OMAHA — All three of Nebraska’s U.S. representatives will seek re-election this year, hoping for another Republican sweep.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry , who represents Nebraska’s 1st District, is the latest to confirm his plans, saying Monday that if re-elected he’ll continue to focus on national security in his position on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and its Middle East subcommittee.

“It’s absolutely critical work,” Fortenberry said. “The situation in the Middle East is very fragile.”

U.S. Rep. Lee Terry said Monday he won’t be complacent about his campaign for re-election — a mistake he says he made in 2006, when a political newcomer came close to beating him.

“I took things for granted in the last campaign, and while I still won by 10 percent … I haven’t forgiven myself for taking last year for granted and not working as hard as I could have,” said Terry, who’s in his fifth term in the House. “I will not do that again this year.”

In 2006, Democrat Jim Esch surprised many with a stronger-than-expected showing despite no political experience and little party funding.

This year, Terry’s not taking any chances.

“I’ve decided to run again because there’s so much unfinished business that I’m involved with,” Terry said.

Terry will face a challenge in the 2nd House District from Democrat Richard Carter of Bellevue, a captain in the Air Force Reserve and an economics professor.

Carter said Nebraskans are tired of the politics of division, fear and intimidation.

“With all the problems that we face, it would have been easy for us to throw our hands up in disgust, to become cynical, to withdraw from the process,” Carter said.

But he said there’s too much at stake to sit on the sidelines.

“It is time for a new generation of leadership to step forward and actually lead,” Carter said.

Carter said his experience in the Air Force, which included flights over Iraq and Afghanistan, has prepared him to be the kind of leader the state needs.

Fortenberry said he’s been actively engaged in helping to write the farm bill and promote renewable energy.

“We are hoping again that Nebraska … will lead the nation in alternative energy production, becoming a very green state, if you will,” Fortenberry said.

Terry said he’s been leading in the House on issues including fuel efficiency and ethics reform.

He pointed to his work to halt unnecessary earmarks, including a one-year, self-imposed moratorium on proposing earmarks himself.

“I was a very lonely voice,” Terry said, but he said other Republicans are now catching on.

Terry said earmarks need to be subject to peer review and public review to cut unnecessary spending.

He hopes John McCain, who’s all but guaranteed the Republican presidential nomination, will bring fiscal reform.

“We haven’t had a champion at that high level to say we need to change,” Terry said. “I think McCain’s the guy to bring the change on how you’re going to control the budget without raising taxes.”

Fortenberry said McCain has some work to do among Republicans.

“I think that he’s going to have to do two things at once: not only lay out a vision based upon who he is but also continue to rebuild some fences within the Republican Party,” Fortenberry said.

Terry has nearly $455,000 cash on hand to spend on campaigning, according to a filing with the Federal Election Commission.

In the 3rd District, Republican Congressman Adrian Smith will run for a second term representing the western two-thirds of Nebraska.

In 2006, Smith replaced Republican Rep. Tom Osborne, who ran for governor instead of seeking a fourth term. Smith won 55 percent of the vote to beat Democrat Scott Kleeb in the 2006 election. Smith has more than $237,000 cash on hand, according to the FEC.

Fortenberry defeated former Lt. Gov. Maxine Moul with about 60 percent of the vote

Fortenberry has nearly $297,000 on hand.

He also said he’s been actively engaged in helping to write the farm bill and promoting renewable energy.

No one has entered the race against Fortenberry yet, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.