
A campaign flyer paid for by the Nebraska Republican Party links District 1 candidate Janet Palmtag, a Republican challenging Sen. Julie Slama, to Sen. Ernie Chambers.
LINCOLN — A Republican Party official on Tuesday called on the State Legislature to censure longtime State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha for comments he made Monday about fellow Sen. Julie Slama of Peru.
Theresa Thibodeau, the chair of the Douglas County Republican Party and a former state senator, said that Chambers’ suggestion that Slama was appointed to the Legislature because of promised “favors of the flesh” were “sexist and outright disgusting” and an “insult to women.”
“I am calling on the Nebraska Legislature to stand up against this sexist behavior and censure Senator Chambers for these abhorrent remarks,” Thibodeau said in a press release.
On Monday, Chambers took to the floor of the Legislature to condemn a primary campaign mailer, sent to attack Slama’s opponent, that included a photograph of the black senator.
Chambers said that ad, funded by the Nebraska Republican Party and supported by Gov. Pete Ricketts, was an attempt to scare voters in Slama’s district into voting against her opponent, Janet Palmtag of Nebraska City. The ad read, in part, “Janet Palmtag sides with Lincoln liberals, atheists and radical extremists.”
Chambers called the flyer dirty politics Monday and called on Slama to respond to criticism of it and to apologize to Palmtag. Slama has not commented on the flyer since it began drawing criticism in June.
Chambers said that if Slama wanted to engage in dirty politics, she should not be surprised if people repeat rumors about why Slama, whom he called a young woman with little life experience, was appointed by Ricketts.
Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln spoke in defense of Slama and said that she knew those rumors were not true and that Chambers should not have repeated them. But she also called on Slama to address the flyer.
Former Gov. Dave Heineman and Bob Kerrey, a former governor and U.S. senator, are among those who have condemned the mailer as racist. Ricketts has defended the mailer as an appropriate effort to defeat a candidate he doesn’t see as conservative.
Nebraska Republican Party Chairman Dan Welch in June said the state party made a mistake by targeting Palmtag in the flyer, which he said “was not in good taste” and “crossed the line.” He defended the mailer against allegations of racism, but said the part he objected to was that it lumped Palmtag in with atheists.
Chambers, on Monday, mentioned the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and a black slave, Sally Hemings — who bore several of Jefferson’s children — and then asked what if he used Slama in a similar way.
Some female senators objected to the comment, and Slama chastised Chambers. In a tweet later, Slama said his comments were “disgusting behavior that deserved to be called out.”
Chambers, in comments on the floor Tuesday morning, made no apologies and said that his comments were being manipulated for political purposes.
“I love women more than anyone on this floor,” he said.
Later, Chambers added, “We’re going to have some rocky roads this session, and if you want to get up and tangle with me, I welcome it.”
This is the last session for Chambers, 83, who is barred from seeking reelection this year because of term limits. He is the longest-serving state senator in Nebraska history, but his fiery speeches regularly stir controversy.
Nebraska's 49 state senators

Nebraska has 49 state senators in the Legislature. Click through to find your state senator and others.
Julie Slama

District 1: State Sen. Julie Slama
From: Peru
Party: Republican
Robert Clements

District 2: State Sen. Robert Clements
From: Elmwood
Party: Republican
Carol Blood

District 3: State Sen. Carol Blood
From: Bellevue
Party: Democratic
Robert Hilkemann

District 4: State Sen. Robert Hilkemann
From: Omaha
Party: Republican
Mike McDonnell

District 5: State Sen. Mike McDonnell
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
Machaela Cavanaugh

District 6: State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
Tony Vargas

District 7: State Sen. Tony Vargas
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
Megan Hunt

District 8: State Sen. Megan Hunt
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
Sara Howard

District 9: State Sen. Sara Howard
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
Wendy DeBoer

District 10: State Sen. Wendy DeBoer
From: Bennington
Party: Democratic
Ernie Chambers

District 11: State Sen. Ernie Chambers
From: Omaha
Party: Independent
Steve Lathrop

District 12: State Sen. Steve Lathrop
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
Justin Wayne

District 13: State Sen. Justin Wayne
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
John Arch

District 14: State Sen. John Arch
From: La Vista
Party: Republican
Lynne Walz

District 15: State Sen. Lynne Walz
From: Fremont
Party: Democratic
Ben Hansen

District 16: State Sen. Ben Hansen
From: Blair
Party: Republican
Joni Albrecht

District 17: State Sen. Joni Albrecht
From: Thurston
Party: Republican
Brett Lindstrom

District 18: State Sen. Brett Lindstrom
From: Omaha
Party: Republican
Jim Scheer

District 19: State Sen. Jim Scheer
From: Norfolk
Party: Republican
John McCollister

District 20: State Sen. John McCollister
From: Omaha
Party: Republican
Mike Hilgers

District 21: State Sen. Mike Hilgers
From: Lincoln
Party: Republican
Mike Moser

District 22: State Sen. Mike Moser
From: Columbus
Party: Republican
Bruce Bostelman

District 23: State Sen. Bruce Bostelman
From: Brainard
Party: Republican
Mark Kolterman

District 24: State Sen. Mark Kolterman
From: Seward
Party: Republican
Suzanne Geist

District 25: State Sen. Suzanne Geist
From: Lincoln
Party: Republican
Matt Hansen

District 26: State Sen. Matt Hansen
From: Lincoln
Party: Democratic
Anna Wishart

District 27: State Sen. Anna Wishart
From: Lincoln
Party: Democratic
Patty Pansing Brooks

District 28: State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks
From: Lincoln
Party: Democratic
Kate Bolz

District 29: State Sen. Kate Bolz
From: Lincoln
Party: Democratic
Myron Dorn

District 30: State Sen. Myron Dorn
From: Adams
Party: Republican
Rick Kolowski

District 31: State Sen. Rick Kolowski
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
Tom Brandt

District 32: State Sen. Tom Brandt
From: Plymouth
Party: Republican
Steve Halloran

District 33: State Sen. Steve Halloran
From: Hastings
Party: Republican
Curt Friesen

District 34: State Sen. Curt Friesen
From: Henderson
Party: Republican
Dan Quick

District 35: State Sen. Dan Quick
From: Grand Island
Party: Democratic
Matt Williams

District 36: State Sen. Matt Williams
From: Gothenburg
Party: Republican
John Lowe

District 37: State Sen. John Lowe
From: Kearney
Party: Republican
Dave Murman

District 38: State Sen. Dave Murman
From: Glenvil
Party: Republican
Lou Ann Linehan

District 39: State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan
From: Elkhorn
Party: Republican
Tim Gragert

District 40: State Sen. Tim Gragert
From: Creighton
Party: Republican
Tom Briese

District 41: State Sen. Tom Briese
From: Albion
Party: Republican
Mike Groene

District 42: State Sen. Mike Groene
From: North Platte
Party: Republican
Tom Brewer

District 43: State Sen. Tom Brewer
From: Gordon
Party: Republican
Dan Hughes

District 44: State Sen. Dan Hughes
From: Venango
Party: Republican
Sue Crawford

District 45: State Sen. Sue Crawford
From: Bellevue
Party: Democratic
Adam Morfeld

District 46: State Sen. Adam Morfeld
From: Lincoln
Party: Democratic
Steve Erdman

District 47: State Sen. Steve Erdman
From: Bayard
Party: Republican
John Stinner

District 48: State Sen. John Stinner
From: Gering
Party: Republican
Andrew La Grone

District 49: State Sen. Andrew La Grone
From: Gretna
Party: Republican
paul.hammel@owh.com, 402-473-9584,