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Megan Hunt (politician)

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Megan Hunt
Hunt smiling
Member of the Nebraska Legislature
from the 8th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 9, 2019
Preceded byBurke Harr
Personal details
Born
Megan Catherine Hunt

(1986-05-09) May 9, 1986 (age 38)
Blair, Nebraska, U.S.
Political partyIndependent-Democratic (2023–present)
Other political
affiliations		Democratic (formerly)
Republican (formerly)
Libertarian (formerly)
Children1
EducationDana College (BA)
WebsiteCampaign website

Megan Catherine Hunt (born May 9, 1986) is an American entrepreneur and politician serving as a member of the Nebraska Legislature.[1] Hunt represents the 8th legislative district in Omaha, consisting of the midtown neighborhoods of Dundee, Benson, and Keystone. She succeeded term-limited Nebraska State Senator Burke Harr.[2] She identifies as bisexual,[1] and was the first openly LGBT person elected to the state legislature of Nebraska,[3] as well as the first woman to represent the 8th district.[4]

Hunt was strongly critical of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol.[5] Hunt has been critical of Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts for not wearing a mask while gathered close to others during the COVID-19 pandemic, his administration's response to the pandemic,[6] and Ricketts's choices and actions surrounding a 2020 contract with an out-of-state company for the provision of COVID-19 testing kits.[7][8] Hunt also introduced an amendment to let Douglas County, Nebraska, impose a local mask mandate, but later withdrew it.[9]

On May 5, 2023, Hunt announced that she had changed her party registration from Democratic to Independent. She said "the political dysfunction is extreme and at the national level, the parties are ideologically bankrupt."[10] Hunt is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.[11]

Early life and education

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Hunt speaking at a campaign event

Hunt is originally from Blair, Nebraska, but eventually moved to Omaha, Nebraska.[12]

Hunt graduated from Blair High School in Blair, Nebraska, in 2004.[13] Hunt earned a Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural communication and German from Dana College in Blair in 2008.[14][13]

Hunt has received Shout Magazine's 30 under 30 award.[13] She was also recognized by the Midlands Business Journal in 2011 as a member of their 40 under 40 class,[15] and was also one of Omaha Jaycees' Ten Outstanding Omahans in 2016.[16]

Career

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Hunt previously owned a boutique clothing store called Hello Holiday.[17] She also founded Safe Space Nebraska, a nonprofit organization that protects bar patrons from harassment.[14][18]

Political career

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Hunt has also been a trustee of the Business Ethics Alliance since 2014 and has been a member of Friends of Planned Parenthood since 2015. In 2019, she completed Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow.[13]

Nebraska State Legislature

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Hunt serves on the Business and Labor Committee, the Committee on Committees, the Government, Military and Veteran Affairs Committee, the Urban Affairs Committee, and the State-Tribal Relations Committee.[13] She has sponsored sixty-eight bills during her legislative tenure.[19]

I have been a Republican, an independent, a Libertarian, a Democrat, back to Republican to vote in the primary, back to Democrat... The parties are not the future. The political dysfunction is extreme and at the national level, the parties are ideologically bankrupt.

—Hunt on her political party affiliation[10]

Hunt was one of eleven Nebraska state senators who attempted to call a legislative special session for racial and social justice issues in Nebraska.[20]

Political positions and bills introduced

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Abortion
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Hunt opposes restrictions to access to abortion. In 2019, she opposed legislation that would legalize abortion pill reversal, where healthcare providers could provide information about drugs that can reverse medication-based abortions.[21] In 2020, Hunt opposed legislation that would have made dilation and evacuation in the second trimester illegal.[22] In 2021, she introduced legislation to repeal the state's ban on telemedicine consultations about medication-based abortion.[23]

Birth control for survivors of sexual assault
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Hunt has supported legislation which would require hospitals to inform sexual assault survivors about emergency birth control and make it available to them; the legislation has not yet passed as of January 2023.[24]

Climate change
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Hunt supported legislation which would conduct a study on the effects of climate change in Nebraska, during the 2020 legislative session.[25]

Education
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Hunt has indicated support for making a community college education more affordable for Nebraska students.[2]

Food stamps
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Hunt was previously critical of Nebraska's decision not to re-apply for emergency SNAP benefits during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic.[26] She also introduced Legislative Bill 121 which would allow those with felony drug convictions to qualify for food stamps.[27][28]

LGBTQ rights
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Hunt generally supports employment protection laws for LGBT people in the workplace.[2] Along with Senator Machaela Cavanaugh, Hunt engaged in a filibuster of the 2023 session of the Legislature in protest to a bill that would ban gender-affirming healthcare to transgender minors.[29] Hunt, Cavanaugh, and John Fredrickson founded a political action committee known as "Don't Legislate Hate", which aims to support politicians who oppose anti-LGBTQ legislation.[30]

Prison reform and drug laws
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Hunt has stated that Nebraskan prisons should focus more so on rehabilitation.[2] She is in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana and allowing those with previous convictions to have their records expunged.[2] Hunt also believes that investments in early education are required to help reduce the so-called school-to-prison pipeline.[2]

