LJS: White pledges independent House vote

Don Walton, Lincoln Journal Star
September 9, 2009

OMAHA -- Describing himself as an independent pragmatist, State Sen. Tom White on Wednesday jumped into Nebraska's premier 2010 election contest.

White will carry the Democratic banner into battle against six-term Republican Rep. Lee Terry in metropolitan Omaha's 2nd Congressional District.

"I'm a guy who works the shovel," White told a news conference at the Omaha Press Club.

Rather than serve party or ideology, he said, he prefers to identify needs, work with members of both parties and get things done.

Responding to questions, White quickly staked out independent ground on health care reform and global warming legislation.

"I've not yet seen a public option (government health insurance alternative) that will allow fair competition" with the private insurance industry, he said.

The Obama administration's cap-and-trade proposal to reduce carbon emissions would be "dangerous to the economy," White said.

It was left to state Sen. Brenda Council to sharply define Terry as a political partisan who follows the direction of "party bosses (and) reflexively votes against" President Obama.

Terry is "a proud card-carrying member of the party of no," Council said in remarks prior to White's announcement.

Reacting in an e-mail message, Dave Boomer, Terry's campaign manager, said it's "ironic that White would be negative out of the gate and then talk bipartisanship."

"People who want bipartisanship will vote for Terry," Boomer said, "because that's what he is."

With Nebraska Democrats struggling to find a competitive opponent to challenge Gov. Dave Heineman, the 2nd District House race is likely to hog the stage next year.

In addition to all of Douglas County, the district includes portions of Sarpy County, including Bellevue, Papillion and LaVista.

"I'll be the independent, effective voice our community needs in Congress," White said, "someone who puts partisanship aside and shows leadership on issues like reducing the deficit, restoring fiscal responsibility, creating jobs and increasing access to affordable health care."

White said he supports health care reform, "whether all at once or in pieces."

In combating carbon pollution, White said, he prefers incentives, "carrots rather than sticks."

As a member of the Legislature, he said, he "voted for a lot of very conservative positions," including tax cuts.

"I'm a pragmatist who will try to make people's lives better with government, not worse," he said.

White, 52, an Omaha attorney, was elected to the Legislature in 2006.