The Third District of Nebraska encompasses 68 and a half Nebraska counties and captures the spirit of the American Heartland. Spread across the sprawling Great Plains region of the central United States, my district stretches from Columbus to the Western border. Notable residents of the Third District include Edwin Perkins, the inventor of Kool-Aid; actor Henry Fonda, musician Glenn Miller, and Congressman Tom Osborne, who coached the Nebraska Cornhuskers to five national championships.

The Third District is populated by rural, agriculture-oriented communities and is anchored by the cities of Scottsbluff and Gering to the West and by Grand Island and Hastings to the East. The Sand Hills roll across much of the center of the district and provide our ranchers with some of the most productive grazing land in the nation. The Third District is also home to Cherry County. With 6010 square miles, Cherry County is larger than the states of Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island.

The Great Platte River Road Archway spans the width of Interstate 80 near the town of Kearney. The Archway is built on the historic site of Fort Kearney, where travelers on the Oregon Trail would rest before they entered the wilderness of the plains. Further West along the trail, Chimney Rock can be seen towering above of the North Platte River Valley. This 300 foot-tall rock formation served as a guidepost to travelers and has since become a symbol of the American Western Expansion.

Rich in heritage and history, Nebraska’s Third Congressional District is large in both size and spirit. It is an honor to represent the fine people of Nebraska.