Across rural America, hyper-partisan politics and corporate money dominate Washington while leaving kitchen-table issues unaddressed. In Nebraska’s vast Third Congressional District, farmers, ranchers, and small-town families face mounting challenges, from extreme weather and soaring property insurance rates to struggling rural healthcare systems and trade policies that threaten agricultural exports. Despite these urgent realities, the entrenched two-party system continues to prioritize billionaire-funded political action committees and divisive wedge issues over practical, working-class solutions.
Mark Cohen, an Air Force veteran, former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for Nebraska, agricultural lawyer, and karate instructor, is stepping forward to challenge this status quo. Running as an independent candidate for U.S. Congress in NE-03 through his campaign, Mark for Nebraska, Cohen aims to give greater Nebraska an independent champion who is beholden to voters rather than to party bosses or big donors. In this executive Q&A, Cohen discusses why he left party politics behind, how ill-conceived economic policies threaten Nebraska agriculture, and why breaking the political duopoly is essential to restoring accountability in Washington.
Q: You have served as an Air Force Judge Advocate, a prosecutor, and an agricultural attorney. What inspired you to launch an independent campaign for Congress in Nebraska’s Third District rather than aligning with an established party?
Mark Cohen: I chose the Sandhills as my home thinking I was going to ease into semi-retirement. But I have been frustrated with our politics and one of my karate pals, a Bronze Star recipient, told me that if I did not like how things were, I should use my blessings and skills to do something about it.
Q: You often emphasize that the two-party system operates like an anti-competitive duopoly that rewards political extremism. How does partisan gridlock prevent Congress from addressing real kitchen-table concerns for rural Nebraskans?
Mark Cohen: Both parties reward extremism and pit neighbor against neighbor. They do this because it helps raise money. But the whole left / right paradigm is flawed because the real world is not two-dimensional. Both parties use labels to divide and distract us. This promotes black and white thinking and an “us” versus “them” attitude that makes it nearly impossible to solve problems.
Q: Agriculture is the economic foundation of Nebraska, yet farmers and ranchers face significant volatility from blanket tariffs, shifting trade policies, and rigid immigration rules. What pragmatic economic approach will you champion in Washington to protect ag businesses?
Mark Cohen: A representative should be a voice for those he represents. That means speaking out against unnecessary tariffs and a “one size fits all” immigration policy that makes it hard to hire workers in Nebraska’s ag, construction, and hospitality sectors. I’d champion a right for farmers to repair their own equipment, amending the Packers and Stockyards Act to make it easier for a Plaintiff to show harm, and strengthening and enforcing our antitrust laws to promote competition. I would work for sensible immigration reform with a path to citizenship. I remember when President Reagan signed immigration reform forty years ago; he did not demonize immigrants. I’d un-do the tax cuts for billionaires so we can fund USDA and other programs that help farmers, ranchers, and rural residents.
Q: Extreme weather events cost Nebraska billions of dollars in recent years, impacting crop yields and causing rural property insurance premiums to skyrocket. How do you plan to address these environmental and financial pressures from a fiscally conservative standpoint?
Mark Cohen: It’s not difficult. We just have to have representatives who represent the people rather than representatives who work for big, coastal donors. If we had a tax scheme more like that one that had bipartisan support under Eisenhower and for years after that, we could fund research to seek solutions for these problems. Some won’t be easily solved, but we could fund programs to help Nebraskans impacted by these severe weather events. Cutting research and programs to fund tax cuts for those who don’t need it is the wrong approach.
Q: Rural healthcare access remains vulnerable across the district, even as national debt climbs. How do your tax and budget priorities ensure essential public services and community hospitals receive adequate support?
Mark Cohen: The first thing we must do is restore the $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts that this administration passed to fund tax cuts for billionaires. Rural hospitals and clinics depend on that funding. They serve rural residents, including veterans. I’d also work to reduce the regulatory burden on rural hospitals and clinics; the cost of complying with federal regulations is a major factor in why they are struggling. I’d support preventive care because it’s cheaper to prevent a problem than to fix it later.
Q: On November 3rd, voters across greater Nebraska have a chance to send an independent voice to Capitol Hill. What is your message to voters who feel overlooked by party leaders and want lasting reform in Washington?
Mark Cohen: I understand why you feel overlooked. Our elected leaders work for their big donors, not for us. If the two-party system could fix that, it would have done so. Neither party wants to fix it. I’m a 68 year-old karate instructor. The only thing I am (slightly) afraid of is my girlfriend (the former Nebraska State Pork Queen). I won’t answer Mike Johnson or Hakeem Jefferies. I won’t caucus with either party. I will have only 1 vote out of 435, but I will use my voice to hold the feet of both parties to the fire. I’m tired of cosmetic solutions to big problems. Nobody will ever say that my greatest talent was staying under the radar.
To learn more visit https://www.markfornebraska.org/