2026 Legislative Candidates (Primary)

Dean Helmick (R) — Plattsmouth 

Republican Dean Helmick is running for the District 2 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Rob Clements.

Helmick, age 63, was born in Townsend, Montana. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Montana. He also earned bachelor’s degrees in History and Political Science from Bellevue University and completed the Senior Executive Fellowship at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. With 42 years of service in the Air Force, his military career spanned both enlisted and officer service before transitioning to a civilian role at Offutt Air Force Base, where he served until his retirement in 2024. Helmick and his wife of 43 years, Pam, have two adult children and five grandchildren. Helmick has served as the Cass County GOP Chair.

In the Legislature, Helmick says he will prioritize conservative policies, defend constitutional freedoms, work to lower the tax burden, rein in out-of-control government, fight back against illegal immigration, defend girls’ sports, protect innocent life, and support Nebraska farmers.

Jayden Speed (D) — Nehawka

Democrat Jayden Speed is running for the District 2 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Rob Clements.

Speed, age 22, is a fifth-generation Nebraskan who lives on his family’s acreage near Nehawka. He graduated from Conestoga Jr./Sr. High School and is completing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Policy at George Washington University. Speed has worked throughout his schooling, including jobs in a grocery store during high school and other work while attending college. He currently works as an executive assistant for the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys and has been involved in legislative advocacy for several years.

Speed grew up in rural Nebraska and has said his background—including relying on programs such as Head Start and Medicaid—shaped his interest in public policy and community service. He cites his grandmother, a small-business owner and village board member, as an important influence on his commitment to public service. Speed is a member of the Nehawka United Methodist Church and has been involved in civic and student leadership activities, including serving as a student representative to his local school board.

In the Legislature, Speed has said he wants to represent working families and bring a pragmatic and balanced approach to policymaking. His campaign has emphasized expanding economic opportunity in rural communities, supporting working Nebraskans, and working across political lines to address issues facing the district.

Caitlin Knutson (D) — Lincoln

Democrat Caitlin Knutson is running for the District 2 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Rob Clements.

Knutson, age 41, was born and raised in Lincoln and lives in Lincoln with her husband and two children. She graduated from Lincoln East High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Education from Creighton University. While student teaching, she decided to pursue special education and later earned a second master’s degree in education with a specialization in learning disabilities from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Knutson has spent approximately fifteen years working in education, primarily as a special education teacher in public schools and in programs connected with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. She began her teaching career at Benson High School in Omaha and was named Benson Teacher of the Year in 2014. She has also been active in organized labor, serving two terms as a high school representative for the Omaha Education Association. Knutson is a member of the teachers’ union, and her husband, a firefighter and paramedic, is a member of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

Knutson has lived in both urban and rural parts of Nebraska. After her husband accepted a position with Hastings Fire and Rescue, the family lived near Juniata before later returning to Lincoln to be closer to family. In the Legislature, Knutson has said she would focus on issues affecting working families, public education, and community safety.

Brad von Gillern (R) — Elkhorn

Senator Brad von Gillern, 66, is the current Chair of the Revenue Committee and a member of the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee.

He has championed economic development, prioritizing legislation to update business retention and tax incentives and negotiating updates to the “Good Life Districts” legislation.  He has successfully led filibusters against expanded online gambling.

Von Gillern graduated from Burke High School and then went on to attend the University of Nebraska at Lincoln to obtain his Bachelor’s Degree in construction management engineering. Von Gillern worked across the country in construction until, in 1991, he returned to Nebraska to work as a project manager for Lueder Construction, a general contracting and construction management firm with approximately $100 million in revenue and 100 employees.  At Lueder Construction, he worked his way up the ranks to become President and CEO.  He sold his interest in 2021 and left Lueder after joining the Legislature.

Von Gillern has been married for more than 40 years to his wife, Mary, with whom he has four grown children and seven grandchildren. Mary previously worked in residential real estate until she retired. He has served as an elder board member of Lifegate Church, on the Salvation Army’s Omaha advisory board, as an officer for the Omaha Leaders, and on the board of advisors for UNMC, advocating for the Med Center.  He is a pilot, sailor, and golfer.

When asked why he chose to run for reelection to the Nebraska Legislature, von Gillern said, “While my first term was productive and beneficial to Nebraskans, much work remains. We cut taxes several times, but they are still too high, and the cost of living continues to increase. It’s important we get these issues under control for Nebraska families and businesses to thrive.” He has participated in the Walk for Life and in Nebraska Family Alliance events.

Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek (I) — Omaha

Independent Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek is running for the District 4 seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Maxwell-Ostdiek, age 59, has lived in Omaha for more than 30 years. She grew up in Iowa and graduated from Harlan Community High School before moving to Nebraska. She and her husband, Fred, own and operate Mortgage Protection Insurance Services Inc., a financial services and insurance business that works with banks and credit unions across the country. Earlier in her career, she worked in human resources and recruitment roles, including positions with TD Ameritrade, Pamida, Noll Human Resource Services, and Universal Assurors Agency. Maxwell-Ostdiek and her husband have three children who attend Millard Public Schools.

Maxwell-Ostdiek has been active in civic and community organizations in the Omaha area. She volunteers with groups, including Food Bank for the Heartland and OneWorld Community Health Centers. She serves as president of Better Ballots Nebraska, an organization that advocates for election reforms such as ranked-choice voting and open primaries, and sits on the board of Nonpartisan Nebraska. She has also been involved with the Nebraska Legislative Study Group and has testified before the Legislature on issues related to legislative transparency and archiving proceedings.

District 4 includes parts of west Omaha, Elkhorn, and Millard and is currently represented by Senator Brad von Gillern. Maxwell-Ostdiek previously ran for the seat in 2022 against then-candidate Brad von Gillern. In the Legislature, she has said she would focus on reducing reliance on property taxes, supporting small businesses, strengthening public education, and addressing the cost of health care and child care. She has also said she wants to protect ballot initiatives approved by voters and pursue election process reforms.

Patrick Leahy (D) — Omaha

Democrat Patrick Leahy is running for the District 6 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Machaela Cavanaugh.

Leahy, age 43, lives in Omaha with his wife, Emily, and their three children, ages six years, four years, and six months. He currently serves as chief executive officer of First Star Recycling, a Nebraska-based recycling company. Earlier in his career, Leahy worked for U.S. Senator Ben Nelson, where he helped connect veterans and small businesses with federal programs and services.

Leahy is also an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and has been active in community and civic organizations. He previously served as a director on the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Board, where he championed trails and bike access.  He has been involved with local nonprofit organizations including Keep Omaha Beautiful. His professional background includes work in both the public and private sectors, as well as involvement in environmental and community initiatives.

In the Legislature, Leahy has said he would focus on issues affecting working families, including property taxes, workforce shortages, and the cost of childcare and health care. His campaign has also emphasized supporting public education, investing in community amenities, protecting Nebraska’s air and water resources, and preserving the state’s ballot initiative process.

Nate Ostdiek (D) — Omaha

Democrat Nate Ostdiek is running for the District 6 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Machaela Cavanaugh.

Ostdiek, age 28, was born and raised in Omaha and has lived most of his life in District 6. He attended Christ the King School, Swanson Elementary School, and graduated from Westside High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and is currently a graduate student in UNO’s History and Government master’s program while working as a graduate assistant in the Political Science Department. Nate is not related to District 4 candidate Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek.

Ostdiek has been involved in a variety of community and policy advocacy efforts. While at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, he helped facilitate a partnership between Heartland Bike Share and the university that reduced the cost of annual bike share memberships for students, faculty, and staff. He has also worked with organizations including Conservation Nebraska, Planned Parenthood, and the National Strategic Research Institute, and has participated in ballot initiative efforts related to public education funding, minimum wage increases, medical cannabis legalization, and abortion rights.

