Name: Bacon says he is considering race for governor
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Bacon says he is considering race for governor

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Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Please subscribe to keep reading. You can cancel at any time.Loading&amp;hellp;{{title}}{{description}}{{banner}}(renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax){{tagline}}{{special_title}}{{html}}You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.© 2022 Lee EnterprisesShare ThisBacon says he is considering race for governorShare this"Yes," Rep. Don Bacon says, he is considering the possibility of entering next year's race for governor."People call me, a lot of Republicans and business leaders, asking me to consider it," Bacon acknowledged during a weekend telephone interview."I have been considering running," he acknowledged.&nbsp;"I'm praying about it," the three-term 2nd District congressman said.There have been signals that Bacon might be eyeing a possible gubernatorial bid in 2022, particularly a trip last month far from his metropolitan Omaha congressional district into western Nebraska, with high-profile stops and media events in North Platte, Scottsbluff and Sidney along the way.While Bacon pointed out that he needs to hear the concerns of farmers and ranchers in helping shape federal farm policy as a member of the House Agriculture Committee, he did insert a plug for additional state property tax relief into the conversation during a video interview with the North Platte Telegraph."Property taxes clearly are the No. 1 issue for farmers and ranchers," Bacon said during the interview. "We've got to do better."I just want to make sure I'm representing the diverse interests in western Nebraska," he said at a meeting in Scottsbluff.&nbsp;Bacon described the trip as "a fact-finding, listening tour."I need to talk to ranchers and farmers," he said during the weekend interview while he was back home in his House district.&nbsp;"I don't have sugar beets and dry beans in Omaha," he said.But Bacon said he intends to "be very cautious" about reaching a decision about his political future after having won three straight House elections in metropolitan Omaha's highly competitive congressional district, investing&nbsp; "sweat equity" along the way while establishing himself politically.Last year's 15,365-vote victory margin was particularly impressive, coming at a time when Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was defeating Republican President Donald Trump in the 2nd District by more than 22,000 votes and walking off with one of Nebraska's five electoral votes.Bacon, 57, a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general, was first elected to the House in 2016, unseating Democratic Rep. Brad Ashford.Touching on other matters during the phone interview, Bacon said that Nebraska's efforts to reverse a Trump administration decision to locate the new U.S. Space Command headquarters at Huntsville, Alabama, and bid for its location at Offutt Air Force Base may face significant challenges."Offutt doesn't have space industry components located around the base," he noted.&nbsp;Asked about the new Biden administration, Bacon said: "There has been zero attempt at bipartisanship. It's a hyper-partisan environment in the House."House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "doesn't have a bipartisan bone in her body," he said.And does he feel safe at the Capitol after the Jan. 6 insurrection that breached security and rushed members of Congress into safe locations?"I do," Bacon said. "I feel safe."That rupture of security represented "a failure of leadership," he said.Now, Bacon said, with establishment of needed security, "the walls need to be taken down and we don't need the National Guard there. It's so ugly with barbed wire.&nbsp;"That's the people's house."Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or .On Twitter @LJSdonStay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.There have been 552,000 vaccinations in the state so far, the governor said, noting that one new national survey places Nebraska first among the states in the percentage of vaccinations received by people 65 and older.{{title}}{{summary}}You don't have any notifications.Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.Topics

Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Please subscribe to keep reading. You can cancel at any time.Loading&amp;hellp;{{title}}{{description}}{{banner}}(renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax){{tagline}}{{special_title}}{{html}}You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.© 2022 Lee EnterprisesShare ThisBacon says he is considering race for governorShare this"Yes," Rep. Don Bacon says, he is considering the possibility of entering next year's race for...

Bacon says he is considering race for governor

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