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NE GOP Remains Fractured Following Pillen Primary Win

Donald Trump waves as he walks offstage after speaking at the Iowa Republican Party's Lincoln Dinner last month.
Charlie Neibergall
/
AP
Donald Trump waves as he walks offstage after speaking at the Iowa Republican Party's Lincoln Dinner last month.

Nebraska Republicans are struggling to put the bruising campaign for governor behind them. The GOP held a rally Wednesday that was intended to highlight party unity but instead showed division following the first major loss for a candidate endorsed by Donald Trump in this year's midterm elections. Fissures remained evident in the hours after the primary was called for Jim Pillen, a University of Nebraska regent backed by Gov. Pete Ricketts and other prominent Republicans. Charles Herbster, the Trump-backed candidate, appeared briefly at the event but left without taking questions or endorsing Pillen. Another top contender, Brett Lindstrom, didn't attend at all.