2026 NAPE/AFSCME Nebraska Legislature Voter Guide
In 2026, even numbered legislative district seats in the Nebraska Legislature are up for election, and there will be one special election in LD41. 62 candidates filed to run for the 25 seats. All 62 candidates were invited to participate in an interview with the NAPE/AFSCME Government Affairs Committee (GAC). 42 candidates responded to our invitation to be interviewed.
The GAC conducted interviews in-person and by video conference in January, February, and March 2026. Candidates were asked questions about their candidacy and campaign, the most important issues facing Nebraska today, the state budget deficit, collective bargaining rights, AI use and regulation, turnover of state employees, and procedural questions about the election of committee chairs and filibuster rules.
The GAC has compiled the candidates responses in this voter guide so union members can make educated decisions when they cast their ballots. Primary election day is May 12, 2026, with early voting beginning on April 13, 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026.
In accordance with our bylaws, the GAC made recommendations to our Board of Directors for endorsements. The board chose to make limited endorsements for the primary election, and may make further endorsements prior to the general election.
The Board endorsed all previously elected Nebraska State Senators who have a voting in support of our legislative priorities. The Board chose not to endorse any candidate in a two person race in the primary where both candidates were interviewed. In certain races with three or more candidates, the board made endorsements on the candidates they thought would best support our legislative priorities and have a good chance to win their election.
You can find your legislative district by clicking here.
Summaries of each candidate’s interview can be accessed at the links below. Questions from union members regarding candidate interviews can be sent to help@napeafscme.org.
Legislative District 2
Dean Helmick
Dean served in the US Air Force for more than forty years. He lives in Plattsmouth and has served as the chairperson of the Cass County Republican Party. He has degrees in aeronautics, political science, and public administration. He also completed a fellowship at Harvard University’s School of Government.
Dean is running for Nebraska Legislature because to him, it’s all about service. He says that there are hard problems that need to be solved and he is the right candidate with the right experience to get the job done. He said that he’s always willing to listen and take our call to discuss issues important to state employees.
Dean says the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is our tax burden. He understands that all taxes are a balancing act, but we must find solutions to ensure we can grow our state.
To balance the state budget, Dean says we must control spending and regulation while keeping an eye towards the future. Dean says he has learned that we cannot cut our way, or spend our way, to prosperity. Instead we have to have strong economic development in order to grow our state.
Dean supports our right to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of our employment. His wife was a school teacher and was a member of her union. He understands the important role that a union plays during the negotiations process.
Dean sees great potential in AI use, however, he thinks that human oversight of the technology is important at all times.
Dean believes that committee chairs should be elected by public vote because truth and transparency is the best way. He supports the current filibuster rules, especially because he thinks it benefits rural Nebraskans.
Caitlin Knutson
Caitlin grew up in her district in Lincoln and graduated from Lincoln East High School. She went on to earn a bachelors and two masters degrees and taught special education for nine years. Her husband is a Lincoln firefighter.
Caitlin is running for the Nebraska Legislature because she thinks the current Unicameral does not have a vision for the future. She thinks we must have a long term plan in order to make sure government can efficiently and effectively serve Nebraskans.
Caitlin thinks the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is our state budget deficit. She feels that the current budget shortfall will lead to a reduction in vital services all because of a lack of planning by the legislature.
Caitlin thinks that in order to balance the budget, we need all hands on deck to develop a plan. First, she feels that we have to pause corporate tax cuts in order to stop the revenue bleeding. From there, Caitlin says the budget should be treated like a household budget. She would get input from stakeholders, including frontline employees, to determine how best to find efficiencies in state government.
Caitlin strongly supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain. As a former member of the Omaha Education Association and with her husband a member of the Lincoln Firefighter’s union, she knows firsthand how important collective bargaining is in making sure the working class has a voice on the job.
Caitlin believes that AI use should have guardrails and that human oversight is necessary in decision making.
Caitlin does not have a strong opinion on how the legislature should elect its committee chairs, but leans towards keeping the secret ballot, and she needs to learn more about the current filibuster rules before taking a position on any potential changes.
Jayden Speed
Jayden Speed is a fifth generation Nebraskan who grew up in Nehawka and graduated from Conestoga High School. He is currently finishing his undergraduate degree and plans to go to law school in the future.
Jayden is running for legislature to lift up the community that helped shape him. He has been a recipient of SNAP benefits and attended head start growing up in Cass County. He is a supporter of the working class and unions. He wants to earn the support of labor unions and advocate for union members.
Jayden believes the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is ensuring the economy works for the working class. He believes that in order to solve Nebraska’s current state budget crisis, we need to look at revenue options and make sure that taxes are fair and balanced. He feels that constant cuts will not solve our problems and that raiding cash funds is not a real solution.
Jayden believes in collective bargaining and it’s important that unions are able to negotiate collectively to improve wages and working conditions for members.
Jayden believes that we can better attract and retain state employees by having competitive wages and benefits. He believes that AI usage needs guardrails and human oversight.
Jayden believes that committee chairs in the legislature should continue to be elected by secret ballot and the current filibuster rules should remain.
Legislative District 4
Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek
Cindy is a thirty-year Omaha resident, lifelong independent, and has a background in human resources and recruiting.
She is running for legislature because she believes that the Nebraska legislature hasn’t lived up to its coequal status as a branch of government. She was encouraged by others to run, and she believes our elected officials must work together in a non-adversarial manner to help Nebraska grow.
