Chris Janicek is a Democrat running against incumbent Republican Senator Ben Sasse in November's election. You've probably seen his simple message across area lawns that say "ENOUGH." Now, the state Democratic party is giving him the same message after these text messages sent by Janicek in a group text with campaign officials, including the female staffer who is referenced in these voice-to-text messages.
**WARNING: THIS IS GRAPHIC CONTENT** (I have erased the last names in this text, other than Chris'.)
Here is the press release that just went out from the Nebraska Democratic Party:
Nebraska Democratic Party demands that Chris Janicek drop out of Senate race after sexual harassment complaint
Nebraska Democratic Party officials have demanded that U.S. Senate candidate Chris Janicek withdraw from the senate race after reviewing sexually inappropriate comments he made about a staff member during a group text among the Janicek campaign.
In a meeting last Thursday, NDP Statewide Officers demanded that Janicek decline the Democratic Senate nomination. This would require a form to be filed by Janicek with the Nebraska Secretary of State in order for his name to be removed from the November ballot. The party has the ability to replace his name on the ballot for the November 3 election if he resigns and completes paperwork with the Secretary of State.
Janicek informed the NDP that he would not withdraw on Monday, the deadline that was agreed upon by party leaders and Janicek during the meeting last week.
The Janicek staff member, who has since quit the campaign, sent a copy of the text message last week to the party and filed a formal complaint with the NDP on Monday afternoon, using the Code of Conduct process the party put in place in 2019.
Monday evening, the NDP’s State Executive Committee (SEC) met and voted unanimously to withdraw all party resources from the Chris Janicek campaign. No SEC Member supported Janicek staying in the race.
“Our Democratic Party has no tolerance for sexual harassment,” said NDP Chair Jane Kleeb. “Our Party will not extend resources or any type of support to any candidate that violates our code of conduct and doesn’t treat men and women with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
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I've reached out to Democratic party officials to ask if they have a candidate in mind they would like to support instead of Janicek, and NDP Chair Jane Kleeb told me the following:
"I think the State Central Committee would look first to Alisha Shelton and Angie Philips who came close in the primary. In order for us to formally replace him on the ballot, Chris needs to file a form with the SOS [Secretary of State] and then we take a vote as a State Central Committee to replace the name. All that has to happen by Sept. 1."
No comment from Sasse's campaign on this.