Trump verdict response: Nebraska, Iowa Congressional candidates post reactions

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Candidates for Nebraska’s most contentious political race took the opportunity to share their thoughts on the guilty verdict rendered upon former President Trump on Thursday.

“Sad day for the country,” Rep. Don Bacon posted on social media platforms Facebook and X/Twitter.

The Republican incumbent, who beat Dan Frei in the primary election earlier this month by about 12,000 votes, also noted that while he respected the decision, the case against the former president’s isn’t over.

His post concludes with: “I have trust in our legal system which includes the appeals process.”

Meanwhile, his opponent, former State Sen. Tony Vargas, took direct aim at Bacon’s loyalty to Trump:

“Don Bacon has endorsed a criminally convicted felon for president and enabled his lawlessness. That level of judgment has no place in the United States Congress.”

Vargas, lost a close race to Bacon in 2022, ran unopposed in the primary.

In Iowa, Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra said the former president was targeted.

Kevin Virgil, his opponent in Tuesday’s upcoming primary, said it was “exactly the outcome the Communists want.”

Ryan Melton, the Democratic challenger in Iowa’s 4th District race, reposted Feenstra’s comment on his own account, labeling it “Randy ‘Law and Order’ Feenstra,” after publishing his own statement on the verdict.

“If Biden was convicted of 34 felonies... I’d find someone else to vote for. It’s that simple,” he said in part.

Incumbent Republican Zach Nunn, representing Iowa’s 3rd Congressional district, responded to Thursday’s verdict by referring to a “two-tiered justice system,” and saying that voters would get the final say in November.

Nunn is running unopposed in Tuesday’s Iowa primary.

Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds echoed Nunn’s sentiments, saying the ballot box was “the only verdict that matters.”

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, posted on both her official Senate social media accounts as well as her personal accounts, saying the verdict “was never about justice.”

Nebraska Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, both facing opponents in the November general election, issued statements Friday morning.

Fischer said, “Weaponizing our judicial system for political gain is beyond the pale. This trial and its outcome were carefully manufactured for political retribution—not equal justice under the law. President Trump’s critics believe they’ve wounded him, when in fact, they’ve only wounded our country. I expect this conviction will be appropriately overturned.”

Ricketts said, ”This trial was brought about to boost DA Bragg’s political career and to hurt President Trump’s re-election efforts. It is terrifying to see an institution so central to our republic taken over by activists trying to manipulate the democratic process. This trial has undermined American confidence in our judicial system. I look forward to Donald Trump’s appeal and hope that process will be more fair than what we have seen to date.”

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