Speaking as a Nebraskan, the state has an interesting progressive history. Nebraska and Kansas joined the union at a time when there was a big controversy over whether new states would be slaveholder or free. There was a huge conspiracy to vote in slaveholding in Kansas that Nebraska managed to steer clear of and join as an abolitionist state. The state capitol building has some really interesting progressive mottos all over it and the only unicameral nonpartisan state legislature. It's also the only state in which corporate agriculture cannot own farms or ranches and public power districts are the norm. Too bad it's so solidly red right now.