I think it's like the southeastern part of Kansas belongs to the South.
Let's take a look at the senator and governor list:
Nebraska has had 1 Democratic US senator since 1960, who was reelected twice.
Kansas has had none.
Nebraska has had 4 Democratic governors since 1960.
Kansas has had 6.
Strange...
Nebraska has had 4 Democratic Senators since 1960.
Nebraska took an odd road to electing Democratic Senators. In 1976, Omaha Mayor Edward Zorinsky believed that he had first dibs on the GOP Senate nomination to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Roman Hruska. The Nebraska GOP had other ideas and tapped GOP Congressman John McCollister, who represented the Omaha area as the organization candidate. Learning of his rejection, Zorinsky switched to the Democrats, won the Democratic nomination, and was elected in 1976 over McCollister, with a number of Omaha Republicans supporting him.
All of Nebraska's Democratic Senators were somewhat more conservative than the average Democratic Senator, but Zorinsky was something of a DINO. Zorinsky never really identified himself with the national Democratic party. He had an ADA rating around 25 most years, and was not particularly pro-union or liberal on economics. In his second term, the GOP courted him and tried to get him to switch back to the GOP. Zorinsky ultimately turned them down, but not before giving the issue serious thought.
At one time, Nebraska's GOP attempted to get Ben Nelson to switch parties. Nelson compiled a relatively conservative record (for a Democrat) in office, but he stayed with the Democrats. Nelson was socially conservative, but given that his acquiescence to Obamacare made it a reality, Nelson is unelectable in Nebraska today.
Bob Kerrey was once a Republican, although he became a Democrat prior to running for Governor in 1982. Jim Exon was a lifelong Democrat, although one with a conservative reputation while Governor.
