Gubernatorial candidate from Belden credits rural upbringing

BELDEN — A Belden native is sowing his home-grown ideas and values along the campaign trail for governor and hopes to harvest a victory.

Breland Ridenour, who was raised on a farm near Belden, faces a crowded field of candidates in the May 10 Republican primary race for governor. But thanks to his upbringing, he’s not afraid to put in the long hours and dedication required not only for the race but also the job.

Ridenour moved to a farmstead five miles east of Belden with his parents, Ed and Cindy, and his two sisters, when he was only 8. It was there they worked together on nine acres raising animals and crops - describing it as a sort of gardening on steroids.

Even though the gardens were expansive, much of the work was done by hand, including planting and watering by garden hose.

“The cool thing about it was, in the fall after harvest, everything we had on the table was ours,” he said.

His parents still live there and recently his sisters moved back to the area, too.

“If I could work remotely, I would move back to Northeast Nebraska in a heartbeat,” he said. “I appreciate rural areas, value the people and culture.”

Currently Ridenour works as an IT manager for The Skarda Equipment Company, and resides in the Elkhorn area with his wife, Jennifer, and two children, Dannika and Jackson.

His address may be metro but his values remain rooted rural.

“I didn’t have anything handed to me in life,” he said. “You don’t see representation in the state that relates to that, common class Nebraskans and their priorities.”

Unfortunately, in his 15 months of campaigning, he’s seen clearly the dirty side to politics where candidates come with their own agendas and pockets lined with outside interests. Having never previously run for office, the experience has been an eye-opener, he said.

“I always knew it was the case but politics are so dirty. It’s so hard to know who I can trust . . . even those within my own party,” he said.

But he’s also seen a lot of good out on the campaign trail.

“I’ve learned so much about Nebraskans, the differences between east and west, metro and rural areas,” he said. “It’s meant so much to be on the ground, shaking hands, developing those relationships I otherwise would never have.”

Along with his rural background, Ridenour touts how he stands apart from other candidates whenever he can.

“I’m the only candidate on the ground with Nebraskans,” - literally - such as talking to school boards or holding signs on the street to voice his opinion about important issues like sexual education standards in public schools, critical race theory, mask mandates and more.

He’s also the only candidate who labels himself a constitutionalist, and restoring and protecting constitutional rights is his top priority issue.

Ridenour is also the youngest candidate on the docket, and the campaign alone is proof of his lasting stamina, he said.

“I offer a lot of energy and passion that we desperately need in leadership,” he said. “I’m ready to hit that road and hit it hard every day.”