Cindy believes the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is ensuring that our elected leaders follow the rule of law. She is upset that the legislature has taken action to undo voter actions at the ballot box.
Cindy strongly supports the right of public employees to unionize and has seen first hand how having a union contract has helped her family members. She is proud to have been endorsed by the Omaha Firefighters union.
In order to balance the state budget, Cindy believes that we must expand our revenue base without regressive taxation on working class families. Cindy said that nobody wants to pay taxes, but the fiscal notes on income tax cuts was clear that we would be in the situation we are currently in, and she doesn’t feel that is responsible.
Cindy believes that we can better attract and retain state employees by learning why people leave, have competitive pay, ensure a quality work environment, and expand flexibility like remote work assignments where appropriate. Cindy also believes that AI use must have human oversight and not displace workers.
Cindy believes that committee chairs in the legislature should continue to be elected by secret ballot and the current filibuster rules should remain.
Senator Brad Vongillern
Interview pending.
Legislative District 6
Patrick Leahy
Patrick was born and raised in Omaha and lives there with his wife and three children. He serves as the CEO of a recycling company and previously worked for Senator Ben Nelson traveling with him as an aide. He has a passion for sustainability, and he has served on the NRD board. Patrick says he has the right kind of experience to serve in the legislature.
Patrick is running for legislature to tackle kitchen table issues that matter to people in his district including delivering affordable childcare, lowering property taxes, and growing our state to tackle the workforce shortage. He feels that these are the most important issues facing Nebraskans today.
Patrick supports the right of state employees to collectively bargain contracts because we must have labor in order to have capital. He looks forward to working with Omaha area unions like the IAFF, IBEW, Carpenters and FOP to protect the rights of working people.
Patrick believes that we must grow our economy in order to balance the state budget. He says it’s important that we make Nebraska attractive to young people and stop “brain drain.”
Patrick believes AI will be a defining issue of our time, and believes that there should be human oversight of all AI in the delivery of public services.
Patrick stated that he is very cautious about changing long standing legislative rules and for that reason supports the current process for selecting committee chairs and the filibuster.
Nate Ostdiek
Nate has lived in Omaha his whole life. He is currently working on his master’s degree at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He says he may not be the typical candidate for legislature, but he is committed to building the strongest coalition to better our state.
Nate is running for legislature because he hopes to make a difference in the lives of his neighbors. He knocked doors for candidates in 2022, and he found that candidates weren’t talking about the most important issue – the rising cost of living.
Nate still feels that the rising cost of living is the most important issue facing Nebraskans today. He wants to work with unions to help give the working class a voice. He feels that state services are the backbone of making our state function. He said, “Nebraska is not a business, it’s a place where people live.”
Nate said he is “ten toes down” to support our union and state employees’ right to collectively bargain contracts. He said the ability to organize and secure good wages is the backbone of a strong society.
Nate feels that the current state budget crisis has come from too many specialized tax exemptions without transparency or reporting requirements. He believes that the legislature should act to balance the budget instead of deferring to the executive branch.
Nate believes that AI could be used to cut costs and replace human interaction, which is why he supports required human oversight in the delivery of state services.
Nate believes that committee chairs in the legislature should continue to be elected by secret ballot and the current filibuster rules should remain.
Legislative District 8
Terry Brewer
Terry Brewer did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Erin Feichtinger
Erin was born and raised in Omaha. After graduating from Marian High School, she attended college at Loyola University in Chicago where she earned her undergraduate and PhD.
Erin is the policy director for the Women’s Fund of Omaha and has spent years getting Nebraskans involved in the legislative process. Policy work is her “great love” and worked on issues such as the paid sick leave initiative. She is running for legislature to help Nebraska build an economy that works for everyone.
Erin says that she unequivocally supports the right of state employees to collectively bargain and said that she “will never waiver on that, and you always have an ally in me.”
Erin is not supportive of cutting vital state services to balance the state budget. She feels that the work state employees do is a credit to the America we have built together. In order to balance the state budget, Erin believes we need responsible tax policy to support essential services.
Erin knows how the legislature works and she respects the institution. She believes the current procedures for the selection of committee chairs and filibuster rules should remain unchanged.
Josh Livingston
Josh lives in the Dundee neighborhood in Omaha. He graduated from Creighton law school and is a family law attorney. He serves as the President of the Nebraska Association of Child Support Attorneys.
Josh is running for legislature because he believes that we should find middle ground to always keep our state moving forward.
Josh believes that the most important issue facing Nebraska today is our state budget crisis. Josh does not believe in sweeping cash funds, and said that we can’t simply slash and cut funds. In the long term that is not a successful strategy.
Josh supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain. Josh believes the right to stand up for ourselves as employees is most important.
AI is a concern for Josh. He has seen lawyers use AI inappropriately with ghost citations. He believes AI needs regulation and human oversight.
Josh believes committee chairs should be elected by a public vote because, “democracy dies in the dark.” He supports the current filibuster rules and would not propose changes to that rule.
Legislative District 10
Cindy Johnson
Cindy is an audiologist. She went to Wayne State College on Pell Grants, and now practices in Omaha. She comes from a union family with members who are firefighters and steamfitters.
