What does it take to beat powerful opposition and still win for families? Nebraska's 2026 midterms offered two striking examples.
Nearly 70% of voters backed a constitutional amendment protecting fairness in girls' sports, and voters rejected online sports betting by nearly 10 points. The results were among several ballot victories for families in a challenging election. Behind both campaigns was Nebraska Family Alliance, one of Family Policy Alliance's state partners.
On The Family Policy Alliance Report, Family Policy Alliance President & CEO Craig DeRoche talks with Nebraska Family Alliance Executive Director Nate Grasz and Nebraska State Treasurer Joey Spellerberg about how these wins happened and what other states can learn.
A $20 Million Fight Over Online Sports Betting
National gambling corporations spent more than $20 million to legalize online sports betting in Nebraska, according to Grasz. Their pitch was property tax relief, an appealing message in a state where property taxes are a top concern.
Grasz calls it a David-versus-Goliath fight. With the opposition far outspending them, his team focused on what the measures would actually do. One detail stood out to him: Some ads promoted property tax relief without mentioning gambling or sports betting at all.
Opponents worked to bring the potential costs into the conversation, including gambling addiction, family finances and harassment of student athletes by frustrated bettors. Voters rejected the proposal, with about 55% voting no.
The Math Behind the Property Tax Promise
As state treasurer, Spellerberg looked at the numbers. Supporters advertised $166 million in property tax relief over 10 years. He calculated that works out to about $1 per month for a home valued at $250,000, and he argued that raising the promised revenue would require Nebraskans to lose hundreds of millions of dollars through online wagering.
For Spellerberg, the question wasn't whether gambling could raise revenue. It was whether the costs were worth it.
THE PROPERTY TAX PROMISE
$166 million
Advertised property tax relief over 10 years
$1/month
Estimated savings on a $250,000 home, according to Treasurer Spellerberg
Nearly 70% Vote to Protect Girls' Sports
Nebraska voters also approved a constitutional amendment establishing sex-based eligibility requirements for girls' and women's school sports. It puts those requirements in the state constitution rather than leaving them solely in statute.
Grasz says Nebraska Family Alliance had worked on the issue for years. In the spring and summer, supporters collected signatures to put the amendment on the ballot so voters could decide directly. It earned nearly 70% support, which Grasz says topped the vote share of the state's top-performing partisan candidates. He says that shows the issue resonates across party lines, even in a hard year for conservatives.
Family Policy Alliance has long championed fairness in girls' sports through its Save Girls' Sports initiative. Nebraska's constitutional amendment demonstrates one way that issue is being addressed at the state level.
For background on Nebraska's earlier efforts, listen to our previous conversation with Nate Grasz, Save Girls' Sports, with Nate Grasz.
What Nebraska Can Teach Other States
Asked what other states can learn, both guests pointed to leadership, clear communication and staying engaged. Grasz credits grassroots volunteers, prayer and public officials willing to speak up. He also says it pays to challenge the opposition's messaging rather than let it define the debate.
Spellerberg, a former mayor, says elected officials should use their platforms to address issues affecting their communities, whatever office they hold.
The conversation ends with encouragement for Christians discouraged by the midterms. Grasz urges listeners to pray, vote in every election and stay involved in the issues affecting their communities.
We don't lose when an election doesn't go our way. We lose when we quit showing up to speak the truth.
— Nate Grasz
Spellerberg adds that change also starts in families, churches and local communities, and he encourages listeners to carry that commitment into public life.
Nebraska's results show what sustained engagement can accomplish, even when the odds look stacked against you.
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