Seward GOP Censures Dave Welsch

SEWARD, NE – The Seward County Republican Party County Central Committee has voted unanimously to censure Dave Welsch, who is running for re-election to the Milford Public Schools Board of Education. Although Mr. Welsch is registered as a Republican and appears on the current local slate card, his public actions and advocacy directly conflict with the Seward County GOP platform’s core principles of fiscal responsibility, educational freedom, and accountability to local taxpayers.

A censure is a formal declaration that a candidate’s conduct does not reflect the values or platform of the Seward County Republican Party. Voters who rely on the party’s slate card expect candidates listed there to uphold those principles. When a candidate uses the Republican designation while actively opposing key platform positions, it undermines the trust the party works to build with voters

The Central Committee’s decision rests on clear conflicts with the party platform, supported by public records and recent public statements:

Opposition to Educational Freedom and Parental Rights

The Republican platform supports school choice, tax credits, and parents' right to direct their children’s education. Mr. Welsch actively organized and gathered signatures for Support Our Schools Nebraska’s petition effort to repeal Nebraska’s school choice law (LB 1402), working to eliminate state-funded private school scholarship opportunities for families.

Fiscal Responsibility and Property Tax Authority

The platform emphasizes strict fiscal discipline, spending limits, and property tax relief for landowners and families. At the August 11, 2025, Milford Board of Education meeting (Item 7.2, review of the 2025-2026 projected budget), the board, under Mr. Welsch’s leadership as board president, discussed increasing the district’s property tax authority by an additional 6 percent beyond standard growth limits. Mr. Welsch also testified before the Nebraska Legislature against statewide school property tax cap legislation, including LB 986 (the School District Property Tax Limitation Act), advocating for greater local spending flexibility over hard revenue limits. In public policy advocacy, he has further argued that public education should rely more heavily on state income and sales tax revenue rather than property tax restrictions.

Cross-Party Endorsements and Alignment

Most recently, in a letter to the editor published in the Seward County Independent on October 21, 2026, Mr. Welsch publicly supported Michaela Conway, the Democrat candidate for State Board of Education District 5. He has also openly supported Lynne Walz for governor. These endorsements align him with non-Republican candidates whose positions oppose the Seward County Republican Party’s platform and core mission, rather than candidates who uphold conservative principles of educational freedom and fiscal accountability.

The Seward County Republican Party remains committed to informing voters with accurate information about candidates who represent fiscal responsibility, educational freedom, and accountability. We encourage all voters in the Milford school district to review candidates’ records carefully and support leaders who reflect conservative values and fiscal discipline in our public schools.

Media Contact:

Danna Seevers

Chairwoman, Seward County Republican Party

Seward, Nebraska Email: Chair@SewardGOP.org