Cindy is running for legislature to be a strong voice to lower the cost of living and support public schools. Cindy lived in Madison, Nebraska when Tyson bought Hormel and the plant closed causing the layoff of many union members. She wants to work to prevent situations like that.
Cindy believes the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is affordability. Things are getting more expensive and she sees political fighting instead of solutions. That has motivated her to run.
Cindy supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain our wages and working conditions.
Cindy sees the state budget like a home budget. She believes the legislature needs to go line by line and use money efficiently. She does not believe cutting wages or furloughing state employees is an effective method to balance the budget.
Cindy stated that AI should not displace workers or public services. She believes AI is a tool, but it needs human oversight and to be used responsibly.
Cindy believes that committee chairs should be elected by secret ballot because there is too much partisanship currently in the legislature. She believes the current filibuster rules should not be changed.
Cindy earned the endorsement of our union because of her commitment to advocate for the values contained in our legislative priorities.
Rebecca Rens
Rebecca Rens did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Legislative District 12
Tom Kastrup
Tom is originally from Hartington, Nebraska. Tom previously worked for the Omaha World-Herald and now works at the Better Business Bureau. His wife is a teacher, and they currently live in Omaha.
Tom is running for Nebraska Legislature because he feels that the middle-class, and working people especially, need a strong voice in the Unicameral. Tom stated that his life changed for the better when his father was hired into a union position at the Nebraska Department of Roads. That union job is what allowed his family to have a fair shake and allowed him to get to where he is today.
Tom believes the most important issue facing Nebraska today is that the legislature has ignored the will of the voters. By overturning voter initiatives like minimum wage and paid sick leave, he believes the legislature has created distrust between the citizens and government.
Tom absolutely supports our right to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of our employment.
Tom feels very strongly that AI use needs regulation and oversight. He doesn’t want to stifle growth, but it’s very important that we maintain oversight of AI technology.
Tom feels the legislature should continue to elect committee chairs by secret ballot because it ensures the right people are in the right position. Especially in a time of heightened partisanship, he feels the secret ballot is the best way. Tom supports maintaining the current filibuster rules.
Christy Knorr
Christy is a hospice nurse who describes herself as an “everyday Nebraskan.” She is running for legislature because she sees disrespect on both sides in the current Nebraska legislature. It has been a long time since a nurse has been a state senator, and she wants to help amplify voices.
Christy’s dad was a union member and her mom was an immigrant. Christy decided to go to nursing school because of a CFS caseworker who encouraged her to do so. She was the first college graduate in her family, and her children were the first kids in her family to graduate high school. Christy knows what it’s like to be on welfare, which would be a unique voice in the legislature.
Christy believes the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is affordability. Additionally, Christy believes that the legislature must address property taxes and provide “real” relief for property owners.
Christy “absolutely” believes in the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of their employment.
Christy believes that the current state budget deficit can be solved, and property tax relief can be provided, by medical marijuana tax revenue. She also believes marijuana tax revenue could provide free school lunches.
Christy believes that AI must be regulated. She stated that she has been very intentional in her campaign to make sure that she does not use AI.
Christy believes that committee chairs should be elected in open and transparent elections via public vote. She also believes that the current filibuster rules should remain in place.
Robin Richards (Write-in candidate)
Robin is a former NAPE/AFSCME member in her past career at the Nebraska Arts Council. She has been elected to, and currently serves as President of the Ralston Public Schools Board of Education.
Robin is running for legislature because she has been in public service for most of her life. Her grandfather was a 45 year member of IBEW, and unions run in her blood. She previously ran for legislature and lost in a tight race by 500 votes, and she is running to give workers a stronger voice in Nebraska.
Robin believes that the current state budget crisis is the most important issue facing Nebraska. Robin has state budget experience from when she worked at the Nebraska Arts Council. She hopes to use her experience to help balance the state budget in a responsible manner.
Robin absolutely believes in the right of Nebraska state employees to unionize and collectively bargain. She has experience negotiating the REA union contract as a member of the school board. She believes the collective bargaining process is vital to both sides.
Robin has experience in developing policies for responsible AI use in her role on the Ralston school board. She believes that it is crucial to have regulation and human oversight in AI use. She stated that AI should not displace workers.
Robin believes that in order to keep the Unicameral non partisan, committee chairs should be elected by secret ballot. She supports the current filibuster rules, but is willing to have conversations about improving the process.
Senator Merv Riepe
Senator Riepe did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Legislative District 14
Bill Bowes
Bill Bowes is a 61 year Nebraska resident. He grew up in Omaha and became a teacher. After having kids, he knew he needed a higher paying job, and he became a firefighter. He spent 21 years as a union firefighter and then became the Fire Chief in Papillion for 17 years.
He retired in 2023 and is now running for legislature to continue his lifelong public service. He said he is uniquely positioned to be successful with his experience in city government as a frontline worker and a manager. He believes it is important for our government to ensure a high quality of life through things like good streets, arts, and recreation programming.
Bill believes the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is property taxes. He said property taxes should be a local issue, but understand the importance of providing relief.
Bill believes the current state budget deficit is partly because of a spending problem, but the way out of that is to grow our state. He believes we need business incentives in order to compete, especially with our neighboring states. He stated long term solutions are needed, and he likes consumption and use taxes, but not a blanket consumption tax like EPIC.
Bill supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain and said he would never do anything to harm our right to collectively bargain.
