President Donald Trump told the crowd in Grand Island Monday to pretend that he is on the ballot this November.
Trump, during his rally speech at Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, announced an executive order that allows anyone to use red-dyed diesel, waiving the off-road requirement and allowing anyone to purchase it for any reason.
Trump said the order should “assure” Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts and Gov. Jim Pillen of reelection.
It’s been roughly 20 years since the last presidential visit to Grand Island. Then-President George W. Bush visited in 2006, during the tail end of that year’s midterm election campaign. Former Gov. Ben Nelson won another term in the U.S. Senate against Ricketts that year.
Ricketts, now a U.S. senator, is in a bitter race against nonpartisan candidate Dan Osborn. The Ricketts campaign was handing out signs saying “I’m Billy Bob!” and “I’m Mary Jane!” — referring to Osborn’s comments about hypothetical Red Cloud Trump supporters.
The Trump visit comes as the political environment for Republicans has worsened. Nebraska was just one stop for the president on a midterm campaign blitz to shore up red states. Before Trump went on stage, Ricketts hit his campaign-trail classics when talking about his opponent, calling Osborn a Democrat and mentioning audio leaks and Osborn paying his family for campaign work.
Ricketts, in a joke he often tells on the campaign trail, asked the audience to vote 10 times but not the “Democrat way,” meaning he wants them to bring along people they know to vote.
“We will keep Nebraska red,” Ricketts told the crowd.
Trump jokingly said both Ricketts and Pillen are always asking for money for the state. Trump followed Ricketts’ lead, calling Osborn a “fake independent,” adding that Ricketts is a true warrior. Trump also mentioned Democratic gubernatorial challenger Lynne Walz, saying she is related to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, whom he called probably the worst governor ever.
Lynne is related to Tim Walz through her husband, who is a distant cousin.
The president highlighted his record — blaming “fake news” for people not knowing about his successes — and touted the tax cuts from his “big beautiful bill,” a secured border and the economy.
“We were a dead country a few years ago. … Now we’re the hottest country ever on that,” Trump told the crowd.
Trump went on to say that the U.S. is kicking “Iran’s ass.” The president added that higher gas prices are just a small price to pay.
“[Iran] can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles or San Diego. This is a very small price to pay. It’s essentially almost over with,” Trump said.
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, 3rd District Rep. Adrian Smith, Pillen and Ricketts spoke before Trump took the stage.
The Osborn campaign released a statement thanking Trump for announcing his support for “right to repair” laws and for expanding access to red-dyed diesel.
“Dan is glad to have Trump’s support in his fight for these policies against corrupt billionaires like Pete Ricketts, who takes money from John Deere and puts their profits over our farmers,” the statement reads. “Dan urges Pete to join the club and start pushing for these commonsense measures.”
Walz, in a campaign statement, said, “Political attacks won’t lower anyone’s property taxes or reopen a single market for our farmers. Nebraskans deserve a governor whose word actually means something. I’m ready to show up for you.”
The Nebraska Democratic Party held a protest near the venue. The general election is Nov. 3. Early voting has already started.