In the Legislature, Ostdiek has said he would prioritize addressing the rising cost of living, including housing, property taxes, and childcare. His campaign has also emphasized strengthening public education, protecting constitutional and civil rights, increasing government transparency, and addressing environmental concerns such as water quality and air pollution.

Josh Livingston (D) — Omaha

Former Deputy County Attorney Josh Livingston is running to replace Megan Hunt as the District 8 seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Livingston is a 2016 graduate of Creighton University School of Law and a family law attorney based in Omaha. He lives in Douglas County with his wife, Dana, their six-year-old daughter, Eleanor, and their two dogs. He coaches and referees youth soccer and volunteers with organizations including College Possible and the Metro180 Re-Entry Program.

In addition to his family law practice, Livingston previously represented a group of physicians before the Nebraska Supreme Court in litigation seeking to allow an abortion-access ballot initiative to proceed.

Livingston’s campaign is centered around making sure Nebraskan families are heard, respected and supported. His legislative priorities include safe neighborhoods, fully-funded public education, accessible and affordable healthcare, and building an economy that creates opportunities for all Nebraskans.

Erin Feichtinger (D) — Omaha

Dr. Erin Feichtinger is running for the District 8 seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

A native of Omaha, Feichtinger graduated from Marian High School, then attended Loyola University Chicago, where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education and a PhD in History.

After her schooling, Feichtinger returned to Omaha, where she built the Advocacy and Policy program at non-profit Together, an organization dedicated to fighting homelessness and hunger in Omaha. Beginning in 2022 through 2025, Feichtinger became the Policy Director for the Women’s Fund of Omaha, where she worked on issues ranging from increased protection for victims of domestic violence to increasing the minimum wage in Nebraska. Feichtinger lives in Omaha with her family and dog.

In the Capitol, Feichtinger aims to protect reproductive healthcare, support public schools, and push economic development in Nebraska.

Terry Brewer (I) — Omaha

Dr. Terry Brewer is running to replace term-limited Senator Megan Hunt to represent District 8 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Brewer, 66, was born and raised in Nebraska, where he returned after serving for five years in the United States Marine Corps. Once back in Nebraska, Brewer began his career in ministry, where he provided spiritual guidance, community support, and advocacy for those in need. Brewer also spent over twenty years as a Chief Union Steward, negotiating fair wages, safe working conditions, and workers’ rights.

Brewer intends to bring his practical solutions, collaborative leadership, and persistent advocacy to the Nebraska Legislature. His priorities include supporting community connections, advancing equity and representation, and modernizing infrastructure and public services.

Cindy Johnson (D) — Omaha

Cindy Johnson is looking to replace term-limited Senator Wendy DeBoer to represent District 10 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Johnson, 61, grew up on a farm near Crofton in Knox County in northeast Nebraska. She studied at Wayne State College before transferring to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in education with an emphasis in speech pathology and audiology. She later earned her master’s from the University of Kansas and a doctorate in audiology from the University of Florida. Johnson resides in Omaha with her husband, Marshall. She has an adult son, Shawn, a daughter-in-law, Ellie, and two granddaughters.

Johnson is an audiologist who practices part time and serves as the District 1 representative on the Douglas/Sarpy County Learning Community Coordinating Council. When not in clinic, she also teaches hearing science as an adjunct instructor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Previously, Johnson has operated a practice in Norfolk, worked at Children’s Hospital in Omaha for 15 years, served as president of the Nebraska Speech Language and Hearing Association, and chaired that organization’s legislative committee. In her community, Johnson is an active member of her church and a leader with Omaha Together One Community.

Johnson, a Democrat, decided to run after considering both the Learning Community seat and the open legislative race, and after encouragement from family and friends. Her legislative priorities include keeping public schools strong, addressing affordability for middle-class families, protecting voter-approved ballot initiatives, increasing economic opportunity, lowering prescription drug costs, and expanding access to affordable childcare. Johnson’s career in audiology has taught her the importance of listening to people from all sides before making decisions, which she sees as a strength she would bring to the Legislature. She has been endorsed by Senator Wendy DeBoer.

Rebecca Rens (R) — Bennington

Republican Rebecca Rens is running for the District 10 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Wendy DeBoer.

Rens, 61, earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Dordt University, an MBA from the University of Sioux Falls, and a Doctor of Business Administration degree with a leadership cognate from Liberty University. Her academic work has centered around research on leadership adaptability in changing and complex environments. She and her husband live in Bennington. The couple has three daughters, a son-in-law, and one grandchild.

Rens is founder of Sown Business Strategies LLC. As a longtime entrepreneur, Rens has spent more than 30 years as president and co-owner of a concrete construction company that worked on infrastructure and contracting projects. She has experience in nonprofit and for-profit organizations in development, sales, marketing, operations, finance, management, and higher education, including as an assistant professor of business and dissertation chair. Outside of work, Rens is involved with her community, including volunteer leadership with the Alzheimer’s Association Nebraska Chapter Board and the UNMC Board of Counselors.

As a Senator, Rens would focus on fiscal responsibility, economic growth, and education, while also emphasizing support for foster and adoptive families, seniors, law enforcement, military members, and veterans. She holds endorsements from U.S. Rep. Don Bacon and former Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert.

Merv Riepe (R) — Ralston

Senator Merv Riepe is vying to keep his District 12 seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Riepe, 83, was previously elected to the Legislature in 2014 and served one term before being defeated by current Senator Steve Lathrop, who gained 55.2% of the vote versus Riepe’s 44.8%.  Senator Riepe was elected again in 2022 in an open race. When Riepe was first in the Legislature he served for two years as the chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, and currently serves on the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee and the Health and Human Services Committee. He is the former CEO of Bergan Mercy Medical Center and formerly managed a physician’s group at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. Riepe was elected to the Ralston Board of Education in 2020.  Riepe is also a Navy veteran. Riepe is married to his wife, Jody, and has one son.

Riepe has prioritized healthcare issues, lowering taxes, promoting tax fairness, and reducing spending in the Legislature. Senator Riepe is often a swing vote on controversial social issues.

Christy Knorr (D) — Ralston

Democrat Christy Knorr is challenging incumbent Senator Merv Riepe for the right to represent District 12 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Knorr, 57, lives in Ralston. She grew up in Georgia, where she obtained her GED, attended technical school, and later earned an associate degree in nursing. She is a mother, grandmother, widow, and community volunteer.

Knorr has worked as a nurse for more than 30 years and is now a hospice nurse in Omaha. Her experience, including raising children as a single mother on welfare and later serving as a caregiver and advocate for her late wife, Kathy, has shaped her understanding of the challenges facing Nebraska families.

Knorr decided to run because she believes the will of the voters is being ignored and that too few lawmakers are focused on the middle class and working families. Her priorities include fully implementing voter-approved ballot initiatives, including medical cannabis, pursuing property tax relief while protecting social safety-net programs and public schools, expanding access to health care, and lowering everyday costs for Nebraska families. Knorr believes the Legislature, which has not had a nurse serve as a Senator in over 20 years, needs medical professionals in the body to better understand the policy decisions impacting the lives of everyday Nebraskans.

Thomas Kastrup (D) — Omaha

Thomas Kastrup is running for the District 12 seat in the Nebraska Legislature against incumbent Senator Merv Riepe.

Kastrup, 61, was born in Hartington, where his father worked at a local grocery store before later working for the Department of Roads. Kastrup graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He and his wife, Stephanie, an educational administrator, live in Omaha.

Kastrup is senior vice president at the Better Business Bureau. Previously, he’s held positions at the Omaha World-Herald and BH Media Group. He has served community boards like Completely Kids, which provides educational programs for children and families living in poverty.

Kastrup, a Democrat, is running to stand up for middle-class Nebraskans and address rising costs facing working families. His priorities include lowering the cost of living, reducing health care and everyday expenses, fighting corruption, protecting voter-approved ballot initiatives, expanding affordable childcare, and protecting civil and human rights.

Jay Jackson (R) — Papillion

Republican Jay Jackson is running for the District 14 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator John Arch.

