Republican Congressman Mike Flood and Democratic challenger Chris Backemeyer offer different approaches to health care and immigration enforcement as they compete to represent Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District. In separate interviews with KLIN News, both also called for protections against rising utility costs and water use associated with data centers.
Flood defended the Medicaid changes he supported in last year’s federal tax and spending law, emphasizing work requirements for recipients who can work. “If you’re an able-bodied person that chooses just not to work, you don’t get free healthcare,” Flood said. “And I think those two common-sense reforms resonate with a lot of Nebraskans.”
Flood said people unable to work because of age, disability or illness should continue receiving coverage. Backemeyer argued that the additional restrictions create obstacles for people who need assistance, including families caring for relatives with disabilities and older adults in care facilities. “But unfortunately, what they do is they make it harder for people that really need Medicaid to actually get the support that they need,” Backemeyer said.
Backemeyer wants the Medicaid cuts reversed and says rolling back tax cuts for wealthy Americans and corporations would help pay for restoring services.
On immigration, Flood called for continued funding for ICE and border security while emphasizing constitutional rights, training and an efficient legal immigration system. “We need Democrats to work with us in a bipartisan manner to make sure these two agencies have the funding they need,” Flood said.
Backemeyer said he supports strong border security but criticized ICE’s enforcement practices and the agency’s expanded funding. He called for bipartisan immigration reform and a return to the agency’s original focus. “They were created to combat cross-border criminal activity, counterterrorism operations, and that’s what they need to be getting back to,” Backemeyer said.
Both candidates said data center development should come with protections for residents. Flood pointed to legislation he supported that he described as requiring developers to provide their own power generation, and said local zoning authorities and state regulators should retain a role in protecting water resources. “We lead the nation in protecting our water resources,” Flood said. “And I don’t think it should be any different because the side of the building says Google or whatnot.”
Backemeyer called for federal standards addressing energy costs, water use and community participation, with local governments able to adopt additional protections. He also supports community benefit agreements between developers and residents. “If they don’t want them, they should be able to say no,” Backemeyer said.
KLIN’s election coverage continues throughout the week ahead of the November 3 general election.