Republican, Democratic Governors Associations put $2.5M into Nebraska governor’s race

LINCOLN — In the final weeks of the race for Nebraska governor, the Republican and Democratic candidates have received some of their largest donations from their respective governors’ associations.

The candidates have also received boosts from President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat who chairs the DGA.

A PAC for the Republican Governors Association gave incumbent Gov. Jim Pillen of Columbus $1 million on Oct. 6, followed by $500,000 each on Oct. 19 and Oct. 26. The Democratic Governors Association, meanwhile, gave former Democratic state Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont $7,500 on Oct. 9 and $500,000 on Oct. 21. Both associations operate in Washington, D.C.

In total, Pillen and Walz have raised just shy of $20 million heading into Tuesday’s election, and by the last reporting period, ending Oct. 19, the two had together spent more than $17.1 million.

The dynamics are different from what typically ruby-red Nebraska has seen for gubernatorial races for nearly 30 years, where spending is often centralized in GOP primaries.

In 2022, Pillen was part of a heated primary to succeed term-limited Gov. Pete Ricketts. Republicans brought in $26 million in the primary, but in the general, when Pillen faced then-state Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue, a Democrat, the duo brought in just $2.3 million more.

The 2022 contest is, for now at least, the most expensive race in state history. The second-most expensive gubernatorial race came in 2014, when Ricketts first won an open seat for governor. That race cost $17.7 million in total.

Ricketts and former University of Nebraska Regent Chuck Hassebrook, a Democrat, spent $6.1 million after the primary. This year, Walz and Pillen have spent $13.6 million in the general election period, and it’s the third-most expensive race behind Ricketts and Hassebrook already. Walz has raised more than any Democrat seeking the governorship in Nebraska history, and Pillen, across his two campaigns, has done the same on the Republican side.

The last Democrat to win the governor’s seat was former Gov. Ben Nelson, who won reelection in 1994. He had unseated then-Gov. Kay Orr, a Republican, in 1990 despite being outspent.

‘Full steam ahead’

Pillen, in a statement last week, said his team has been “full steam ahead for months now.” Yet, in just over the past week, he said he held more than 40 public events in every corner of the state. He said he’s talked with thousands and thousands of voters to ensure they vote. 

“That’s what it takes to win — and I’m the only candidate putting in that type of work,” Pillen said.

Trump, when he visited Grand Island on Oct. 5 in part to help Pillen, praised Pillen for signing major income tax cuts in 2023. The president derided Walz as a “crazy relative” of “disgraced” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who he said is “probably the worst governor in history.

“She’s a disaster just like her uncle or whatever the hell he is,” Trump said then. “They come from a bad bloodline.”

Lynne Walz is a distant cousin of Tim Walz related through marriage. Lynne Walz has noted that her husband, Chris, is a Republican.

Of Pillen, Trump said he is “very tough” and often seeks money for Nebraska after storms.

“He’s a fantastic governor. He loves you like crazy. He works like hell,” said Trump.

Pillen and other Republicans have repeatedly leaned into voter turnout this year. They argue that if conservatives stay home, they’ll help Democrats.

“Republicans and commonsense Nebraskans know just how critical this election — up and down the ballot — (is) to keep far-left radicals from gaining a foothold in our state,” Pillen said. “We’re going to win — and we’re going to keep building on the success and progress we’ve made over the last four years.”

‘You give me hope’

Walz said she has traveled the state, too, and has probably put 40,000 miles on her car visiting communities statewide. Her running mate, Ben Steffen of Humboldt, an ex-Republican farmer, has also flown or driven across Nebraska. She’s criticized Pillen’s “mismanagement” of the state budget, which sits at a $1.2 billion deficit through mid-2029, which must be addressed next year.

Walz said after every listening session, she feels “more obligated to finish this race and finish it strong, because people are really counting on change.”

“Every single time I finish a town hall, somebody says, ‘You give me hope. I am walking away finally having some hope,’” Walz said. “I think what that means to people is that, No. 1, they have somebody who will listen to them and empathize with them.”