Jackson, 45, grew up about an hour north of Miami, Florida. He played football and earned a bachelor’s degree from Hanover College in 2002. He later earned his law degree from George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School in 2006 and completed an LL.M. at George Washington University Law School in 2017. Jackson lives in Papillion with his wife, Niki, and their three sons. He has also been active in the community as a YMCA football coach, church volunteer, pro bono advocate in eviction court, and volunteer at local homeless shelters.

Jackson is an attorney with Kutak Rock in Omaha and a partner in the firm’s public finance practice. Before entering private practice, he served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, including work with Joint Special Operations Command and six deployments to the Middle East. In addition to his legal and military work, Jackson is the author of Decent Discourse: Saving Your Country by Loving Your (Wrong?) Neighbor, which focuses on political division and civic life, and Robin and Rabbit Stick Together, a children’s book that also reflects themes of understanding and difference. Jackson’s decision to run for the Legislature was shaped in part by concerns about growing political division and polarization.

In the Legislature, Jackson aims to focus on taxes and affordability, support for schools and first responders, and expanding opportunity for Nebraskans while limiting government overreach and protecting constitutional rights and conservative values. He frames his campaign as an extension of public service rooted in his professional, military, and community background. Jackson has been endorsed by Congressman Don Bacon, Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov, La Vista Mayor Doug Kindig, and several firefighter associations.

Bill Bowes (R) — La Vista

Bill Bowes is challenging for the District 14 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator John Arch.

Bowes was born in Chicago and moved to Omaha at age five. He graduated from Roncalli High School before attending Asbury University in Kentucky, where he studied secondary education. Bowes has lived in Sarpy County for more than 30 years, now residing in La Vista. Bowes had three children with his late wife Debbie Waugh Bowes. He is now married to Julie Schenzel Bowes, and together they have a blended family of seven children and nine grandchildren.

Bowes began his career as a math and science teacher at Bellevue Christian Academy, where he taught for four years. Additionally, Bowes coached girls’ volleyball and boys’ soccer. In 1984, he entered the fire service, spending 38 years in the field. He served with the Omaha Fire Department until early 2006 in roles ranging from firefighter, instructor, paramedic, captain, and battalion chief. In 2006, he was appointed the full-time chief of the Papillion Fire Department. During his tenure, the department transitioned from a volunteer operation to a fully professional department. Bowes would later go on to help head the merger of the Papillion and La Vista fire departments.

Outside of work, Bowes is active in church, civic, and nonprofit work. He coached his sons in the South Omaha and Bellevue soccer clubs, has been involved with Tribe Church, volunteers with the Papillion-La Vista Optimists Club, serves on the board of Bellewood Courts Senior Living, and chairs Nebraska 117.

Bowes’ decision to run for the Legislature grew out of a lifelong commitment to service. As a Senator, Bowes will focus on property tax reform, changes to the tax structure, limiting government, and protecting the constitutional rights of Nebraskans. His campaign has received public support from Nebraska State Treasurer Joey Spellerberg, State Auditor Mike Foley, former Congressman Mike Flood, and all five members of the Sarpy County Board.

SuAnn Witt (D) — Papillion

SuAnn Witt, 72, is running to replace Speaker Arch to represent District 14 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Witt, born and raised in Sarpy County, is a lifelong Nebraskan. She and her husband, Robert, reside in Papillion. The pair fostered, then eventually adopted two children. The Witts have a single grandchild.

Witt has enjoyed a long career in education, beginning in managerial and support roles for Omaha Public Schools. After 25 years with OPS, Witt worked with Nebraska Department of Education as the State E-rate Coordinator and Rule 89 Program Manager. Beyond her career, Witt serves as the 2025 Board President of the Papillion La Vista School Board, an elected position she’s held since 2018.

As a state Senator, Witt aims to reform Nebraska’s valuation and tax system, lower healthcare costs, cut government spending, support public schools, increase economic opportunity, stand with first responders, and protect voter-approved initiatives.

Ted Japp (R) — Blair

Republican Ted Japp is running for the District 16 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Ben Hansen.

Japp, 69, is a fifth-generation Washington County resident who was raised on a dairy farm near Kennard. He graduated from Bennington High School, attended Peru State College and the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and later earned his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Northwestern College of Chiropractic. He and his wife, Lori, have been married for more than 33 years and have three children and three grandchildren.

Japp owned Ted Japp Chiropractic Clinic for more than 33 years and is now retired. He previously served on the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Board, being elected in 2016 and 2020. He has also been president of the Lions Club, a member of the Nebraska Chiropractic Physicians Association and an active participant in Bible studies and ministry at his local church. Japp and his wife have been advocates for people with developmental disabilities for many years.

In the Legislature, Japp aims to focus on property tax relief, pro-life policies, Second Amendment rights, stronger rural communities, and infrastructure issues including broadband, water, and energy. He plans on supporting Nebraska agriculture and creating more job opportunities so younger generations can stay in the state. Japp has been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, Senator Ben Hansen, and former Senator Lydia Brasch.

Cindy Chatt (D) — Tekamah

Cindy Chatt is running for the District 16 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Ben Hansen.

Chatt, 47, grew up in Tekamah and graduated from Tekamah-Herman High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Saint Louis University and a master’s degree in survey research and methodology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Chatt spent years working in sales, marketing, and analytics for consulting firms and corporations, including Johnson & Johnson, and lived in cities including St. Louis, Philadelphia, Seattle, Jacksonville, and Jersey City before returning to Tekamah about 10 years ago. After moving back, she opened Chatterbox Brews and later renovated a historic Main Street building that now houses additional businesses, including BCB Vault. She also became involved with local economic development and now serves as executive director of the Burt County Economic Development Corporation, where she has worked for the past three years.

Chatt, a Democrat, is running to give rural communities stronger representation. Her priorities include supporting Main Street development, helping small towns access state funding and economic development programs, addressing property taxes, and broadening the state’s tax base by encouraging entrepreneurship and attracting new industries. She said her background in both corporate and rural Nebraska gives her a perspective she hopes to bring to the Legislature.

Jess Goldoni (D) — Omaha

Jess Goldoni is running for the District 18 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace retiring Senator Christy Armendariz.

Goldoni, 43, is an Omaha native and lifelong Nebraskan. She graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a degree in journalism. She and her husband, Brett, a city equipment operator, have lived in District 18 for more than a decade.

Goldoni is an AI business consultant and co-founder of Nebrask.AI, an Omaha-based company focused on helping businesses use artificial intelligence tools. She has spent two decades working in marketing, branding, and business strategy across industries including health care, law, finance, and technology. She has framed that background as practical private-sector experience shaped by work with businesses and organizations navigating growth, technology, and red tape.

Goldoni’s frustration with the Legislature’s political division pushed her to make her District 18 bid. As a moderate Democrat, Goldoni intends to bring a more practical, solutions-focused approach to the Legislature. Her priorities include lowering property taxes without undermining public schools, cutting waste in state programs, and finding new ways to generate revenue through innovation and economic development, including investment in agtech and AI. She supports skilled trades, apprenticeships, and dual-credit programs, while working to improve veterans’ housing, health care, and benefits and make government more transparent and efficient.

Taylor Royal (R) — Omaha

Taylor Royal is running for the District 18 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace retiring Senator Christy Armendariz. Royal, 36, earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master’s degree in accounting from Southern Methodist University. Royal lives in Bennington with his wife, Katie, and their two young children, Wells and Summer.

Royal worked at Deloitte in Dallas and returned to Nebraska in 2015. He is currently a partner at Royal Wealth Partners, a private client group within Northwestern Mutual, where he serves clients in 47 states. He previously ran for Omaha mayor in 2017 and for state treasurer in 2018.

Royal said he decided to run after seeing a contrast between Texas’s aggressive business recruitment efforts and economic setbacks in Nebraska, including ConAgra’s decision to move its headquarters out of Omaha.