Bill believes AI should be regulated, but he isn’t sure right now how best to do it. He believes that a human element is required.
Bill believes that committee chairs in the legislature should be elected by public vote. He believes in the current filibuster rules, because it allows all voices to be heard.
Jay Jackson
Jay Jackson went to law school at night while working during the day to fund his education. He joined the military right out of law school and served as a Judge Advocate General (JAG). In the military he worked with people of all different backgrounds as he was deployed in the war on terrosim and ISIS. He now is an attorney at Kutak Rock in Omaha.
Jay is running for legislature because he believes in spending “80% of his time helping 100% of the people.” He describes himself as a small government conservative, but believes that we have a moral obligation to take care of all those we serve.
Jay believes the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is affordability. He stated the legislature has to work to get more money in folks’ pockets. He believes that happens by growing Nebraska and ensuring there are great jobs in order to keep younger people in Nebraska.
Regarding the state budget, Jay stated that sometimes elected officials have to make the best “worst” decisions. He believes that any cuts should be of minimal impact. He said he is a “small government conservative, not a ‘no government’ conservative.” We may have to cut things now, but we should not raise taxes because it doesn’t help us grow. Jay believes we can increase revenue by broadening sales tax on goods and services.
Regarding AI use, Jay would support policies to regulate AI while leaving room for innovation. He believes human oversight means human accountability.
Jay is happy with the current rules for electing committee chairs, but he is also fine with a public vote. He feels the best candidate should be elected. He supports the current filibuster rules and believes in the Unicameral as an institution.
SuAnn Witt
SuAnn became a secretary at Omaha Public Schools shortly after graduating from Omaha South High School. Over her 37 year career at OPS, she was promoted from secretary all the way to IT manager. After retiring from OPS, she went on to work at the Nebraska Department of Education for 13 years. She was elected to the Papillion LaVista Board of Education.
SuAnn is running for the legislature to get rid of party politics and to be a voice that consistently works for the people of Nebraska. She was a union member when she worked at OPS, and she has been a part of the school board negotiations team while serving on the school board. Her philosophy is to have a responsible budget while also investing to attract and retain staff.
SuAnn believes that the most important issues facing Nebraska today are high property taxes and the legislature not honoring the voice of the people. She is upset that current State Senators have overturned referanda supported by the voters.
SuAnn believes that the current state budget deficit should be solved with permanent and long term solutions. She has vast experience with the state budget and contracting from her time at NDE. She believes the first priority should be paying frontline staff and contracted providers, and then work to balance the budget from there. She believes fund sweeps are problematic, and not a real way to balance the budget.
SuAnn believes in the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain. She stated, “I will have your back always.”
SuAnn believes there is a place in the world for AI, but that AI needs to be monitored and managed. She said AI could replace jobs, and it’s important we have human oversight of the technology.
SuAnn has no problem electing committee chairs by public vote, however, she believes the Unicameral must elect the best person for the job and that may best be done by secret ballot. She believes that the current filibuster rules should remain the same.
Legislative District 16
Cindy Chatt
Cindy Chatt did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Ted Japp
Ted is a retired chiropractor and small business owner. After thirty years in business, Ted retired and now manages six farms and is active in his church. He is running for the legislature because he feels that he has common sense and a steady approach to best represent his district.
Ted feels the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is the general tax burden. He believes that we must create a Nebraska where our kids and grandkids want to stay. Ted says that we must grow our state in order to attract and retain business.
Ted supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain.
Regarding the current state budget deficit, Ted stated that in order to reach the required balanced budget, we have to study the issue carefully and eliminate inefficiencies. Ted does not want to see cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services. He says that it is the duty of a civilized society to take care of its most vulnerable people.
Ted stated that AI usage is a frontier that we don’t know much about. He says we must stay on top of it. Ted sees AI as a tool, but he hates the thought of it displacing workers, so we have to develop common sense regulations.
Ted believes that committee chairs in the legislature should be elected by public vote. He has not decided his thoughts on the current filibuster rules, but he would consider lowering the threshold to end debate from 33 to 30 votes.
Ted stated that he appreciates the work that state employees do, especially those at the Beatrice State Development Center that he has interacted with personally.
Legislative District 18
Jess Goldoni
Jess Goldoni is a small business owner with a background in marketing and communication who works in finance and technology focusing on AI education. Her husband works for the City of Omaha and is a member of AFSCME Local 251.
Jess is running for Nebraska legislature because she has been frustrated as a voter watching things not get done that actually affect our pocket book and our lives. She feels there needs to be more of a problem solving approach and wants to work to get things done across the aisle. Jess said, “I’ve never met a problem I couldn’t solve even with people I disagree with.”
Jess says the most important issue facing Nebraska today is the lack of focus on the working class. She says we must focus on lowering costs and making Nebraska a hub for innovation and a place that businesses want to invest in.
Jess 100% supports collective bargaining and is proud to be married to an AFSCME member.
Regarding the state budget, Jess feels that the legislature is playing a shell game by sweeping cash funds and thinks the current legislature is kicking the can down the road for a future legislature to solve. Jess thinks we need to broaden the tax base in order to generate revenue to balance the budget.
Jess is an expert on AI, and she wants to lead the charge in writing policies to ensure that AI is regulated. She believes the workforce needs to be “upskilled” and trained in how to use AI as a tool so that new jobs can replace old jobs that are no longer needed. She believes that a human must have oversight of AI 100% of the time.
