Nebraska Primary Ballot Appears Set With Close of Filing Deadline
LINCOLN, Neb. — Barring last minute adjustments by the Nebraska secretary of state, it appears the ballot is set for the state’s May 10 primary election.
The deadline for filing to run in the primary passed on Tuesday. But Secretary of State Robert Evnen still has until March 18 to formally certify candidates and place issues on the statewide ballot.
Twelve people have filed to run for governor. Among the Republican candidates the most well-known is probably University of Nebraska Regent and commercial hog farmer Jim Pillen, State Sen. Brett Lindstrom and former Sen. Theresa Thibodeau.
Farmer and rancher Charles Herbster, a well-known businessman in the state is also running, as are lesser known Republicans Breland Ridenour, Michael Connely, Donna Nicole Carpenter, Lela McNinch and Troy Wentz.
The two Democrats who have filed to run are state Sen. Carol Blood and Roy Harris, about whom no information was available.
Scott Zimmerman, who ran unsuccessfully as the Libertarian candidate for Nebraska lieutenant governor in 2014 is the party’s candidate for governor this year.
As for this year’s congressional primaries, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry is vying to hold onto his seat in the 1st Congressional District while continuing to battle felony charges stemming from a campaign finance investigation in federal court.
Perhaps because of those charges, this year is the first contested Republican primary in the 1st District since 2014.
Fortenberry’s most well-known challenger in the primary is Sen. Mike Flood, who is backed by Gov. Pete Ricketts and former Gov. Dave Heineman, among others.
Most of the media attention in the race has focused on Fortenberry and Flood, with The Lincoln Journal Star’s chief political columnist Don Walton predicting a “bigtime primary battle” between the two.
Flood, as one would expect, has been highlighting Fortenberry’s indictment on the campaign trail, saying, “If our nominee has to focus on beating felony criminal charges instead of defeating a serious Democrat opponent, we risk defeat in November.”
Three lesser known individuals are also running in the Republican primary. They are Curtis Huffman, Thireena Yuki Connely and John Glen Weaver.
Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks and Jazari Kual Zakaria are running in the Democratic primary.
In Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, Republican Rep. Don Bacon is facing only one challenger from his party, Steve Kuehl, a roofing salesman.
State Sen. Tony Vargas and Alisha Shelton, a licensed mental health practitioner, are running in the Democratic primary and both have been campaigning since last year. Shelton finished third in the 2020 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
Voters have until April 22 to register to vote or make changes to their registration online or by mail and until May 2 to do so at their local county elections office.
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