Candidate Profile: Ann Ashford

Candidate Profile: Ann Ashford

ELECTION SET FORMAY 12TH.WHILE THIS ELECTIONWILL BE AN UNUSUALONE WITH A POSSIBLERECORD HIGH VOTEBY MAIL TURNOUTCANDIDATES ARESTILL FINDING WAYSTO GET THEIRMESSAGE OUT.OVER THE NEXTTHREE DAYS WE'LLHEAR FROM THETHREE DEMOCRATS,WHO ARE ALL WOMEN,RUNNING TO TAKEREPUBLICANCONGRESSMAN DONBACON'S SEAT IN THEFALL.TODAY WE STARTWITH ANN ASHFORD,WHO FORMERLYWORKED IN HUMANRESOURCES ANDHEALTHCARE...AND IS THE WIFE OF AFORMERCONGRESSMAN.REPORTER JONKIPPER TELLS US SHEIS PITCHINGELECTIBILITY TODEMOCRATIC VOTERSIN DISTRICT TWO."I'M THE ONLY ONEWHO CAN BEAT DONBACON IN THE FALL."ASHFORDANN ASHFORDBELIEVES DEMOCRATSMISSED THEIRCHANCE TO TAKECONGRESSMAN DONBACON'S SEAT IN 2018AND SHE DOESN'TWANT IT TO HAPPENIN 2020.SHE'S TELLINGVOTERS SHE'S A MOREMODERATEALTERNATIVE TO KARAEASTMAN, WHO LOSTTO BACON TWOYEARS AGO IN THEGENERAL.ASHFORD SAYSDEMOCRATS CAN'TWIN IN NEBRASKAWHEN THEY ONLYREACH OUT TO THEPROGRESSIVE WINGOF THE PARTY "WEHAVE DESTROYERSAND WE HAVEBUILDERS.I'M A BUILDER AND SOWE HAVE TORECOGNIZE THEISSUES THAT WE HAVEIN PLACE ANDADDRESS THEPROBLEMS."ASHFORDANN ASHFORD IS THEWIFE OF BRADASHFORD, WHOREPRESENTED THEDISTRICT FOR TWOYEARS, ONLY TO BEBEATEN BYCONGRESSMANBACON IN 2016."HE IS AN INSPIRATIONFOR WHAT A GOODLEGISLATOR DOES."ASHFORDANN SAYS HER ANDHER HUSBANDLARGELY AGREE ONISSUES, ALTHOUGHSHE'S MORE SOCIALLYLIBERAL ON ISSUESLIKE MARIJUANALEGALIZATION.STILL HER PRIORITIESARE CLIMATE CHANGEAND HEALTHCARE,WHICH SHE SAYS IS AHUMAN RIGHT.HER IDEALHEALTHCARE BILLWOULD INCLUDE APUBLIC OPTION,WHERE AMERICANSCAN BUY HEALTHCAREFROM THEGOVERNMENT.IT'S AN IDEADEMOCRATICPRESIDENTIALCANDIDATE JOE BIDENSUPPORTS, ANDSOMETHING HERCOMPETITOR KARAEASTMAN, WHOFAVORS A MEDICAREFOR ALL PLAN,BELIEVES DOESN'T GOFAR ENOUGH."THERE'S NO REASONWHY WE NEED TOTEAR DOWN OURENTIRE SYSTEM ANDSTART FROMSCRATCH ONSOMETHING THATWOULDN'T PASSANYWAY AND HAS APRICE TAG OF 52TRILLION DOLLARSOVER THE NEXTDECADE."ASHFORDWHETHER IT BEHEALTHCARE, GUNS,CLIMATE CHANGE ORWHATEVER ELSE MAYCOME HERWAY...ASHFORDPREACHESPRAGMATISM, SAYINGSHE CAN DELIVERACTUAL RESULTS."I'M NOT GOING THERETO FIGHT, I'M NOTAFRAID OF A FIGHT,BUT THERE'S NOREASON TO HAVEMORE FIGHTING THANWE HAVE TODAY."ASHFORDJON LL TAGWHEN ASKED ABOUTCURRENT REP DONBACON.ASHFORDCALLS HIM A NICE GUYBUT SAYS HE DOESN'TSUPPORT THEINTERSTS OF HISDISTRICT...INSTEAD TAKING CUESFROM THEREPUBLICAN PARTYAND THE PRESIDENT.IN OMAHA JON KIPPER3NNWE'LL HEAR FROMKARA EASTMAN, THEWOMAN WHO WONTHE DEMOCRATICPRIMARY TWO YEARSAGO, TOMORROW AT6.