Ashford initially nonetheless recognized as a Democrat when he reached the formally nonpartisan state Senate, however information broke throughout his first months in workplace that he was considering rejoining the Republicans. He initially turned the GOP down solely to lastly make the jump in 1989, however he introduced the very subsequent day that he’d still serve on the finance committee for Kerrey’s in the end victorious bid for the Senate. Ashford, who was a supporter of gun safety measures throughout his time in workplace, later gave up his place within the legislature to run for Congress solely to badly lose the GOP primary 53-25 to Jon Christensen, who went on to narrowly unseat Democratic incumbent Peter Hoagland that fall.
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Ashford, although, was removed from completed with politics. Daub, who was mayor of Omaha by this level, appointed him in 1996 to the Omaha Housing Authority, a physique Ashford would later chair. Ashford additionally initially supported Republican Chuck Hagel’s marketing campaign for the Senate that very same yr, however he introduced that he would no longer back him after Hagel adopted extra conservative positions on abortion and gun questions of safety. “I believed Chuck Hagel would carry the social gathering to the middle and away from the right-wing in these points,” defined the previous state senator, including, “It’s very disappointing.”
Ashford, who remained energetic in native points throughout his day trip of workplace, returned to the legislature in 2007, and he retained his image as a moderate Republican. In late 2011, although, he introduced that he was giving up his party affiliation altogether to develop into an unbiased, saying, “My political heroes all the time have been these individuals who work from the center in a collaborative method. Good concepts come from each side.” The state senator sought a promotion in 2013 when he challenged Omaha’s Democratic mayor, Jim Suttle, however he took a distant fourth within the nonpartisan major with 13%. (Republican Jean Stothert went on to unseat Suttle.)
Nonetheless, Ashford had yet another social gathering change forward of him months later. Democrats had been trying to goal Rep. Lee Terry, who had only won 51-49 in 2012 whilst Mitt Romney was carrying the 2nd District 53-46, they usually successfully recruited Ashford after Omaha Metropolis Council President Pete Festersen dropped out. The newly-reminted Democrat had a really robust activity forward of him, particularly because the political local weather worsened for Staff Blue, however Terry, who had declared during the 2013 government shutdown that he would hold taking his wage as a result of “I’ve received a pleasant home and a child in faculty,” proved to be an particularly weak incumbent.
This contest attracted over $1 million from outdoors teams on either side, and Republicans sought to guard their endangered incumbent by portraying Ashford as weak on crime. The GOP ran ad after ad charging that Ashford supported a regulation that will permit a Black inmate named Nikko Jenkins to get out of jail early for homicide, messaging that Democrats in contrast with George H.W. Bush’s still-infamous Willie Horton advertisements. Jenkins, although, gave Terry probably the most undesirable endorsement conceivable, although, when he used a hearing to proclaim, “Hey you guys, vote for Lee Terry! Finest Republican ever!” Ashford, who campaigned as a centrist, in the end unseated Terry 49-46, giving Democrats a uncommon pickup on an general terrible evening.
The brand new congressman instantly was one of many GOP’s prime 2016 targets, however this time, he had a a lot harder foe than Terry. Staff Pink nominated former Air Power Brig. Basic Don Bacon, who unseated Ashford 49-48 as Donald Trump was carrying the seat 48-46. Ashford sought a rematch in 2018, however whereas he as soon as once more had the help of nationwide Democrats, nonprofit head Kara Eastman put up an unexpectedly robust combat within the major. Eastman, who ran to Ashford’s left, ran advertisements saying that she was uninterested in listening to that Democrats do not stand for something, and she or he upset him 52-48 earlier than narrowly shedding to Bacon.
Eastman ran once more in 2020, and she or he easily won the nomination towards the previous congressman’s spouse, Ann Ferlic Ashford. Nonetheless, whereas Democrats hoped that Eastman may end the job within the fall, Brad Ashford as soon as once more defied his social gathering by endorsing Bacon and even starring in one in every of his commercials. Ashford’s seal of approval probably gave Bacon a lift, as he fended off Eastman 51-46 whilst Joe Biden was successful the district 52-46.