In the Legislature, Royal aims to focus on tax relief, affordability, job creation, and making Nebraska more attractive to businesses, working families, and young professionals. Royal’s other legislative priorities include workforce development, quality schools, support for seniors, public safety, and assistance for veterans and military families. Royal intends to bring a common-sense, conservative approach to the Legislature centered on economic growth and long-term tax reform. He has been endorsed by former Gov. Dave Heineman, U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, former Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, and Senator Christy Armendariz.

Derek Schwartz (R) — Omaha

Derek Schwartz is running for the District 18 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace retiring Senator Christy Armendariz.

Schwartz, 40, was born and raised in Stanton, where he grew up on a farm. He graduated from Stanton High School and attended Buena Vista University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He currently lives in Omaha.

Schwartz has been a La Vista police officer since 2020. In 2022, he received a Life Saving Award for reviving a woman who had overdosed on fentanyl. He serves as a DARE instructor, police academy instructor, field training officer, and member of the Community Services Bureau. Schwartz is treasurer of his local Fraternal Order of Police executive board and has been involved in community programs including Blue Santa’s Shop with a Cop, La Vista Kids Camp, and his neighborhood homeowners association. Before entering law enforcement, Schwartz owned a wedding and event franchise and later operated a trucking company.

Schwartz decided to run because he believes the Legislature needs more people with a working-class perspective who are focused on serving their neighbors rather than seeking office for status. In the Legislature, Schwartz aims to focus on lowering property taxes, making Nebraska more affordable, supporting law enforcement and public safety, cutting government overreach, and promoting economic growth. He has also emphasized support for farmers and ranchers, constitutional rights, and girls’ sports. He has been endorsed by Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson and Metropolitan Community College Police Chief Dave Friend.

John Fredrickson (D) — Omaha

John Fredrickson is running for re-election to his current District 20 seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Fredrickson grew up in Omaha and later moved to New York before returning to Omaha with his husband, Jeff, who works in banking and trading, and their son.

Fredrickson graduated from Skutt Catholic High School and went on to attend New York University to receive his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. He later earned a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University. He taught at Columbia as an adjunct professor of social work.

Fredrickson works as a mental health professional, working with clients to identify what they are struggling with and formulate ways to manage and lessen emotional pain. He has previously worked at a Federally Qualified Health Center, Callen-Lorde, which works to serve the LGBTQ community. At New York University he served as a senior clinician at the Student Health Center. He now works at and owns his own private practice.

Senator Fredrickson’s main priorities in the body have been providing quality education for all children, making sure everyone has access to quality and affordable healthcare, prioritizing solutions to cultivate an economy that keeps Nebraska and its opportunities growing, and working towards equality for all. Fredrickson is the vice chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee and a member of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee.

Chris Andersen (R) – Omaha

Republican Chris Andersen is running for the District 20 seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Andersen, 54, lives in Omaha. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Indiana University and a Master of Business Administration from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. He is also a graduate of the United States Air Force Weapons School and has two children.

Andersen is a consultant advising aerospace organizations and a retired Air Force colonel. He served 10 years on active duty in the United States Air Force, including flying combat missions in the B-52, and later spent 21 years in the Air Force Reserve before retiring in 2025. In addition to his military service, he has more than 15 years of experience in the aerospace and defense industry, including roles with Rockwell Collins, BAE Systems, and Saab. Currently, Andersen serves on the Defense Industry Business Council of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce and the National Philanthropy Council of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

In the Legislature, Andersen plans to focus on tax reform, cost-of-living issues, limited government, deregulation, and stronger support for law enforcement and public safety. He believes Nebraska must reduce property taxes, remain competitive with neighboring states on income taxes, and address rising costs such as housing and childcare. Andersen wants the state government to operate more efficiently by cutting unnecessary costs while maintaining strong services.

Dan Witt (R) – Omaha

Dan Witt is challenging incumbent Senator John Fredrickson for the District 20 seat in the Nebraska Legislature. Witt, 76, grew up in Columbus, where he attended Scotus Central Catholic High School. He studied at Creighton University before earning both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University. He lives in Omaha with his wife of 48 years. The pair have seven children together.

Witt’s professional background is in engineering and education. He worked at Omaha Public Power District for 38 years as an electric power system engineer and manager, helping plan and manage the power grid for eastern Nebraska and the broader Midwest. He has also taught math as an adjunct instructor at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha for about 30 years and continues to teach there. After retiring from OPPD, he worked for eight years at Omaha North High School.

Witt said he decided to run because he disagrees with the direction of the current representation in District 20 and wants to bring a pro-life, conservative perspective to the Legislature. His priorities include energy policy, disciplined government spending, protection of the unborn, land and water management, and what he describes as protecting children from gender ideology in schools and public institutions. He has also said his long career in engineering and energy planning gives him particular experience to address electric policy and infrastructure issues.

Dawson Brunswick (R) – Columbus

Dawson Brunswick is running unopposed to replace Senator Moser to represent District 22 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Brunswick, 28, graduated from Chadron State College. In 2019, he took over the McCook Chamber of Commerce, going on to generate the first net profit in seven years for the organization. In 2021, Brunswick moved to Columbus, where he now serves as the president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife have two children.

As a state senator, Brunswick aims to bring legislation to ensure that kids have the opportunity to have better lives than their parents, empower employers to offer great careers, and bring business-minded discipline to state government.

Jana Hughes (R) — Seward

Senator Jana Hughes is running for re-election to continue to serve District 24 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Hughes grew up in Goehner on a small family farm, which allowed her to gain an understanding of the agricultural industry and its importance. She later went on to obtain a degree in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Hughes previously worked as an engineer at Hughes Brothers Manufacturing, which manufactures hardware and other products for the electric and utility industry. She has also worked at Kurt Salmon Associates Consulting Firm, which designs distribution centers in the retail industry. Today, she works at the Fallbrook YMCA, facilitating group exercises and as a substitute teacher.

Hughes has been on the Seward board of education since 2018. As a mother of three, this role is deeply important to her, making it one of her top priorities to ensure the safety and futures of Nebraska youth. She is also chair of the COVID relief fund for the Legacy fund of Seward County and the president of the Seward Junior Women’s Club.

In the Unicameral, Senator Hughes serves as the vice chair of the Education Committee and an at-large member of the Natural Resources Committee.

Dan Winter (I) – Seward

Independent Dan Winter is running for the District 24 seat in the Nebraska Legislature against incumbent Senator Jana Hughes. Winter, 37, lives in Seward and grew up in Bradshaw, a small town west of York, where his family has lived for nearly 100 years. He attended the University of Wyoming, where he studied anthropology.

Winter has said he always wanted to return to Nebraska after college. His background has shaped his view that local people should address local issues and that government should help create the conditions for people to pursue happiness. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening and cooking.

Winter decided to run because he believes voters should have a choice in the race. In the Legislature, he hopes to focus on restructuring education funding, lowering property taxes, and examining corporate tax reform. He has also emphasized the importance of early childhood education while acknowledging concerns about the current funding burden on farmers, ranchers, and other Nebraskans.

George Dungan (D) — Lincoln

Senator George Dungan is looking to return to his District 26 seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Dungan earned his Juris Doctorate from American University, starting out as a lawyer for children in juvenile court, and now serving as a public defender. Dungan has served on the Board of Trustees of the Lincoln Bar Association and the Lincoln Pedestrian Bicycle Advisory Committee.

Dungan is a mentor for the Teammates program and was inducted into the Teammates Hall of Fame in 2017. Dungan was born and raised in Lincoln, and currently resides in Northeast Lincoln with his wife, Britta Tollefsrud. The couple have one child together.

As a Senator, Dungan has brought multiple bills targeting judicial reform, protecting public schools, expanding access to healthcare, and promoting public safety. Senator Dungan serves on the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee and the Revenue Committee.

