NEBRASKA CITY – Krystal Gabel campaigned for the Republican nomination for governor in Nebraska City Friday, where Legal Marijuana Now collected over 100 signatures to help establish itself as a recognized political party in the state.

Gabel, a professional writer who has previously run as an Independent for school board, city council and utilities district in Omaha, said she promotes industrial hemp for biomass fuels, new Nebraska-grown products and technology jobs.

Gabel: “When I talk about hemp, I’m not just talking about hemp in our farm fields. I’m talking about us, as a workforce in this state, being able to produce products grown here, made here, sold here, so the money stays here.”

Gabel said Nebraska voters are increasingly seeking political candidates that share their values and are seeking solutions to issues Nebraskans have in common.

Gabel: “It comes to issues. When you have issues that Nebraskans look up every day or are interested in, they are going to trust you. It’s not about money anymore. They are starting to learn that money in politics actually is greed in politics.”

She said she and Gov. Ricketts differ on issues involving hemp.

Gabel: “He’s against industrial hemp. He thinks hemp, marijuana, is what will ruin this country. What we are seeing elsewhere, where hemp is being grown, that they are actually prospering. And they are prospering because people are demanding options besides synthetic plastics, fossil fuels. They are demanding sustainable green energy and a green future for Nebraska.”

She said there are children and adults in Nebraska that suffer frequent epileptic seizures daily and they are learning that people with similar symptoms are finding relief with the use of cannabis. She said Gov. Ricketts should better inform himself.

Gabel: “He’s speaking recreationally. What we need in this state is a medical program. We don’t even have cannabis regulated so medical patients can access it.

She said safety in medicine is needed, but marijuana is widely considered to be the least of the state’s problems.

Gabel: “What Pete Ricketts is missing out on, when he says it’s a dangerous drug, the pharmaceuticals that we are selling in the state, they are very dangerous as well and they kill people left and right.

So he is denying patients an option for their health care.”

Candidates can not officially file for office until after Jan. 1, but Gabel said she feels it’s important to offer Republicans a choice in the May primary.

Gabel: “When the Republican Party has already said it supports the incumbent. That really isn’t leaving the primary Republican bid up to the voters of Nebraska. So, they need a second candidate in that primary in order for it to be a just election.”

She said defunding of education at the state level translates into talk of higher property taxes at the local level and said sales taxes are only as reliable as people’s ability to purchase. She said industrial hemp should be part of Nebraska’s tax revenue solution.

Gabel: “Once we fix out tax problems and we get a leader in there who is empathetic and listens to the people, that means we can divert taxes appropriately to disability, to education, to our roads, because, right now the money exists. It’s not being properly diverted.”

Gabel encourages people to sign the petition to help Legal Marijuana Now get ballot access in the general election next year. She said the party plans to encourage candidates who are pro-medical and pro industrial hemp.