LINCOLN — The Nebraska Democratic Central Committee voted Sunday not to fill the vacancy caused when Cindy Burbank dropped out of the Senate race.
The committee approved a motion not to fill the party ballot line for the race – continuing the Democratic strategy of clearing the field for nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn.
There was only one objection. Crystal Rhoades tried to offer an amendment to nominate Kishla Askins, who was a candidate in the 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary, to replace Burbank, but it was ruled out of order. Rhoades, who is the Douglas County District Court clerk, was also a candidate in that primary.
The committee vote happened amid a lawsuit by William Forbes, who lost to Burbank in the Senate primary.
A Lancaster County district judge earlier declined to grant Forbes a temporary injunction to force the party to replace Burbank. Judge Susan Strong said Forbes was unlikely to succeed in forcing the party to fill the spot.
A court hearing is scheduled Monday morning in the case.
Party Chairwoman Jane Kleeb wrote in her court affidavit for the lawsuit that deciding not to fill the vacancy “would align with NDP’s organizational strategy and political desires to oust Republican Senator Ricketts and ensure that Nebraskans enjoy more diversified political representation in Congress.”
Burbank was among candidates accused of being a “plant” to help either Osborn or incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, an allegation all have denied. Burbank filed to withdraw one day after the secretary of state verified Osborn’s petition signatures to be on the fall ballot.
While the race is technically a three-person contest, Legal Marijuana NOW U.S. Senate candidate Mike Marvin suspended his campaign and endorsed Osborn last week. The race between Osborn and Ricketts has turned state politics upside down with multiple lawsuits surrounding it.
The candidate list in the Senate race isn’t set in stone because there might be two new state political parties — pending a state Supreme Court ruling.
The general election is Nov. 3.
Examiner Reporter Zach Wendling contributed to this report.
Originally published on nebraskaexaminer.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.
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