Nebraska Legislature, District 11: North Omaha senator unopposed, except for a notable write-in
LINCOLN — In North Omaha, an incumbent state senator had a clear path to reelection after his opponent, an icon in the Nebraska Legislature, dropped out of the race.
State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha will be the only candidate listed on the ballot for District 11. The opponent he was neck-and-neck with in the primary, former Sen. Ernie Chambers, dropped out of the race in July. But Chambers reemerged as a write-in candidate a month later.
Chambers has not given an explanation for why he withdrew from the race, but later said that he filed to be a write-in candidate in an effort to drive more voter turnout, particularly to encourage more people to vote for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
"I have a conscience, which is a hard taskmaster, and it dictates that anybody who is in need of help and they can get it no place else, I would do everything within my power to help that person to the extent that I can," Chambers said in answering The World-Herald's voter guide question on why he is running.
McKinney said he isn't too concerned about the threat Chambers might pose to his reelection bid.
"I focus on the things I can control," McKinney said.
In May's primary election, McKinney edged out Chambers by just four votes, garnering 1,351 votes to Chambers' 1,347 votes. The third-place candidate, Calandra Cooper, was eliminated from the race after receiving 328 votes.
McKinney replaced Chambers in 2021 after Chambers was term-limited, and has focused much of his first term on criminal justice issues and economic recovery in North Omaha. He has repeatedly pushed for the demolition of the state penitentiary, and over the last few years, McKinney worked to convince fellow lawmakers to appropriate more than $400 million to economic recovery efforts, most of which went to aid North and South Omaha.
If he's reelected, he said he would continue to work on those priorities, honing in on economic equity, improving Nebraska's criminal justice system, and supporting families and youth by promoting more neighborhood associations and community centers.
McKinney has raised a modest amount in donations relative to other legislative campaigns, bringing in just under $35,000 between 2023 and the first half of 2024, according to his campaign finance statements. Most of his funds came in small donations, with the largest being a $10,000 donation from the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys last August.
McKinney has taken a conventional campaign approach with canvassing, putting out advertisements, attending listening sessions, making phone calls, and generally being out and accessible to voters as much as possible. While he said some voters have expressed confusion about Chambers' new role in the race, he doesn't have much to say about it. He said he hasn't talked to Chambers after he dropped out.
The monthlong special session on property tax reform this summer slowed down some of McKinney's campaign activities, but he said it also gave him some policy ideas to push next session. With renters occupying much of District 11, he said many of his constituents were dissatisfied with the lack of support to renters reflected in the measures proposed.
McKinney introduced a bill during the special session to provide an income tax credit to renters, but it did not make it out of committee.
Aside from renter support, McKinney said most District 11 voters are also interested in growing the area's economy, ensuring younger people remain on the right path, and support expanding education and health care access.
McKinney said his message to voters is to not get complacent. While he believes the district made progress during his first term, there is more that needs to get done, he said.
"I'm not done, and we're not done," McKinney said.
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