LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – The pressure is mounting for Chris Janicek, Nebraska’s Democratic nominee for U-S Senate, to resign because sexually inappropriate texts about a female staffer.
The 28,000-member Nebraska State Education Association, one of the most powerful unions in the state, pulled its support Wednesday from Janicek, barred him from participating in any of its activities, and urged him to withdraw for the November ballot..
Union President Jenni Benson said students and teachers in Nebraska “deserve candidates and elected representatives who uphold the highest standards” and that Janicek’s “inappropriate comments are evidence” of his “inability to meet those standards.”
Meanwhile, the 2 women who finished closest to Janicek in last month’s primary issued statements also calling on Janicek to give up the nomination
Angie Phillips, who finished 2nd, said Janicek “embarrassed himself… the Democratic Party, and the state of Nebraska,” adding that “his behavior has no place in our government and his name has no place on our ballot.”
Phillips edged Alish Shelton by just a few hundred votes in the primary, but said she was endorsing Shelton for the nomination if Janicek drops out because of the moment created by the Black Lives Matter movement. Philips is white; Shelton is black.
Shelton said she believed Janicek will do the right thing and step down, even though he repeated his position that he apologized to the now-former staffer who was the target of the texts and won’t give up the nomination.