(KLZA)--An air force veteran who served as  a Judge Advocate before going into private practice is challenging 10-term Nebraska 3rd District Congressman Adrian Smith for his seat.
Mark Cohen who now lives in Lemoyne, Nebraska has and advanced degree in agricultural law and teaches Karate, is an independent candidate for the Congressional seat.
Cohen was in Falls City and Humboldt last week campaigning.
He talked with folks about what he sees as issues in the campaign which include tariffs,  data centers and diesel prices.  
Cohen also discussed what he thinks it will take to fix the issues facing the country, noting he feels the first thing to be fixed is government. Cohen says too many of the country's representatives are influenced by money from big donors.  He also said he would favor term limits and single subject bills.
Cohen says despite Smith's claims that he is a conservative, his actions, including voting to add $3.3 trillion to the debt while voting to cut $1 trillion from Medicaid funding hurting rural hospitals and and clinics. 
MSC News asked Cohen why he feels he is the best candidate to represent Nebraska's expansive 3rd legislative district.  Cohen responded that he is a veteran, an independent that is beholden to no one or no group and that he owes it to this children, neighbors and friends to try to make a difference. Cohen said America now is not the America he believed in when he joined the Air Force.
To learn more about Mark Cohen he invites voters to go to his website Markfornebraska.org.