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Martha Stoddard and Paul Hammel
World-Herald Bureau
LINCOLN — State lawmakers ousted a controversial Education Committee chairman, elected a new speaker and welcomed new members as the Nebraska Legislature got underway Wednesday.
It took two ballots before State Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont, a former teacher, was declared the winner over Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte, who chaired the committee for the past four years.
Lynne Walz
Mike Groene
The first ballot ended in an unusual tie vote, as one senator submitted a blank ballot. Walz won 25-23 on the second try.
Four other contested leadership races were decided by similarly narrow votes. Two of the four went to Republicans and two to Democrats in the officially nonpartisan Legislature. ....

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