"But, I don't want to assume that our tradition of excellence is a guarantee of future excellence."

"I will commit myself to making this state an even greater place to live, work and raise a family. I intend to reach out from border to border to hear first-hand from our citizens about their thoughts, concerns and ideas for our state."

"I believe education is the great equalizer."

"I am very proud of the quality of public education in Nebraska, but I believe we have an obligation to continually assess whether our system is meeting 21st Century education needs."

"You can expect to find these four priorities - education, economic vitality, efficiency in government and the protection of families - woven into my decisions as Governor. They will serve as my compass as I work with you to chart a future course for our state."

"The voters reward good performance. So, I'm going to go out and focus, if I become the governor, to do the very best job I can as governor. The rest of it will take care of itself."

"Nebraskans are known for giving of themselves and that quality is part of what makes our state such a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family."