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INTERVIEW: U.S. Senate Candidate Chris Janicek (D) - Nebraska

Chris Janicek stops by the Siouxland Public Media Studios on October 7, 2020
Siouxland Public Media

Chris Janicek is running for U.S. Senate in the State of Nebraska.  Janicek, a baker from Omaha, made headlines when the Democratic Party of Nebraska withdrew support and resources in June and called for him to pull out of the race.

Janicek visited Siouxland and sat down for an interview about the text-message controversy that put him on the outs with his party, the uphill battle he faces against incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, health care, agriculture and the environment.

The Nebraska Democratic Party is backing Preston Love Jr. as a write-in candidate.  Love is with the Omaha chapter of the NAACP and teaches Black studies and politics at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Candidate Janicek also visited the Tyson Foods Plant in Dakota City on Wednesday night he sent his statement to Siouxland Public media after meeting with employees:

This is what is notable A\about what I observed at the meat packing plant. These are hard working people - very hard working. They are from every culture. Hispanic,  Central American, Sudanese, every ethnicity-women & men. The plants are run 24/7, Three shifts a day… Shift changes are handled with precision, as employees come and go. They wear face mask, face shields, and full personal protection garments. Their workstations are separated by plexiglass enclosures. Even the break areas inside and outside are separated with plexiglass walls. They stand at their stations while conveyor belts move slowly as they process every cut of beef imaginable. They are proud to have jobs. They have a sense of accomplishment. I want the consumers to understand that the package meats and poultry we take for granted did not show up on our grocery shelves magically by themselves. There is a human workforce behind everyone of them. The plants visibly were very sanitary… It’s unfortunate that hundreds of people had to die and get infected with covid for this to be taken seriously.  As the shifts ended I handed out my candidate forms so that people knew that I was running to represent them. Every one of them smiled and said hello in a language everyone could understand. I left with a sense of pride wanting to represent everyone of them and what they do for our country and our food supply. - Chris