses his work on the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, his criticism of tariffs and the Iran war, and his proposals for affordability and rural health care. He also responds to questions about his Nebraska roots, the national debt and whether he would challenge his own party.Congressman Flood has also been invited to appear.Join The Dan Parsons Show’s LIVE Election Night coverage Tuesday, November 3, beginning at 7:30 P.M. Central on YouTube, Facebook and TikTok.

Bob Krist says Nebraska’s election system is working—and he wants to keep it that way.The former state senator and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel joins Dan Parsons to discuss his America First Party campaign for secretary of state, his defense of mail voting and why he believes his experience sets him apart from his opponents.Dan asks Krist about his pointed new campaign commercial targeting Republican Scott Petersen and Democrat Sarah Slattery. They also discuss the cost of hand counting ballots, potentially expanding all-mail elections to more Nebraska counties, open primaries and Krist’s changing party affiliations.What would Krist preserve, what would he change, and why should voters trust him with the office? Hear his case on The Dan Parsons Show—Beyond the Headlines.

When Omaha father Curt Safranek requested public records about Nebraska’s review of its developmental disability assessment system, DHHS estimated nearly $1 million to fulfill the request—with completion projected for 2076.Now he’s taking the agency to court.Safranek and attorney Daniel Gutman join Dan Parsons to explain the lawsuit and the family story behind it. Curt describes how a funding reduction threatened services his son Will relies on, and why he sought communications about a proposed $420,000 consulting contract to review the interRAI assessment system.Gutman discusses the legal challenge to DHHS’s estimates and what a successful outcome could mean for public access to government records.A conversation about transparency, taxpayer dollars and the Nebraska families fighting to protect essential care.Support local journalism. Become a Friend of Dan on Patreon


Sen. Brad von Gillern and challenger Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek answer the same questions in separate interviews, brought together in one episode of The Dan Parsons Show.Our Road to the Legislature series visits Nebraska’s Legislative District 4, covering parts of West Omaha and Elkhorn, for a rematch between the incumbent and the challenger who finished ahead of him in the May primary.Dan asks both candidates about property tax relief, Nebraska’s budget shortfall, oversight of state contracts, legislative changes to voter-approved measures and services for people with developmental disabilities. Each also explains what distinguishes them from their opponent and why voters should choose them.Listen, compare their answers and make your own decision before Election Day, November 3.Follow The Dan Parsons Show for more conversations with Nebraska’s candidates. Support local journalism by becoming a Friend of Dan at https://www.patreon.com/TheDanParsonsShow

University of Nebraska Board of Regents candidate Justin Solomon is making a major campaign pledge: He won't vote to increase tuition.But with the university facing budget pressures, how would he make the numbers work?Solomon joins Dan Parsons to discuss his plan to make higher education more affordable, protect academic freedom and rethink how the university operates.A former UNL student regent and first-generation college graduate, Solomon also discusses his differences with opponent Susanne Shore, his experience leading a developmental disability services organization, and why he believes the university needs a new approach to leadership.Solomon is running in District 4, representing much of eastern Omaha.Part of The Dan Parsons Show's continuing coverage of Nebraska's 2026 elections.Election Day is November 3. Join us LIVE on YouTube for special Election Night coverage.The Dan Parsons Show — Beyond the Headlines.

Northwest Omaha and Bennington will elect a new state senator this November. But which candidate has the experience and ideas to deliver?In this edition of The Road to the Legislature, Dan Parsons interviews both candidates for Nebraska Legislative District 18: Democrat Jess Goldoni and Republican Taylor Royal.With property taxes rising, Nebraska facing budget pressures and growing communities demanding more school funding, both candidates explain how they would approach the challenges facing the Legislature.Goldoni brings experience in business, technology and artificial intelligence. Royal brings a background in accounting, financial advising and business ownership.Both address property tax relief, state spending, public education, data centers and the importance of independent thinking in Nebraska's officially nonpartisan Legislature.Two candidates. One seat. Hear directly from both before you vote.The Road to the Legislature is part of The Dan Parsons Show — Nebraska's leading independent news and politics podcast.Beyond the Headlines.