Republican Congressman Adrian Smith has won re-election to represent Nebraska’s 3rd Congressional District, a sprawling district covering 80 of the state’s 93 counties. Smith cast his ballot Tuesday in his hometown of Gering before joining supporters in Grand Island to watch election returns. Following his victory, Smith thanked voters for entrusting him with another term in Washington, saying he was “grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the hard-working men and women” of the district and called western and central Nebraska “the heartland of America.”
Smith won two-to-one over Democratic challenger Becky Kelly Stille. Also in the race was Overton farmer David Else of the Legal Marijuana Now party, Macey Budke with Nebraska Working People and Mark Cohen by petition.
Looking ahead, Smith said his focus in the next Congress will include supporting Nebraska agriculture, passing a new Farm Bill, expanding access to rural health care, and reducing regulations affecting businesses and communities. “We’ve gotten big things done in the last two years,” Smith said, pointing to tax relief, border security efforts, and opening new markets for agricultural producers and manufacturers. He added that he looks forward to traveling the district, hearing from constituents, and continuing to serve Nebraska in Congress.
