Omaha's U.S. House race will test candidates' ability to reach beyond party lines

Omaha, Neb., is home to a toss-up Congressional race this year. Voters have shown a willingness to vote for moderate candidates from both parties, but has the definition of a moderate now changed? MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: A few hundred miles south, there's a place in Nebraska that's known for not being predictable when it comes to how voters cast their ballots. We're talking about Nebraska's second congressional district. It's not a lock for Republicans, despite the state being red. In the run-up to the midterm elections, we asked Minnesota Public Radio's Clay Masters to help us learn more about the political leanings of voters across the Midwest. And our first stop is the city of Omaha. (CROSSTALK) CLAY MASTERS, BYLINE: High school students gather at Central High in downtown Omaha on a recent Saturday morning. They're eating doughnuts and drinking orange juice before heading out to pick up trash in the city. Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. is here to thank them for their volunteer work. UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: She was too embarrassed to say anything to you, so (laughter)... JOHN EWING JR: Thank you. Well, thank you for being here through the day. And thank you for doing that. I truly appreciate it. MASTERS: Ewing is not on the ballot this go round but whose defeat of a three-term incumbent Republican by nearly 14 points last year does say something about voters in this congressional district. Jimmie Foster is a teacher at this school and is supervising the student cleanup. …