Jess thinks that committee chairs should be elected by public vote in order to increase transparency in the legislature. She thinks the filibuster is important due to our Unicameral system and does not think the rules should change.
Taylor Royal
Taylor was born in Nebraska and is a CPA and financial advisor. He loves to research and investigate problems to find solutions that benefit everyone. Taylor is running for the legislature because he wants to bring a new generation of leadership to Lincoln to grow our state to prosperity. Taylor wants to listen to all voices and surround himself with frontline workers to understand issues. He stated that public employees are often overscrutinized and underappreciated.
Taylor feels the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is affordability. He stated that rising costs are pushing seniors out and making it difficult to keep young people in state. He stated that he wants to grow Nebraska so that his children will stay for life.
Taylor supports the right of state employees to unionize and collective bargain, and stated that he feels it’s an important right to keep.
Taylor sees the state budget as a pie, and in order to fix the current budget, we “need less cuts and more pie.” He feels we need strong incentives to help businesses grow, which in turn would create more revenue and jobs for Nebraskans.
Taylor says that he is still learning about how AI will affect us in the future, but he thinks it’s important for there to be human oversight in the use of AI, especially in the delivery of state services.
Taylor says he has no strong feelings about whether committee chairs in the legislature are elected by public vote or secret ballot. He supports the current filibuster rules.
Derek Schwartz
Derek Schwartz did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Legislative District 20
Chris Anderson
Chris retired in June 2025 and is a US Air Force Reservist and proud father. He has considered running for the legislature for a couple of years, and after praying on it, decided to run.
With a 31 year background in government and private sector, Chris feels that he is uniquely qualified to find common ground to help our government run as efficiently as possible.
Chris feels the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is our tax burden, especially our property tax burden. Chris thinks that in order to prevent losing Nebraskans to out migration, we have to lower our property taxes.
Chris supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of their employment.
In order to balance the state budget, Chris thinks it is most important to grow our state. He wants to listen to all stake holders, including our union members, to develop a plan to market Nebraska. Chris would also like to embolden the state auditor to do more to root out waste.
Chris feels that we need to leverage AI to help keep us safe and create new jobs. He unconditionally believes that AI should have human oversight at all times.
Chris believes in transparency and that committee chairs in the legislature should be elected by public vote. Chris wants to become more educated on the filibuster rules in the Unicameral. He believes we should eliminate rules that cause inefficiencies.
John Fredrickson
Senator Fredrickson is a mental health professional from Omaha. A graduate of Skutt Catholic High School, Senator Fredrickson earned a bachelor’s in social work from New York University and a master’s degree from Columbia University.
Senator Fredrickson serves on the legislature’s Health & Human Services Committee and has been a strong ally for state employees. He supports our right to unionize and collectively bargain, he introduced legislation to protect workers, fought against efforts to weaken rights of gig workers, and fought to protect the transfer of youth between the YRTCs that would have not only harmed youth, but led to the layoff of our members.
Because of his strong voting record in the Unicameral, Senator Fredrickson has earned our endorsement for re-election.
Dan Witt
Dan Witt did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Legislative District 22
Dawson Brunswick
Dawson Brunswick did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Legislative District 24
Senator Jana Hughes
Senator Jana Hughes currently represents LD24 in the Nebraska Legislature. She grew up on a farm near Goehner and graduated from Texas A & M University with a degree in Industrial Engineering. Senator Hughes previously served on the Seward School Board and has dedicated time in the Unicameral to find solutions to improve school funding and making it more difficult for youth to become addicted to vaping and other nicotine products.
Senator Hughes is running for re-election in hopes of making positive changes for all Nebraskans, especially regarding school funding. Senator Hughes stated she’s learned that nothing is black and white in the legislature, and she is committed to listening to everyone in order to find solutions that benefit Nebraskans.
Senator Hughes feels the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is the rising cost of living. She wants to work to lower taxes while ensuring that services, especially our schools, are funded.
Senator Hughes supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of our employment. When Senator Hughes was on the school board she was used to negotiating agreements, and her family business is also a unionized shop.
In this year’s budget debate, Senator Hughes offered solutions to increase revenue by increasing taxes on vaping/tobacco products. While frustrating that her proposal did not advance, Senator Hughes said we must work together to find solutions to balance the state budget.
Senator Hughes believes that AI must have human oversight and that final decisions should always be reviewed and made by a human.
Senator Hughes does not see a need to change any current legislative rules surrounding the election of committee chairs of the filibuster.
Dan Winter
Dan Winter did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Legislative District 26
George Dungan
Senator Dungan was born and raised in Lincoln. After graduating from law school, Senator Dungan served as a Lancaster County Deputy Public Defender. Senator Dungan has been very active in his northeast Lincoln community, and has always been a champion for the working class.
During his first term in the legislature, Senator Dungan was always there to support workers and state employees. He led the fight against lowering the minimum wage, removing protection for gig workers, and the reduction of workers comp benefits for workers. He has focused on passing legislation to expand healthier care access and to lower the cost of healthcare.
Senator Dungan has always stood with frontline state employees, and because of his strong voting record, he has earned our endorsement for a second term.
Tobias Howard
Tobias Howard did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Legislative District 28
Chad Kulig
Chad is the founder of All Dogs Offroad Coop which focuses on lift kits and other automotive products. Chad decided to run for the Nebraska Legislature because he doesn’t think anyone should run unopposed.
