Dale Payne

Payne was born in Smith County, Kansas, in 1917, and grew up in Kansas.^[1][2] He attended Glendale Junior College and Walla Walla College,^[1] and served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.^[2] Payne moved to Bellevue, Nebraska, after the war ended,^[3] and was a building contractor with his father and lobbied for car dealers, serving as the director of the Nebraska New Car Dealers Association.^[2][1] He served on the state Highway Safety Committee from 1955 to 1959.^[3]

In 1962, State Senator Edwin McHugh, who represented the Sarpy County-based 3rd district, declined to seek re-election, and Payne ran to succeed him.^[4][3] In the nonpartisan primary, he faced Plattsmouth Mayor Grant Roberts, postman Blase Cupich, businessman Byron Brown, and Plattsmouth School Board member Chester Sporer.^[5] Roberts placed first in the primary, winning 37 percent of the vote, and Payne narrowly placed second, receiving 22 percent of the vote to Cupich's 20 percent.^[6] Payne and Roberts advanced to the general election,^[7] which Payne narrowly won, defeating Roberts, 51–49 percent.^[6][8]

Payne ran for re-election to a four-year term in 1964,^[9] and was challenged by Bellevue City Councilman Waldo Shallcross.^[10] Payne placed first in the primary election by a wide margin, winning 77 percent of the vote.^[11] He won re-election in the general election by an identical margin, defeating Shallcross, 77–23 percent.^[11]

In 1968, Payne sought re-election to a third term, and was challenged by attorney Charles Reed and farmer Orval Keyes.^[12] In the primary election, Payne placed second, receiving 34 percent of the vote to Reed's 41 percent and Keyes's 25 percent.^[13][14] Reed and Payne advanced to the general election, but on July 24, 1968, Payne ended his campaign, citing his need to attend to his business interests.^[15]