Ex-CSU chief looks toward Capitol Hill

By Bobby Grennen
News Editor

A former CSU president is ready to take on the United States Congress.

Jim Esch recently announced his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District.

He is the first member of the Democratic party to seek the nomination, the winner of which will face current Republican Congressman Lee Terry in next year’s general election.

Esch, 29, earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1998 from Creighton and graduated from the Creighton School of Law in 2000.

“ I really wanted to find a race that would make a difference,” Esch said. “People are ready for change at a national level. Many of us were lucky enough to live the way we live, and we need to make sure we provide that same opportunity for future generations.”

Esch said he and his election team are still in the process of formulating their core stances and concepts, but he touched on several issues that he feels are quite important, including education, energy, the war on terror and government funding.

He thinks things can be done immediately to avoid problems with the energy crisis.

“ I don’t think that fossil fuels will run out in our or our children’s lifetime, but I do feel that affordable fossil fuels will quickly pass us by if we don’t do something about it,” Esch said.

“ We want to challenge people to think about things that are often overlooked. Our focus in the next six months is to come up with some fresh, progressive ideas.”

His desire to make change while in office can be traced back to his days as the president of the Creighton Students Union. He served from May 1996 through November 1997.

“ Back then people used to be elected [to the CSU] in May, so during the summer it was a total waste of time, because people didn’t necessarily know what to do for those summer months. So we made changes so that summer [months] would be in the middle of term,” Esch said.

His time at Creighton has also influenced his political philosophy. He said the Jesuit ideal of being a “man or woman for and with others,” has especially affected his decision-making process.

“ I’ve always felt that those of us who have been fortunate should give something back,” said Esch, who opposes both the death penalty and abortion.

Following his graduation from Law School in 2000, Esch worked for both the United Way and the Steier Group. During his nearly three years with the Steier Group, he worked to raise money for several different non-profit organizations.

Esch also spent time with the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, where he helped to raise money for several local businesses to ensure a strong local economy.

Rep. Terry, a 1984 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a 1987 graduate of the Creighton School of Law, is currently in his fourth term in Congress.

Both men are Omaha natives; Terry was elected to the Omaha City Council in 1991 and served until 1998, the year he was elected to his first term in Congress.

Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District encompasses the entire city of Omaha and several surrounding areas.

“ It would be quite a statement to pull an upset on a four-term Congressman,” Esch said. “I want to make a difference; it is one thing to win the election, it is another to make the changes in Washington.”