Chad thinks the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is the rising cost of living. He thinks the legislature must focus on making Nebraska a more affordable place to live and work.
Chad is very supportive of the labor movement and supports the right of Nebraska state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of our employment.
In order to balance the state budget, Chad thinks we first have to have all expenses, big and small, in order to understand the deficit. From there, he says we must look at cuts and increase revenues to balance the budget. Chad is a big fan of spreadsheets and would enjoy getting to work with the budget.
Chad believes that there must be human oversight of AI and he would support regulations in order to ensure safe implementation of AI.
Chad believes that committee chairs in the legislature should be elected by public vote. He would need to do more research regarding the filibuster.
Patty Pansing Brooks
Senator Pansing Brooks is a familiar face to members of our union having served as State Senator for LD28 from 2015-2022 when she was term-limited from seeking re-election. Senator Pansing Brooks was also a candidate for US Congress. A lifelong Nebraskan, Senator Pansing Brooks has been engaged in civic life for decades. She believes that politics should serve people. She believes in compassion, integrity, collaboration, and hope.
In her two terms in the legislature, Senator Pansing Brooks was a strong advocate for frontline workers and state employees. She fought to reform our juvenile justice system, supported budgets to increase state employee wages, and was an advocate for youth in state custody. She strongly supports our right to collectively bargain, and she knows that state employees provide vital services to our neighbors.
Because of her strong voting record and support of state employees, Senator Pansing Brooks has won our endorsement.
Colby Woodson
Colby is a lifelong Lincolnite and thinks that politics is part of our municipal culture. He currently works at the Nebraska DMV as a temporary driver licensing examiner. Colby is running for the Unicameral because he thinks that current senators are playing politics instead of doing their job of legislating.
Colby feels the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is our housing shortage. He says that includes workforce housing, age appropriate housing for retirees, and even apartments for young adults.
Colby supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of our employment. He believes the value of workers should be elevated and that unions can help in good governance.
Regarding the state budget, Colby stated that the income taxes that were passed by the legislature have become problematic. He believes that we ultimately need to delay the implementation of those income tax cuts in order to balance the state budget.
Colby thinks that there must be regulation over AI and that human oversight must be mandated. We cannot automate everything, especially decisions that ultimately affect people’s lives.
Colby does not have a strong opinion on whether committee chairs in the legislature should be elected by secret ballot or public vote and or whether the current filibuster rules should be changed.
Legislative District 30
Tim Bentzinger
Tim Bentzinger did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Janet Bock
Janet is a lifelong Nebraskan, and has spent most of her life in southeast Nebraska. Janet is a nurse practitioner and served for 12 years on the Tri-County Public Schools Board of Education.
Janet is running for legislature because she wants to make sure that democracy thrives and the rule of law is followed. She feels the current legislature has ignored the will of the voters on certain issues.
Janet feels the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is that their voice be heard. She wants to focus on health care, agriculture, and education in the Unicameral. She cares deeply about public schools and healthcare, and she grew up on, and now runs, her family farm.
In order to balance the state budget, Janet feels that we must look at reasonable cuts for efficiency, but we must grow our tax base, and consider taxing untaxed services and certain goods like cigarettes.
Janet absolutely supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain. She was a rules covered employee at BSDC in Beatrice, and she saw first hand how important it is for frontline employees to have a voice in their working conditions.
Janet believes that AI should be regulated and that there should be human oversight of all decisions.
Janet stated that committee chairs should continue to be elected by secret ballot to ensure the best candidate is selected. Regarding the filibuster, Janet said she believes it is an important tool in the Unicameral, but she is open to some changes if they make sense.
Cally Ideus
Cally is the mother of five boys, a combat veteran, and a medicaid/medicare insurance consultant with years of experience focused on healthcare policy. Cally is running for legislature because she feels that she has the life experience to listen to all constituents and solve complex problems. She feels that she has the skills to listen to experts and craft solutions that benefit all Nebraskans.
Cally thinks the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is that we struggle to communicate effectively. Cally sees her candidacy as a solution to bring all sides to the table in order to actually solve our problems together, instead of deeply entrenching ourselves into different teams.
Regarding the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain, Cally stated that she respects unions because they are a group of people who fight for better outcomes. She said she is 100% behind unions, except when they over play their hands. She feels we should work together for common solutions.
To balance the state budget, Cally jokingly said she, “says no a lot.” In reality she feels that we need to do a deep forensic look to determine where the structural issues are with the budget and balance the budget based on those results.
Cally believes that AI is a tool with great potential, but we must have human oversight of the technology at all times.
Cally believes that committee chairs in the legislature should be elected by public vote and thinks the filibuster rules need to be changed, but does not know exactly how.
Legislative District 32
Mark Schoenrock
Mark is a Jefferson County Commissioner who was born and raised in the county. He was raised on the values of hard work, discipline, and integrity. He was nominated to attend West Point. In addition to serving as an Army officer and completing 17 moves in the army, Mark has an Agriculture degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Mark is running for the Nebraska Legislature because he has the experience of having served as a Jefferson County Commissioner, and being voted county official of the year by the Nebraska Association of County Officials, to make a difference to improve the lives of all Nebraskans.