She described those feelings as a desire for more opportunity and to make Nebraskans’ lives easier, around healthcare, childcare, housing and education, all with a lean toward kindness.

At an event Sunday, Beshear, the Kentucky governor eyed as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, told an Omaha crowd he is “living, breathing proof that Democrats can win anywhere.” He said Democrats should be fighting everywhere.

“Just imagine the message we are going to send to this country when Nebraska turns blue,” Beshear said. He predicts voters will also keep Kansas blue and flip governorships in Nevada and Georgia.

Speaking with reporters after the event, Beshear said Walz “earned” the DGA’s support, which comes later in the cycle than other races but was made possible with record fundraising. Beshear credited Walz and Steffen for making the Nebraska race competitive.

“Nebraska has a governor right now that cares more about the approval of one individual than the well-being of families in this state,” Beshear said. “Lynne is for those families. She’s going to deliver, and I’m just really excited for her.”

The next four years

National pundits, pollsters and political insiders have focused attention on Nebraska’s U.S. Senate race, the 2nd Congressional District and other federal races, but the governor’s race has started to take more attention and funding, as indicated by the national governors associations.

Walz said she does feel momentum and is confident she’ll win, telling the Nebraska Examiner, “I feel that there are a lot of people who are praying for us and just backing us.” She said her closing message is that she’ll govern for all Nebraskans statewide, regardless of party.

“It’s been an honor for us to listen and bring people in on conversations to hear your ideas,” Walz said. “This campaign, and this future administration, will be about the people of Nebraska. It will not be about party. It will be how we can provide as much opportunity for the people of Nebraska as possible.”

Pillen told the Examiner that everywhere he goes, Nebraskans have also come up and told him and his wife, Suzanne, that they’re praying for them, which he said is “just extraordinary.” 

He said his focus is on lowering taxes, ensuring a ballot measure passes to constitutionally protect a state law governing girls’ and women’s sports participation, and standing up for family farms and ranches.

“My final message today is one of gratitude to Nebraskans: It’s the privilege of a lifetime to serve this state, and I’d be honored to earn your vote,” Pillen said.

Third-party candidates

The governor’s race is also complicated by two third-party candidates: Rick Beard of the Legal Marijuana NOW Party and former state Sen. Brett Lindstrom of the new America First Party.

The new Nebraskans for Cannabis Future PAC formed in early October to support Beard. The group has spent $65,000 on mailers, a webpage and digital ads. Beard, who has frequently spoken against money in politics, said he has had no involvement with the group.

The treasurer of the cannabis PAC is the same as Nebraska United, a conservative PAC that has spent nearly $1.3 million this election cycle, including $675,000 to support Pillen as recently as Sept. 3.

Beard said he never would have expected an outside group to boost him, and he said running has shown him how “corrupt” the process can be and how difficult it is while facing millions spent otherwise. He estimated he probably spent $500 in his entire race.

“I had no idea or nothing to do with this,” Beard said of Nebraskans for Cannabis Future.

Lindstrom, meanwhile, is running under the “America First” label that Republicans have worried could pull votes from Pillen. He had not filed a required disclosure report detailing funds raised or spent between Sept. 30 and Oct. 19 as of Nov. 1. That report was due Oct. 26.

A PAC known as Preserve the Good Life, which has predominantly supported Democrats and Democratic-endorsed nonpartisans and opposed Republicans, has been the primary funder of the America First Party, based on available campaign disclosure records. The party has partnered with Lindstrom to spend $90,000 to run ads against Pillen.

Lindstrom has repeatedly denied that he’s a spoiler candidate to help Walz. He says he’s the right alternative who can win.

“I’m offering a different approach based on what I’ve learned and what I’ve actually done. You don’t have to agree with it, and you certainly don’t have to vote for me,” Lindstrom said in a Friday post on Facebook. “But I believe there’s a better way to work together, solve problems and move Nebraska forward. That’s what I’ve been trying to do all along.”

Voting ends at 8 p.m. Central time Tuesday. Early voting is underway.