Tobias Howard (R) – Lincoln

Tobias Howard is running for the District 26 seat in the Nebraska Legislature against incumbent Senator George Dungan. Howard, 40, grew up in Michigan before moving to Lincoln and attending Southeast Community College.

Howard currently works as a custodian at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he has worked for five years. Earlier in his career, he worked his way through college and was hired by a software company, where he later became a department manager. In 2019, he left that job to start his own business. Howard has said his experience as a former business owner gave him a practical sense of fiscal management.

Howard, a Republican, decided to run after seeing that Senator Dungan did not yet have an opponent because he wanted voters to have an option in the race. In the Legislature, he intends to focus on the state budget, financial oversight of the university system, legalization of recreational marijuana, and making sure voter-approved ballot measures are properly implemented. He has also said he wants to be a community-focused candidate and believes strong neighborhoods are often the first source of support in an emergency.

Patty Pansing Brooks (D) – Lincoln

Democrat Patty Pansing Brooks is running for the District 28 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace retiring Senator Jane Raybould. Pansing Brooks, 68, lives in Lincoln and was born and raised in Nebraska. She is an attorney and former State Senator who represented District 28 from 2014 to 2022. She and her husband, Loel, have three children.

During her two terms in the Legislature, Pansing Brooks focused on issues including public education, juvenile justice, protections for children, and community development. She also worked with colleagues across the political spectrum on issues including dyslexia education and efforts involving Whiteclay. In 2022, she was the Democratic candidate for Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District.

Pansing Brooks is running to continue the work she began during her earlier service in the Legislature. Her priorities include public education, juvenile justice, human trafficking prevention, workers’ rights, support for small businesses, correctional reentry programming, and access to health care. Her campaign has also emphasized support for families and workers and expanding opportunities in Nebraska communities. She has been endorsed by a bipartisan group of former state senators, as well as former Governors and U.S. Senators Bob Kerrey and Ben Nelson, former Lt. Governors Kim Robak and Maxine Moul, and Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird.

Chad Klug (D) – Lincoln

Chad Klug is running for the District 28 seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Colby Woodson (I) – Lincoln

Colby Woodson is seeking to replace Jane Raybould in the District 28 seat. Woodson graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2025 with a master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning.

Cally Ideus (R) – Filley

Cally Ideus is running for the District 30 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Myron Dorn. Ideus earned a bachelor’s degree in international security and intelligence studies from Bellevue University and a master’s degree in education curriculum and instruction from Concordia University. Ideus, 52, lives on a small farm in Filley with her husband, Jerod. They have five children and attend Zion Lutheran Church.

Ideus is owner of Ideus Agency LLC, serves as Region IV vice president for the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals and works as an independent business consultant. She is also president of Odyssey Mission Inc., a nonprofit that provides therapeutic services for veterans, first responders, and their families. Ideus previously served in the U.S. Army as an intelligence NCO during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

In the Legislature, Ideus aims to focus on property tax reform, reducing and improving the efficiency of state government, defending agricultural producers, and improving education outcomes in Nebraska. Her campaign has emphasized her background as a veteran, small business owner, and rural resident in Gage County.

Timothy Gary Bentzinger (D) – Hickman

Democrat Timothy Gary Bentzinger is running for the District 30 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Myron Dorn. Bentzinger lives in Hickman and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Janet Bock (D) – Beatrice

Democrat Janet Bock is running for the District 30 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Myron Dorn. Bock, 69, lives in Beatrice. She graduated from Barneston High School and earned a Master of Science in Nursing in psychiatric and mental health nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Bock is a nurse practitioner and owner of Reflections Behavioral Health LLC. She also works as a psychiatric nurse practitioner for Nova Health. Her professional background is rooted in behavioral and mental health care.

Mark Schoenrock (R) – Fairbury/Diller

Republican Mark Schoenrock is running for the District 32 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Tom Brandt. Schoenrock, 70, was born and raised in Jefferson County in an agribusiness family. He graduated from Fairbury High School and attended the University of Nebraska College of Agriculture, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture in 1978. That same year, he was commissioned as a U.S. Army officer. He served in the Army for 37 years, retiring from active duty in 2006, and later worked as an Army civilian until 2015. Schoenrock lives in Diller with his wife, Denise, and has deep roots in Jefferson County.

Schoenrock currently serves as the Jefferson County District commissioner, a position he has held for nearly 10 years. His work in county government has included efforts related to county personnel policies, veterans’ services, cybersecurity improvements, and updates to county operations. Through his involvement with the Nebraska Association of County Officials, he has also worked with state and federal officials on issues including tax reform, broadband expansion, workforce housing, and childcare. In 2023, he was recognized by the Nebraska Association of County Officials as County Official of the Year. In addition to his county leadership, Schoenrock has served with organizations including Blue Rivers Area Agency on Aging, Blue Valley Community Action, and Public Health Solutions.

In the Legislature, Schoenrock plans to focus on tax reform and the state budget, with an emphasis on reducing unnecessary spending and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of government services. His other priorities include education, agriculture, and conservative values in the Legislature. His campaign has received endorsements from District 32’s Senator Tom Brandt, Governor Jim Pillen, several current state senators, former Congressmen Don Bacon, Adrian Smith, and Mike Flood, Attorney General Mike Hilgers, State Auditor Mike Foley, and others.

Shaylene “Shay” Smith (I) – Crete

Independent Shay Smith is running for the District 32 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Tom Brandt. She was raised in Paxton and attended Doane University before earning her law degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1994. Smith lives in Crete with her husband, Michael, and their three children, and has spent much of her adult life in Saline County.

Smith has practiced law in Crete for 31 years and is affiliated with Kalkwarf & Smith Law Offices. Her legal work has included family law, personal injury, estate planning, real estate, and criminal defense. In addition to her law practice, she served as a professor at Doane University for 15 years, helping to develop the school’s criminal justice program.

Smith is active in civic and community leadership in Crete. She was the founder and first president of the Blue River Arts Council, leading the renovation and reopening of the Isis Theatre. She has also worked with the city on economic development efforts and quality-of-life projects, including the community swimming pool and downtown arts investments. Outside of her professional and civic work, Smith enjoys quilting and has been creating a “We the People” quilt featuring messages and signatures from people she has met on the campaign trail.

Smith believes her broad range of personal, professional, and community experience would allow her to bring a practical perspective to the Legislature. She points to her work in the juvenile and criminal justice systems, education, tax law, economic development, and financial matters as areas that have shaped her understanding of the issues facing rural Nebraska. In the Legislature, Smith plans to prioritize property tax relief, lowering the cost of living, protecting constitutional rights, reducing health care costs, and supporting rural communities, small businesses, and family farms. Her campaign has emphasized a nonpartisan, problem-solving approach and an effort to work across political divides.

Loren Lippincott (R) — Central City

Senator Loren Lippincott, 70, is running to return to District 34’s seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Lippincott graduated from Central City High School and went on to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Throughout college, he worked as a legislative page and for Secretary of State Allen Beermann. He graduated from Nebraska with a degree in broadcast journalism and began working at KOLN-TV.

Lippincott served in the U.S. Air Force where he graduated third in his officer training school class and went on to pilot training school. He was stationed as an F-16 pilot at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany and was his squadron’s overall Top Gun. He earned the rank of captain. Lippincott was honorably discharged from the Air Force after ten years of service, and he went on to be a commercial airline pilot at Delta Air Lines for 30 years, where he was based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Lippincott now resides at his family’s farmstead where he grew up, halfway between Central City and Fullerton. He has two sons and three grandchildren.

In the Legislature, Senator Lippincott has brought legislation to return Nebraska’s electoral college votes to winner-take-all and religious freedom. Lippincott’s other main priorities in the Legislature have been protecting and defending Second Amendment Rights, increasing funding to public schools through other channels besides property taxes, supporting pro-life legislation, and implementing Voter ID laws. Lippincott serves on the Appropriations Committee.