Mark feels the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is our tax structure. Having passed 11 budgets in his time on the Jefferson County Board, Mark has learned that everyone wants services, but nobody wants to pay for them.
Mark said he absolutely supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain, and he has had good experiences negotiating contracts with the IBEW and FOP on behalf of Jefferson County. Mark says we have a mutual objective in contract negotiations to best serve Nebraskans.
Regarding the state budget, Mark wants to sit down with Senator Dorn over the summer and really learn the intricacies of the state budget. Mark said his experience with the county’s budget will help him craft solutions. He thinks we need to broaden our revenue base, but does not support a strict consumption tax such as the EPIC option. Mark also shared that he would not forget state employees during tough budget times because we have to have dedicated employees to do the work of the state.
Mark thinks that committee chairs in the legislature should be elected by public vote to ensure transparency. Mark feels that the filibuster is important so the minority voice is heard and he does not plan to advocate for changes to the rule, but if elected would evaluate that issue more.
Shaylene Smith
Shay grew up in Paxton, Nebraska. She attended Doane College and never left Crete after that. Shay is an attorney who graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law. In addition to her law practice, Shay has been involved heavily in community development in Saline County including the swimming pool and theatre in Crete.
Shay is running for legislature because she loves to give back and she is great at building bridges. Shay is not a member of a political party and feels that she can provide rational middle of the road common sense in the legislature. Her law and tax background uniquely qualifies her to be successful as a senator.
Shay believes that the most important issue facing Nebraskans is the rising cost of living. She sees a lack of bipartisanship as a close second. She thinks we must work together to find common sense solutions to lower the cost of living.
Shay said she absolutely supports the right of Nebraska state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of our employment.
To balance the state budget, Shay says we must strategically plan long term. Too often, she says, the legislature focuses on short term projects, instead of finding long term solutions to fund property tax relief. In order to do so, she feels we need to have a long term plan to change the way we pay for education, medical care, child care, and support our families.
Shay says that AI must be used safely and responsibly and that includes having human oversight of decisions. She does not believe that AI should take over certain functions, for example, autonomous vehicles.
Shay thinks that the current secret ballot method of electing committee chairs in the legislature may make some people more comfortable with electing the best candidate, and she says that is the most important thing in selecting committee chairs. Shay thinks the filibuster rules should remain in place because they add safety bumpers, kind of like in bowling.
Legislative District 34
Ben Blodgett
Ben was born and raised in Central City. He has always worked in the trades, and he has been a member of IBEW Local 265 for almost 10 years. Ben is running for the legislature to be an actual voice for the people in his district instead of a party line politician.
As a union electrician, Ben supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of our employment. Ben stated that we can count on him for support on labor related issues, including those before the CIR.
Ben thinks that there must be guardrails enacted through laws and regulations to ensure that AI use does not displace or otherwise harm workers.
Ben thinks that committee chairs in the legislature should be elected by public vote because he is an open book. He wasn’t sure yet his stance on whether the current filibuster rules should be changed.
Aaron Kowalski
Aaron Kowalski did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Senator Loren Lippincott
Senator Lippincott did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Legislative District 36
Senator Rick Holdcroft
Senator Rick Holdcroft spent 28 years in the US Navy, including time at the command of a ship. Senator Holdcroft went into politics after his retirement because to him, it’s really about service. Service runs in his family and he is running for re-election to continue to serve the people of his district. Senator Holdcroft is currently the chairperson of the General Affairs Committee.
Senator Holdcroft said that up until a few months ago he thought the most important issue facing Nebraskans was high property taxes, but now it’s clearly affordability. He stated it’s tougher for the Unicameral to control inflation and prices, but he said we must do all that we can to lower prices for Nebraskans.
Senator Holdcroft stated that he thinks unions are important in order to give workers a voice. He thinks it’s important to have health and safety standards, and unions can advocate for those. He absolutely supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of their employment.
Senator Holdcroft said that the state budget has a deficit not because of spending, but because of a hole that was developed by state income tax reductions. State spending is actually down, but so is our revenue. Senator Holdcroft thinks we can use the rainy day fund to weather this storm, and after a few years the budget will recover on its own because the revenue shortfall will even out.
Senator Holdcroft believes it is common sense to have human oversight of AI. He stated that we must be careful with AI, and even though he has a masters degree in computer science, he understands that, “nothing replaces the man in the cockpit or the soldier on the field to make the final decision.”
Senator Holdcroft believes that committee chairs should be elected publicly, and he supports the current filibuster rules. He thinks that 2023 was an anomaly and believes that Speaker Arch has done a good job in preserving our Unicameral as an institution.
Darin Tompkins
Darin spent three decades in science and manufacturing and has degrees in biology and microbiology. He has lived in Nebraska for 27 years and has deep roots in the community.
Darin was motivated to run for Nebraska legislature because he feels the current legislature has ignored the will of the voters in overturning ballot initiatives.
Darin thinks the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is affordability. He has six children, and their ability to get started in life, compared to his, has been much more challenging. He wants to find ways to lower costs in order to give the next generation a chance to be successful in Nebraska.
Darin supports the right of Nebraska state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of their employment. He thinks it is important for workers to have their voice heard and advocate for better pay and benefits. He said he strongly believes in the power of a union.
To fix the state’s budget shortfall, Darin says that we have to grow our economy. It’s important when giving business incentives that legislators ensure there is accountability for those incentives and that they support our state.
