OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — We heard from Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts on Monday days after Nebraska Republicans changed their own organization’s rules to oust the chair of the party Dan Welch.
Welch was replaced by Eric Underwood of Lincoln after a majority of the delegates voted to oust Welch.
The move led to a series of resignations of other party leaders, many of whom had connections to Ricketts, including NE GOP Executive Director, Taylor Gage.
Ricketts was asked Monday afternoon during the Governor’s call-in show on KFOR radio by a caller who said he was a delegate at the convention and who’s heard the transition of power has not been going smoothly.
Ricketts, a top donor to the state party, and who many consider the leader of the Nebraska Republican Party, said everything was done the correct way.
“The parliamentary process takes time and the rules were followed with regard to that convention and I’ve had conversations with the outgoing chair and the outgoing executive director to make sure the incoming chair, Eric Underwood, and his team have all the things they, have the transition smoothly and all that sort of stuff,” said Ricketts.
Earlier in the week, six delegates said they were told they were uninvited from the convention, for a variety of reasons, including saying disparaging things about Ricketts.
One of the booted delegates, Matt Innis, was arrested and later charged with trespassing and assault after an incident outside the convention in Kearney.
A few hours later Innis and the rest of the dis-invited delegates were invited back in, and many of them went on to initiate the process of removing Welch as chair of the party.
This comes at a time when Republicans hold every statewide and congressional office in Nebraska. They are also aiming at creating a filibuster-proof majority in the legislature, needing 33 of the 49 seats to accomplish the goal.
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