Voter ID laws
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Hunt has been critical of voter ID laws and stated that there is no voter fraud in Nebraska.[31]

Electoral history

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Nebraska's 8th Legislative District Election, 2022[32][33]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Megan Hunt (incumbent) 5,225 66.26
Republican Marilyn Arant Asher 1,846 23.41
Republican Katie Opitz 815 10.33
Total votes 7,886 100.00
General election
Democratic Megan Hunt (incumbent) 9,322 69.37
Republican Marilyn Arant Asher 4,116 30.63
Total votes 13,438 100.00
Democratic hold
Nebraska's 8th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Megan Hunt 3,284 56.38
Democratic Mina Davis 1,299 22.30
Democratic Josh Henningsen 1,242 21.32
Total votes 5,825 100.0
General election
Democratic Megan Hunt 7,634 64.11
Democratic Mina Davis 4,274 35.89
Total votes 11,908 100.0
Democratic hold

Personal life

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Hunt is a single mother. She is an atheist.[34]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Buhrman, Daniel (November 8, 2018). "Blair native wins Nebraska Legislature District 8". Pilot-Tribune & Enterprise. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Staff, Gateway (October 15, 2018). "Q&A with Legislative candidate Megan Hunt". Gateway. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  3. ^ "Megan Hunt becomes first openly LGBTQ person elected to legislature". KMTV. November 8, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  4. ^ Kipper, Jon (May 11, 2018). "Record number of women running for office in Nebraska". KMTV. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  5. ^ Ozaki, Andrew (January 8, 2021). "Nebraska lawmakers call assault on US Capitol shameful". KETV. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  6. ^ Bella, Timothy (November 19, 2020). "A server filmed a viral video of Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts maskless. Then she was fired". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  7. ^ Dunker, Chris (April 27, 2020). "Ricketts promises Test Nebraska data won't be sold". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  8. ^ Dunker, Chris (May 11, 2020). "Senators call on governor to end Test Nebraska contracts". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  9. ^ Hammel, Paul (August 4, 2020). "Nebraska lawmaker offers amendment to let Douglas County health director mandate masks". Omaha.com. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Dunker, Chris (May 5, 2023). "Nebraska Sen. Megan Hunt ditches Democratic label, registers as nonpartisan". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  11. ^ Megan Hunt [@NebraskaMegan] (March 24, 2023). "I am a member <3" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ^ Pluhacek, Zach (June 13, 2017). "3rd candidate in mix for Omaha legislative seat". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Biography « District 08 Blog". news.legislature.ne.gov. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  14. ^ a b "About". Megan Hunt for Legislature. March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  15. ^ Stacy, Michael (November 15, 2011). "Midlands Business Journal unveils its 10th annual '40 Under 40'". Silicon Prairie News. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  16. ^ "Ten Outstanding Young Omahans". Omaha Magazine. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  17. ^ Lang, Nico (August 14, 2019). "Nebraska's First Openly LGBTQ Lawmaker Wants to Get More Queer People Elected". NewNowNext. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  18. ^ Jordon, Steve (August 12, 2018). "Newcomer Democrats compete for legislative seat in north-central Omaha". Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  19. ^ "Nebraska Bills – Open States". openstates.org. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  20. ^ "Eleven Nebraska senators request special session to address racial, social issues". KOLN. August 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  21. ^ Young, JoAnne (December 6, 2019). "Omaha senator: Abortion reversal bill must be repealed". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  22. ^ Young, JoAnne (July 29, 2020). "Ban on certain second-trimester abortions stalls in Legislature". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  23. ^ Stoddard, Martha (March 21, 2021). "Bill targets Nebraska's ban on using telemedicine for medication abortions". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  24. ^ Marin, Johan (January 24, 2023). "Nebraska bill would make emergency contraception readily accessible to victims of sexual assault". WOWT. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  25. ^ Walton, Don (July 23, 2020). "Extreme weather planning rejected as senators question climate change". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  26. ^ "Nebraska ends emergency SNAP benefits". KMTV. September 2, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  27. ^ Walton, Don (April 20, 2019). "Sen. Megan Hunt tackling tough issues on new terrain". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  28. ^ "Legislative Bill 121" (PDF). nebraskalegislature.gov. January 7, 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  29. ^ Beck, Margery A. (March 23, 2023). "Nebraska Legislature advances bill banning gender-affirming care for children". PBS NewsHour. Associated Press. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  30. ^ Calfas, Jennifer (April 3, 2023). "Nebraska's Legislative Session Is Tangled Up in Transgender Rights Fight". WSJ. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  31. ^ Kipper, Jon (February 18, 2021). "Winner-take-all & Voter ID bills pushed in NE Unicameral". KMTV. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  32. ^ Robert B. Evnen (June 13, 2022). "Official Report of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers: Primary Election, May 10, 2022" (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. p. 31. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  33. ^ Robert B. Evnen (December 5, 2022). "Official Report of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers: General Election, November 8, 2022" (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. p. 21. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  34. ^ "Legislator Spotlight: Nebraska Sen. Megan Hunt". State Innovation Exchange. January 28, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
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