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Gov. Pete Ricketts warned the state’s Republicans in an email about the “creep of socialism” into Nebraska politics.

His Nov. 20 fundraising message called on donors to fund the Nebraska Republican Party and its candidates because Nebraska Democrats are “building a progressive machine.”

On Monday, the state’s top Democrats delivered large plastic containers of baby rattles to the offices of Ricketts and two fellow Republicans, Reps. Don Bacon and Jeff Fortenberry, and “apologized” for rattling the state’s GOP officeholders.

Nebraska Democratic Party Chairwoman Jane Kleeb said Nebraska Democrats view Ricketts’ email as a “huge compliment” and a sign that Republicans are worried about Democratic momentum.

“We’re nowhere near where the Republicans are in this state, but we are working to build the infrastructure here to win elections,” she said.

Nebraska’s two U.S. senators and three representatives in the House of Representatives are Republicans, as is every statewide officeholder.

Republicans hold a more than 200,000-voter registration edge over Democrats in Nebraska, though Omaha and Lincoln have trended Democratic in recent years.