Ed Dunn announces 44th District campaign

With the redistricting of the Nebraska Legislature now adopted, Ed Dunn of Grant announced Monday he will be seeking the 44th District legislative seat in the 2022 election.
Dunn said he’s been considering a run but wanted to see where the 44th District ended up before finalizing the decision.
When the final boundaries kept Grant and a portion of Perkins County in District 44, Dunn decided it was time to announce his candidacy.
Dunn, a Bartley native, said he received a lot of encouragement from Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango, who currently represents the 44th District.
Hughes is term-limited out of the Legislature after the 2022 session.
Represent rural Nebraska
Dunn said his primary motivation to run for the 44th District seat comes from wanting to ensure rural Nebraska, and especially the 44th District, has a voice in Lincoln.
The redistricting eliminated another rural legislative district, District 36, pushing it further east.
In the process, Dawson County was added to the 44th District.
While the county is more densely population with Gothenburg, Cozad and Lexington, Dunn said it’s still a part of rural Nebraska and needs those interests represented in Lincoln.
Dunn said losing a rural legislative district and making other rural districts bigger does not serve the best interests of rural Nebraska.
He wants to be the voice that helps protect rural Nebraska. Without strong representation, rural Nebraska is on the cusp of being forgotten in Lincoln, he noted.
Strong conservative
Dunn classifies himself as a strong conservative and will work to maintain the conservative values of the district going forward.
Dunn explained, “Service is just in my blood.”
His military service provides proof of his willingness to serve.
Dunn served in the U.S. Army from 2004 through 2008. He followed that up with service in the Army Reserves from 2008 to 2014.
He served a 12-month tour of duty in Iraq in 2005. He  was called up again in late 2009 as a member of the Reserves and served another 12 months in Iraq.
Dunn spent 10 years working at Wine Glass Ranch near the Perkins-Chase County line, serving the last four as ranch manager.
His political ambitions began when he ran for Grant City Council in 2018. He served on the council for five months before resigning his seat after being selected as Grant’s city superintendent.
Dunn said he checked with the mayor, city attorney, Secretary of State and Accountability and Disclosure Commission to ensure his candidacy would not be a conflict of interest.
Assuming he’s elected, Dunn plans to serve both as city superintendent and state senator.
 He and his wife, Olga, have three children, son Issiah, who will soon be 15, daughter Hayley, 13, and son Victor, who will be 11 next week.
Dunn said Olga is his silent supporter while he is the “people person” of the two.
Redistricting affects Cappel
Dunn was not the first candidate to announce a candidacy for the 44th District.
Tyler Cappel of Arapahoe announced in late August he would be running for the 44th District seat.
However, when the redistricting was completed, Furnas County, which includes Arapahoe, was moved into the 38th District.
Current 38th District Sen. Dave Murman of Glenville has indicated he will seek reelection to a second term.
Perkins County proved to be another pawn in the redistricting process.
First, half of Perkins County north of Grant was moved into District 42.
Then, all of Perkins County was moved back into the 44th District. When that move skewed the population count in the 44th, Grant, Brandon, Venango and most of the southwest part of the county stayed in the 44th.
The other three quarters of Perkins County went into District 42.