Arron Kowalski (R) – Grand Island

Arron Kowalski is running for the District 34 seat in the Nebraska Legislature against incumbent Senator Loren Lippincott. Kowalski, 33, was raised on his family’s farm north of Grand Island in Merrick County and graduated from Grand Island Northwest High School. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness, with a minor in business administration, from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. After college, Kowalski returned to farming full time on his family’s operation east of Grand Island.

Kowalski and his two brothers took over the farm nearly 10 years ago following the death of their uncle. His experience farming in rural Nebraska has given him a firsthand understanding of the economic challenges facing rural communities.

In the Legislature, Kowalski will focus on expanding Nebraska’s economy, including through investment in energy production, large-scale power infrastructure, and nuclear energy. He has also said he opposes cuts to county funding and would like to see less political division and fewer culture-war debates in state government

Ben Blodgett (D) – Central City

Ben Blodgett is running so serve District 34 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Blodgett, a career electrician, works as an Inside Wireman Electrician. He and his wife, Heather, reside in Central City.

In the Legislature, Blodgett intends on prioritizing boosting Nebraska’s workforce, supporting agriculture and manufacturing, investing in infrastructures, pushing for public education and local country, and advocating for fiscal responsibility.

Rick Holdcroft (R) — Bellevue

Senator Rick Holdcroft, 72, is running for re-election in District 36.

Holdcroft graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln through the ROTC program.

He is a veteran who spent 28 years in the U.S. Navy. Throughout his time in the Navy, he was involved in two assignments at the U.S. Strategic Command and was put in command of a Spruance class-destroyer. After his time in the Navy, Holdcroft became an aerospace executive. Today, he resides in Bellevue with his wife, Mary Jo, who is a retired middle school teacher. The two have five children together. Four of his children have served in the military.

Holdcroft is also active in various community organizations. He was named Nebraska Knights of Columbus Knight of the Year, and, in the same year, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Nebraska Alumni Association. He has served on the commissioning board for the USS Omaha and is active in other military organizations.

As a Senator, Holdcroft has served as chair of the General Affairs Committee and a member of the Judiciary and Agriculture Committees. In the legislature, Holdcroft has brought legislation surrounding prison reform, gun rights, and judicial matters.

Darin Tompkins (D) – Gretna

Darin Tompkins is running for the District 36 seat in the Nebraska Legislature against incumbent Senator Rick Holdcroft. Tompkins grew up in rural northeast South Dakota, where he spent time working alongside his father, an electrician, handyman, and volunteer firefighter. He earned degrees in Microbiology and Biology from South Dakota State University before moving to Nebraska 27 years ago. He lives in Papillion with his wife, Elizabeth, a speech-language pathologist and Educational Service Unit board member. Together they have a blended family of six children, including four of his own and two stepchildren, as well as a son-in-law and three granddaughters. His children attended and graduated from Gretna High School. Outside of work, he has been involved in volunteer efforts such as Habitat for Humanity, local food drives, and Eagle Scout service projects.

Tompkins has spent more than 30 years in science-based manufacturing and operations. He began his career as a staff microbiologist with Rhone Merieux, Inc. and later worked for Meridian Medical Technologies and Meridian Technologies in a series of microbiology and supervisory roles. In 1998, he joined Merck Animal Health, where he served in positions including production manager, executive director of operations, and executive director of project management. His work there included leading vaccine manufacturing operations in Elkhorn for 12 years and helping oversee a $200 million expansion. After leaving Merck in 2023, he moved into consulting work involving saltwater aquariums. He has also been active in local Democratic politics, including service as First Associate Chair of the Sarpy County Democrats. Tompkins volunteered for Senator Victor Rountree’s campaign in 2024.

Tompkins is seeking office with an emphasis on bringing management and operations experience to state government and representing District 36 with a pragmatic approach. His priorities include targeted property tax relief, economic growth, expanding access to affordable health care, and issues affecting Nebraska families and local communities. He has also voiced concern about what he sees as a lack of respect in the Legislature for voter-approved ballot measures, particularly medical marijuana. Tompkins has received an endorsement from the Nebraska State AFL-CIO.

Janell Anderson Ehrke (R) – Orleans

Janell Anderson Ehrke is running to represent term-limited Senator Murman in the Nebraska Legislature. Anderson Ehrke, 63, is the founder and CEO of GROW Nebraska, a nonprofit organization connecting small business owners and entrepreneurs with resources to build their businesses in Nebraska. Anderson Ehrke and her husband, Leon, operate their family farm in Orleans. She has two adult children, Haley and Parker. Anderson Ehrke is a member of multiple economic development corporations, including the Nebraska Diplomats and the Nebraska Economic Developers Association.

In the Unicameral, Anderson Ehrke hopes to push policies to support agriculture and Nebraska businesses.

Jon Capps, Sr. (R) – Blue Hill

Jon Capps, Sr. is running to fill term-limited Senator Murman’s seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Capps, 70, is an Army veteran and entrepreneur with experience as a former CYO and IT systems architect. Capps has worked with notable companies, including Microsoft, IBM, ExxonMobil, and Texas Instruments. Capps and his wife, Lori, live in Blue Hill. He is the Vice Chairman of the Webster County Republican Party, a distinguished Life Member of the NRA, and a member of the Nebraska Farm Bureau and Nebraska Cattleman.

In the Legislature, Capps aims to focus on constitutional freedom, limiting government, securing elections, pushing for tax relief, building rural infrastructure, defending life and parental rights, promoting educational freedom, funding public safety efforts, and supporting veterans in Nebraska.

Jon Capps, Sr. is running to fill term-limited Senator Murman’s seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Capps, 70, is an Army veteran and entrepreneur with experience as a former CYO and IT systems architect. Capps has worked with notable companies, including Microsoft, IBM, ExxonMobil, and Texas Instruments. Capps and his wife, Lori, live in Blue Hill. He is the Vice Chairman of the Webster County Republican Party, a distinguished Life Member of the NRA, and a member of the Nebraska Farm Bureau and Nebraska Cattleman.

In the Legislature, Capps aims to focus on constitutional freedom, limiting government, securing elections, pushing for tax relief, building rural infrastructure, defending life and parental rights, promoting educational freedom, funding public safety efforts, and supporting veterans in Nebraska.

Melanie Knight (D) – Clay Center

Melanie Knight is running for the District 38 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Dave Murman. Knight was born in Grand Island but grew up in Clay Center, where she has spent much of her life and where she currently resides. She attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she studied elementary education with an emphasis in early childhood and special education. She is a wife and mother of two adult children. Knight has experience caregiving for an elderly parent and raising a child with a disability.

In the community, Knight is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Clay County Historical Society, participates in community theatre, and has long been a mentor with Teammate’s, where she won Match of the Year. Her campaign has emphasized work tied to literacy, education, disability advocacy, and local community life. She has also been publicly involved in legislative issues before entering the race, including testifying on education and social-policy bills.

Knight, a Democrat, decided to seek office in part after navigating the public school system on behalf of her son and caring for her aging parents. She says that those experiences left her frustrated by what she saw as a lack of attention to the concerns of families like hers. In the Legislature, Knight has said she would focus on rural health care access, support for rural hospitals and emergency responders, stronger funding and services for veterans, public schools, workforce development, small businesses, ballot initiative rights, and property taxes. Knight hopes to bring those issues forward while serving as a voice for people who feel overlooked.

Tim Anderson (R) – Sutton

Tim Anderson is running for the District 38 seat in the Nebraska Legislature to replace term-limited Senator Dave Murman. He grew up on his family’s farm near Ong and attended Clay Center Public Schools before graduating from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2007. Anderson is a lifelong Nebraskan, a farmer, and a former volunteer firefighter. Anderson lives in Sutton and currently serves as Mayor of Sutton. He and his wife have five children.

Anderson has farmed full-time since 2015. His operation includes row crops, primarily corn and soybeans, along with a cow-calf operation. He also previously operated a farrow-to-finish hog operation until 2018 and sells seed on the side. In addition to his work in agriculture, Anderson has served as Mayor of Sutton, where he has been involved in local issues including recovery efforts following the 2023 tornado, redevelopment matters, vacant property issues, and other city projects.

