Brad Ashford’s endorsement of Lindstrom highlighted in attack ads

The name of Brad Ashford, a prominent figure in Nebraska politics who died last month after battling brain cancer, has appeared in efforts to malign GOP gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Brett Lindstrom.

The two-term state senator from Omaha has increasingly become the target of attack ads, some funded by third-party groups, as the increasingly bitter and tightly contested Republican primary contest inches closer to election day, May 10.

Ann Ashford isn’t offended or surprised that her late husband’s name has been invoked as part of the melee — but she’s disheartened by what it symbolizes about politics today.

Brad Ashford was elected to the Nebraska Legislature and U.S. Congress. He changed party affiliation four times, was elected to office as both a Republican and a Democrat, and won the respect of leading figures in each party.

Ashford had endorsed both Lindstrom and Sen. Carol Blood, a Democrat, in Nebraska’s gubernatorial primary races.

"He felt very comfortable in endorsing either one of those two as being a good steward and a good governor for Nebraska, and that they would represent Nebraska's interests and represent all individuals in Nebraska rather than just those within their party," Ann Ashford said.

She said her husband was a registered Democrat and cast his primary ballot before he died. Only registered Republicans can vote in Nebraska’s Republican primary.

Since Ashford’s death April 19, his name has appeared on mailers funded by the political action committee Conservative Nebraska and text messages from another PAC, Say No To RINOs (an acronym for “Republicans in Name Only”).

The consistent theme of attack ads that target Lindstrom: He’s not conservative enough. They’ve ramped up in recent weeks and usually cite, as evidence, specific votes he has taken as a lawmaker, and, sometimes, a few endorsements.

Some voters received mailers mentioning Ashford's endorsement just a few days after his death, some received text messages April 28.

“Democrats are supporting RINO Brett Lindstrom for Governor!” a text message read, following an emoji of a rainbow flag, which traditionally symbolizes LGBTQ pride.

The mailer and text messages listed Lindstrom’s endorsements from Ashford and former Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha. Krist served in the Legislature as a Republican and changed his party registration to Democratic when he challenged Gov. Pete Ricketts in his 2018 reelection race.

The text message also included Lindstrom’s endorsement from “the leftist Teachers Union,” a reference to the Nebraska State Education Association. And the mailer included that state Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb had given shoutouts to his running mate, Dave Rippe, on Twitter in the past. Rippe, who lives in Hastings, previously served as Ricketts' state director of economic development.

Lindstrom campaign spokesperson Pat Trueman said in a statement that Ashford was a "good man, committed to bridging the partisan divide and strengthening our community."

"Disparaging the dead is always wrong but it's particularly heinous to use Brad Ashford's good nature and bipartisanship to score cheap political points," he said.

But Ann Ashford sees the use of his name differently.

“It saddens me that PACs, especially these dark money PACs, use these — and it’s characterized, always, as dog whistles — that somehow the other party, or any support from individuals outside of your party, is somehow demonic and should disqualify you,” she said.

Ashford is no stranger to politics herself, having run as a Democrat to represent Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District in 2020. She lost in the primary.

Brad Ashford angered some Democrats when he went on to endorse Republican Rep. Don Bacon that year, Ashford said. But she doesn't recall his endorsement being used in this manner — to say that Bacon shouldn’t be the Republican candidate because he had Ashford’s backing.

“My husband's legacy is that you represent everyone," Ashford said. "The voters who vote for you are not just in your party, and that you better darn well be willing to work with everyone where there's a good idea, to get it across the finish line, or you're still going to be sitting there in a futile endeavor.”

Conservative Nebraska, the group behind the mailers and other anti-Lindstrom ads, originally targeted Conklin Co. CEO Charles W. Herbster but has more recently shifted to target Lindstrom.

Public filings show that the group is primarily funded by Ricketts and his father, Joe Ricketts. Gov. Ricketts has endorsed Jim Pillen, a hog producer and University of Nebraska regent, in the race and has personally echoed similar criticisms of Lindstrom.

The governor gave $500,000 to the PAC on March 14 and the elder Ricketts gave $100,000 on March 8. Since then, the governor has donated another $775,000 and Joe Ricketts has donated another $50,000.

A handful of other donors gave between $500 and $2,500. A nonprofit that previously targeted Lindstrom, Restore the Good Life, gave $100,000. In all, the PAC has reported spending nearly $562,000 opposing Lindstrom (all after April 5) and nearly $570,000 opposing Herbster (largely before April 6).

Restore the Good Life is the only funding source reported by Say No To RINOs, the group behind the text message and other anti-Lindstrom efforts. Andrew La Grone, a former state senator, is listed as Say No To RINOs’ treasurer and property at the group’s listed address is owned by La Grone and State Sen. Julie Slama, who are married.

Ricketts appointed La Grone and Slama to the Legislature following the 2018 election. Slama went on to win a contentious election to keep her seat in 2020, while La Grone lost to Sen. Jen Day.

A public filing for the group includes two donations worth a combined $150,000 from Restore the Good Life for the reporting period Jan. 1 to April 25 and about $149,000 spent to oppose Lindstrom.

With a week left until election day, Ricketts' candidate of choice announced an endorsement from a prominent political figure who has also switched political parties: Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine.

Kleine was one of the state’s highest-profile Democrats until he switched parties in October 2020. He’s held office since 2007 and left the Democratic Party after its state central committee passed a resolution criticizing him. He said he was supporting Pillen because “he understands that public safety and the safety of the citizens of the state of Nebraska is the most important thing in the role of government.” 

He’ll be a “law and order governor,” Kleine said, protect Nebraskans and support law enforcement. Pillen's running mate is former U.S. Attorney Joe Kelly.

Trueman, with Lindstrom's campaign, called attention to Kleine's past in a statement after the endorsement: "Just as Pete Ricketts welcomed Don Kleine into the Republican Party, Brett welcomes his new supporters," he said.

Pillen did not offer a straight answer when asked how this endorsement from someone who has switched parties in the past is different from the endorsement of an opponent who has been criticized for the same.

Later in the day, Pillen said in a statement that "the Republican Party welcomes any conservatives, like Don Kleine, that want to join it.”

“Don Kleine has been a champion in defending police and Nebraskans. He’s prolife, believes in hard work, and making life better for the next generation, like all Republicans," he said.

During the endorsement announcement, Kleine pointed to the value of a governor who represents more than the party line.

“I don’t have any doubt that Jim Pillen and Joe Kelly are gonna be (in) the governor’s office for all Nebraskans, OK? No matter who they are or what party they’re in or what part of the state they live in," he said.

World-Herald Staff Writer Henry Cordes contributed to this report.