Op-ed: Brent Comstock would bring independent approach to NU Board of Regents
Matt Williams
Banker, Former State Senator; former Nebraska State Chamber Interim President
Voters deserve a complete picture when choosing who will help govern the University of Nebraska. That assessment should include professional experience, political involvement and policy proposals. It should also include character, independent judgment and the way candidates conduct their campaigns.
As a Republican whose career has included community banking, legislative service and leadership in statewide and national business organizations, I value the ability to work across political differences. The NU Board of Regents is a nonpartisan body, and its members should put the university’s mission ahead of party loyalty. I support Brent Comstock for the Board of Regents because I believe he brings the independent judgment and collaborative approach that responsibility requires.
Over his years in business, Brent has worked for Democratic campaigns, and his firm has served Republican clients. Those relationships are appropriate subjects for public examination, but they should be presented accurately and in context. Publicly available political activity should not, by itself, be characterized as a concealed affiliation.
His professional work also extends beyond campaigns to organizations involved in health care, energy, broadband, rural development and the arts. A fair assessment should consider the breadth of that experience rather than reduce a business career to the political affiliations of selected clients.
Political disagreements are inevitable. The more important question is whether a candidate can exercise independent judgment, respect differing views and remain focused on the university’s mission.
Campaign conduct offers voters one indication of those qualities. Candidates should be accountable not only for their public statements, but also for how their campaigns engage supporters, critics and people who choose to endorse an opponent.
Seeking endorsements is a legitimate part of campaigning. Pressuring supporters to abandon an independent decision or questioning their political convictions because of that decision is not constructive leadership. Brent Comstock supporters have reported receiving unsolicited calls from campaign staff and elected officials backing Jeremy Hosein, urging them to switch their support.
I have experienced pressure to change my own endorsement. I respect the choices of friends supporting Hosein, and I expect that respect to work both ways. Asking for support is appropriate; badgering people after they have made their decision is not.
The same principle applies to university governance. A regent must be able to ask difficult questions, disagree with colleagues and cast an independent vote without facing demands for political conformity.
My experience in public service has reinforced the importance of that independence. The Board of Regents needs members who can build productive relationships without surrendering their judgment.
My conversations with Brent have consistently focused on students, faculty and staff — and on practical steps to grow enrollment, keep college affordable and help graduates build their futures in Nebraska. He understands that enrollment, affordability and financial stability must be addressed together, with stronger employer partnerships and respect for the expertise that makes the university successful.
Brent brings the approach of a builder: listen carefully, ask difficult questions, bring capable people together and hold himself accountable for results. That is the collaborative, independent leadership our nonpartisan Board of Regents needs, not demands for political conformity.
I support Brent Comstock because I trust his judgment, respect his character and believe in his commitment to Nebraska.
He has earned my confidence that he will put the university’s mission ahead of party loyalty and students’ futures ahead of political pressure. Brent Comstock is the right choice for the Board of Regents, and I urge voters to join me in supporting him.
Matt Williams is a banker, former Nebraska State Senator and former interim President of the Nebraska State Chamber.