Anderson said his experience in farming and local government has shaped the way he approaches public service, particularly in problem-solving, long-term budgeting, communication, and weighing issues from multiple perspectives before making decisions. In the Legislature, he would focus on property tax relief, support for agriculture and first responders, workforce and economic development, broadband and infrastructure, Second Amendment rights, pro-life policies, and parental involvement in schools. He also listed day care availability, affordable housing, and business incentives aimed at helping communities grow among his priorities. He wants voters in District 38 to know that faith, communication, safety, and economic development would guide his approach in the Legislature. Anderson has endorsements from former State Senator Mark Christensen, Public Service Commissioner Eric Kamler, Clay County Supervisor L. Wayne Johnson, and Clay County Sheriff Jeff Franklin.

Wes Wilmot (R) – Beaver City

Wes Wilmot is looking to replace term-limited Senator Dave Murman to serve District 38 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Wilmot, a Republican, was born and raised in Wilsonville. Wilmot attended Kearney State before co-founding an electronics company in Kearney, where he worked for several years. He later returned to school at Hastings Tech and was then hired by Nebraska Cellular, where he spent 35 years working as a cellular engineer. Wilmot retired from the wireless communications industry more than a year ago and now works on the family farm. Wilmot lives with his wife, Nebraska Regent Kathy Wilmot, in her hometown of Beaver City. The couple have three children and ten grandchildren.

In his community, Wilmot participates in Wreaths Across America and has served as an EMT with Beaver City EMS for 15 years. He also teaches Sunday school at his church and has said his faith is an important part of his life. In addition, he previously served on the ESU 11 board and is a member of Nebraska Farm Bureau and the National Rifle Association. Politically, Wilmot has been an active participant in the legislative process, including testifying on bills such as LB89, LB730, and LB246.

As a Senator, Wilmot hopes to focus on pro-life policy, property tax relief, and support for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. He aims to reduce wasteful spending while preserving and strengthening services such as support for veterans and mental health resources for first responders. Wilmot has received endorsements from former Governor Kay Orr, former State Senator Steve Erdman, former Attorney General and State Treasurer Don Stenberg, and the Nebraska and National Eagle Forum.

Barry DeKay (R) — Niobrara

Barry DeKay, 66, is looking to extend his term in the District 40 seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

DeKay is a rancher residing in Niobrara with his wife, Brenda, who has worked as a dental assistant. The couple have two adult children and one grandchild.

DeKay served on the Nebraska Public Power District for six years and has been Chairman of the Board. He has been a member of the Niobrara Valley Electric Corporation, where he served as President; NPPD Nuclear Committee; Knox County Cattlemen; Farm Bureau legislative committee; Niobrara Valley Hospital Foundation, where he served as President; and Sacred Heart Parish of Boyd County. He also spends his time officiating high school and college basketball.

In the Unicameral, Senator DeKay is pro-life, supports the Second Amendment, and wants to grow broadband and revamp the broken tax system in Nebraska. He currently serves as the chair of the Agriculture Committee and is an at-large member of General Affairs and Natural Resources Committees.

Jacob Sikes (R) — Riverdale

Jacob W. Sikes is running in the special election to represent District 41 in the Nebraska Legislature. Sikes, born and raised in Kearney, graduated from Kearney High. He later studied music at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. After college, Sikes signed with a record label and performed professionally for several years before returning to school to become a certified orthotist. Sikes lives in Riverdale with his family, where they are restoring the former Riverdale schoolhouse. The project was featured on an episode of HGTV’s Zillow Gone Wild.

Sikes has worked in rural health care as an orthotist for more than 25 years. He has practiced in the Kearney area since 1999 and works in orthotics and prosthetics, including specialty clinics in Superior and Valentine. He has said that his work in rural health care has given him firsthand experience with the challenges many Nebraskans face in accessing care, and that this influenced his decision to run for the Legislature. He also serves as a public member of Nebraska’s State Board of Health. Outside of work, Sikes performs with the band Calling Connecticut and enjoys riding his Harley.

In the Legislature, Sikes intends to focus on rural health care, rural infrastructure, property taxes, and limiting unfunded mandates on small communities. He has also said he supports efforts to expand access to care by encouraging medical professionals to live and work in rural Nebraska, freezing property tax increases for two years, and stabilizing funding for programs and organizations that rely on state aid.

Joe Johnson (R) — Kearney

Republican Joe Johnson is running for the District 41 seat in the Nebraska Legislature. Born, raised, and educated in Nebraska, Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Johnson, 49, lives north of Kearney in Buffalo County with his wife, Tara, and their three sons, Will, Alex, and Chandler.

Johnson’s career in public service began with his work as a city administrator in Nebraska City and David City. Now, Johnson is the Vice President of business development for Olsson. He works with communities across the state on infrastructure development, economic growth, and long-term planning. Johnson also owns the McCues taphouse in Kearney, which only serves Nebraska-made beer, wine, and spirits.

Johnson is running on faith, family, and conservative principles. His campaign has emphasized support for pro-life policies, meaningful property tax relief, responsible tax policy, strong partnerships with local communities, and efforts to keep Nebraska competitive in agriculture and economic development.

Jeremy Heneager (D) — Cairo

Democrat Jeremy Heneger is running in the special election for the District 41 seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Heneger grew up in Weeping Water and graduated from Weeping Water High School. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Hastings College, as well as a master’s degree and doctorate in educational leadership from Doane University. Heneger lives in Cairo with his wife, Dr. Kaela Heneger, who recently became superintendent of Centura Public Schools. The couple has two daughters, Mackenzie and Ada.

Heneger has worked in education for about 25 years. He began his teaching career at Clay Center High School and later became curriculum director for South Central Unified No. 5 in central Nebraska. He then transitioned to work for the Nebraska Department of Education, first as an Assistant Director of Statewide Assessment, then as the Director of Statewide Assessment. He currently works as a program director at ACT. In his personal life, he emphasizes community service, including promoting blood donation and a broader service-oriented approach to public life.

Heneger’s decision to run was shaped in part by concerns about growing partisanship in Nebraska Legislature. Heneger, a Democrat, favors a less divisive approach and greater cooperation in addressing state issues. His key issues focus on property taxes, public education, agriculture, and the needs of rural communities. Heneger aims to ease the tax burden on families, farms, and small businesses, support family farms and right-to-repair policies, and keep public funding directed to public schools. He has also criticized efforts by lawmakers to revisit or weaken measures previously approved by voters, including the minimum wage increase and medical marijuana.

Mike Jacobson (R) — North Platte

Senator Mike Jacobson, 72, is running once more to represent District 42 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Jacobson was initially appointed by Governor Ricketts to District 42 legislative seat in February 2022, following the resignation of Senator Mike Groene. He currently sits as chair of the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee and the vice chair of the Revenue Committee. He has previously served on the Agriculture, General Affairs, and Natural Resources Committees.

Jacobson is the founder and CEO of NebraskaLand Bank. Jacobsen was born on a family farm in Clay County near Sutton. He taught and farmed in Red Cloud. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder graduate school of banking.

Jacobson is the past President of North Platte Public Schools Foundation Board, the North Platte Development Corporation, the Community Redevelopment Authority, and the North Platte Airport Authority Board. He also serves as a board member at Great Plains Health. Jacobson is married to Julie, and the couple has two adult children and one grandchild.

During his tenure in the Legislature, he has supported efforts to reduce taxes, bolster workforce housing, and expand economic development opportunities.  He is a conservative, pro-life, pro-Second Amendment legislator.

Shaylee Scranton (I) — Thedford

Shaylee Scranton of Thedford is challenging incumbent Senator Mike Jacobson for the right to serve District 42 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Scranton, 34, graduated from Doane University in 2020 with a degree in film and media production.

Teresa Ibach (R) — Sumner

Incumbent Senator Teresa Ibach of Sumner is running unopposed for re-election to the Nebraska Legislature in Legislative District 44.

Counties that make up District 44 include Gosper, Hayes, Dundy, Frontier, Hitchcock, Chase, Dawson and a portion of Perkins.

Ibach, 64, is a lifelong resident of Dawson County. She is a 1980 graduate of Sumner-Eddyville-Miller high school.  She earned a B.S. from the College of Human Resources and Family Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She was a property manager for 28 years, and she and her husband live on the family farm near Sumner where they have a cow-calf operation and raise corn, soybeans, alfalfa and forage. Their grandchildren will be the seventh-generation members of the farming operation in their community.

Ibach says she has a heart for service and philanthropy and currently serves on the Nebraska FFA Foundation Board, the Farm Bureau Foundation Board, and is a UNL trustee. She had previously served on boards for the Nebraska 4-H Foundation, the NebraskaLand Foundation, and the Lied Center for Performing Arts, as well as the Kearney Area Community Foundation, Red Cross, and Chamber of Commerce board of directors. She also teaches Junior Achievement in Kearney Public Schools.  She and her husband, Greg, have been married 33 years. They have three adult children. He went on to serve in the Trump Administration as the undersecretary of marketing and regulatory programs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  In 2021, Greg joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources as the institute’s inaugural Under Secretary in Residence.

As a Senator, Ibach has worked to bring bills on issues impacting rural Nebraska, especially those of agriculture, natural resources and water, property tax relief and reform, education, and rural health care.  Senator Ibach serves as the vice chair for the Agricultural Committee, as well as a member of the Business and Labor and Revenue Committees.

Danielle Conrad (D) — Lincoln

Danielle Conrad is running unopposed to extend her return to the Nebraska Legislature after representing District 46 as a Senator for eight years from 2007-2015. If elected, Conrad will have served District 46 for a total of sixteen years at the end of her term.

In this current Legislature, Conrad serves on the Education, Natural Resources, and Nebraska Retirement Systems Committees. She has continued to bring bills relating to judicial and truancy reform.

In 2006, she was elected as Danielle Nantkes (her maiden name), defeating Carol Brown, earning 55.3% of the vote.  She earned 51% of the vote to defeat Chad Wright in 2010.  During her whole term in the Legislature, she served on the Appropriations Committee.  She states that her legislative accomplishments include: establishing a loan forgiveness program for rural attorneys and public interest attorneys, working as a champion for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, supporting tax cuts, spearheading efforts to modernize our state’s economic development strategies, establishing a scholarship for children of first responders killed in the line of duty, streamlining our workers compensation system, and improving access to health care for women and children.

Conrad, a civil rights attorney, was most recently the executive director of the ACLU Nebraska, a role she took on 2014, working to grow ACLU’s staff and advocacy efforts, including support for expanding Medicaid eligibility, banning predatory pay day lending, eliminating the last vestiges of slavery from our state constitution, increasing the minimum wage, and increasing election participation through a mass mailing of vote-by-mail applications.

Originally from Seward, Nebraska, Conrad earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Nebraska College of Law. Conrad’s professional career has included work at Nebraska Appleseed as a staff attorney and policy advocate for low-income working families and new immigrants; nonprofit management; campaign management; and political consulting.  While a Senator, Conrad served as the Director of the Lincoln Parks Foundation.  She also led the successful effort to raise Nebraska’s minimum wage via citizen initiative in 2014.

Conrad and her husband Tom, a fellow UNL Law graduate who owns Heartland Optical, live in the East Campus neighborhood with their two children.

Brian Hardin (R) — Gering

Brian Hardin, 56, is seeking re-election to the District 48 legislative seat.

Hardin grew up in a Scottsbluff farm family and graduated from Gering High School. He then went on to obtain his bachelor’s degree from Chadron State College and his master’s from Denver Seminary.

He worked as a police and prison chaplain in Denver and worked as a pastor in a mega church in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  In the early 2000s, Hardin co-founded an Independent Marketing Operation for insurance, and through this, he trained thousands of brokers and worked with them to market their various agencies. Today, he has business interests and ownership in many sectors of business, with an emphasis on consulting for foreign businesses looking to enter the U.S. market.  Hardin resides in Gering with his wife, Lili, a Purdue graduate who has a history of working in information technology and now runs the front-facing operations of Safety Wing, one of the companies they own and manage.  Safety Wing is 75-employee company that provides travel and medical incident insurance built specifically for “digital nomads.”

In the Legislature, Senator Hardin has served as the Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. He also sits on the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee and the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee. A few of Hardin’s priorities in the Legislature include shrinking the government, increasing local involvement in education, protecting first and second amendment rights, and supporting law enforcement.

Jessica Landers (R) — Scottsbluff

Jessica Landers is challenging Senator Brian Hardin for District 48’s seat in the Nebraska Legislature.

Landers, 46, grew up in Kearney, where she graduated from Kearney High School before going on to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in theater from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. After undergrad, she attended and graduated from the University of Nebraska’s College of Law. She resides in Scottsbluff with her husband, fellow District 48 candidate Samuel Landers, and has an adult daughter.

Landers has a long history in law and public service. She worked as a policy officer in Kimball for seven years before attending law school in Lincoln. After law school, she returned to the Panhandle, serving five years a deputy county attorney for Scotts Bluff County before entering private practice. Now, Landers operates the Jessica M Landers Law Office in Scottsbluff, where she practices family law.

Landers is running for office to greater support western Nebraska, who she says continues to face workforce challenges. She would like to increase western Nebraska’s access to the resources that are available in other parts of the state. As a lawmaker, she intends to advocate for expanded mental health resources in the west for families and children, pushing tax revenue back towards western Nebraska, and pursuing legislation to address serious injury and fatality crashes, including stronger penalties in street racing cases through what she calls, “J.P.’s Law.”

Samuel Landers (R) — Scottsbluff

Samuel Landers is looking to unseat Senator Brian Hardin to represent District 48 in the Nebraska Legislature.

Landers, 36, lives in Scottsbluff, where he grew up and where his family has lived for three generations. He graduated from Scottsbluff High School and attended the Boulder College of Massage Therapy. He is married to Jessica Landers, who is also running for the District 48 seat.

Landers is a part-time massage therapist and an Army veteran. He served for two years as a medic with the 25th Infantry and spent time stationed in Hawaii before being injured during a training mission. After leaving the military, he attended massage therapy school and later returned to Scottsbluff. He has said his experience in the community and talking with local residents has shaped his views on the needs of western Nebraska.

Landers, a Republican in the officially nonpartisan race, decided to run because he does not believe District 48 is well represented in Lincoln. He intends to prioritize addressing waste and mismanagement in DHHS, expanding mental health resources and other health services in the Panhandle, and creating more educational opportunities for law enforcement officers in the area. He believes western Nebraska needs more support and attention from state government.

Kurt Zadina (R)

Republican Kurt Zadina is running for the District 48 seat in the Nebraska Legislature against incumbent Senator Brian Hardin.

Zadina, who lives near Mitchell with his partner, has been a resident of the Panhandle for the past 12 years. Originally from Superior, Zadina graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. During college, he worked in the Legislature, first as a page, and then as an administrative assistant for former Senator Bob Clark of Sidney.

Zadina spent his career as an educator and school technology administrator. He has worked in Wood River, Chappell, Mitchell, Omaha, Plattsmouth, Arlington, Westside, and Alliance in roles ranging from teaching to coaching to technology administration. He retired from Alliance Public Schools last summer.

Zadina decided to run because he believes the Panhandle needs a stronger voice in Lincoln. He feels western Nebraska’s concerns are too often overlooked. His priorities include improving government efficiency, protecting early childhood education funding, respecting voter-approved ballot measures, and addressing water issues important to the district and the state. He aims to find different ways to raise revenue, listen to voters, and respond to District 48’s local needs.