Darin believes that AI needs to be regulated and that human oversight is important in making decisions, especially in the determination of benefits.
Darin believes that committee chairs in the legislature should be selected by secret ballot to ensure the best person is elected and it is not a political loyalty test. He also believes that the filibuster should remain unchanged so that senators are required to have discussion and compromise.
Legislative District 38
Tim Anderson
Tim Anderson did not attend his interview with the NAPE/AFSCME Government Affairs Committee.
Janell Anderson Ehrke
Janell is the founder and CEO of GROW Nebraska which is based at the Younes Center in Kearney. GROW is a non-profit that helps small businesses thrive in Nebraska. She and her husband also run their family farm near Orleans.
Janell is running for legislature because ugly rhetoric needs to stop and we have to focus on growing our state. Janell is uniquely positioned because of her professional experience at GROW Nebraska and deep roots in agriculture. She states she knows that encouraging small business growth will jump start our state. She is also adamant that the legislature must not overturn the will of the voters.
Janell said the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is property taxes. We have to run the state like a business and find solutions to the property tax burden while broadening our tax base in order to fund services like schools. She said we must create income opportunities, and then government should get out of the way.
Janell said she absolutely supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of their employment. She said that, “State employees are the backbone of our state.” When everyone is at the table, Janell said we can solve problems together.
Janell said AI is a tool that should be used to support employees, but should never displace employees. She also believes that AI needs human oversight.
Janell believes that committee chairs in the legislature should be elected by public vote, but must also be based on selecting the most competent senator for the job. Janell does not have a strong opinion on the filibuster, but thinks it would be more efficient to limit the number of bills each senator can introduce.
Janell earned our endorsement because of her focus on growing Nebraska, support of our collective bargaining rights, and her desire to ensure vital services are funded. She also showed clear support to listen to all stakeholders and bring Nebraskans together.
Jon Capps
Jon is a US Army veteran from Blue Hill. He is a retired information technology expert and serves as commander of his American Legion post.
Jon’s late wife told him that if he was going to continue complaining about politics, he needed to run for legislature. He is honoring her during his campaign and doing just that. Jon thinks his life and work experience will allow him to provide steady leadership for Nebraska.
Jon believes that the most important issue facing Nebraska today is the burden of taxes and regulations on businesses. In LD38, there are plants that can’t run at full capacity, not everyone has broadband internet access, and the workforce shortage is a very real problem. In order to solve these problems, Jon thinks we need strong leadership in Lincoln.
Jon stated he has no problem with unions and the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of their employment.
Regarding the state budget deficit, Jon said it was very important that the legislature stops unfunded mandates. He said to balance the budget we must bring more businesses into our state and broaden the tax base. He also stated it is important that we improve infrastructure to accomplish that.
Jon stated that even though he is a “tech guy” he does not trust AI and thinks there must be regulation and human oversight of the technology.
Jon feels that state senators should elect committee chairs by public vote. He said he was not familiar with the current filibuster rules.
Melanie Knight
Melanie is a 5th generation Nebraskan from Clay Center. Melanie is running for legislature because she strongly believes that too many voices in Nebraska aren’t being heard, and that she can help by advocating for a better Nebraska for all.
Melanie has an adult child with special needs and was the caretaker for her aging mother because of Medicaid constraints. Melanie said it was important to step up and run for legislature because she can advocate for people’s basic needs.
Melanie said she feels that there are three most important issues facing Nebraska today including the state budget, high property taxes, and the legislature ignoring the will of the voters. She feels there is a real disconnect between current state senators and every day Nebraskans.
Melanie said she absolutely supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of our employment.
Melanie said she is not against AI being used, but she feels strongly that it needs to be regulated and that human oversight must be present over AI technology at all times.
Melanie believes that committee chairs should be elected by public vote to increase transparency. She also believes the filibuster should remain unchanged, especially for the people of her rural district so their voices are heard on all issues.
Wes Wilmot
Wes Wilmot did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Legislative District 40
Senator Barry DeKay
Senator DeKay did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Legislative District 41 (Special Election)
Jeremy Heneger
Jeremy grew up in Weeping Water and attended Hastings College where he earned a degree in education. He also went on to earn a masters and doctorate. He spent time as a teacher in Clay Center, curriculum director in Sandy Creek, and spent 10 years working for the Nebraska Department of Education. Now he works for an education testing service and lives just outside of Cairo.
Jeremy is running for legislature because he thinks Nebraskans have so much in common. He used to look up to the Unicameral, but he feels that partisanship has changed that. He is at a point in life where he feels that he has a lot to offer to bring people together. He sees himself as a middle of the road Nebraskan who would be able to get the Unicameral back on track.
Jeremy feels the most important issue facing Nebraska today is access to healthcare, including mental healthcare. In his rural district, it is difficult to find doctors who are taking patients, and he feels our state must prioritize increasing access to healthcare, especially in rural areas.
Jeremy supports the rights of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of employment. Jeremy was a union member when he was a teacher and his father was a union member at Western Electric. He is a proponent of unions, and he said we would not be where we are today without unions advocating for their members.
Jeremy feels that we need to be future focused when it comes to AI. He says that automation will displace workers and we need to get ahead of that and have regulations to ensure the best outcomes. He feels that regulations do not need to be burdensome, but they need to protect people from harm.
Jeremy thinks that committee chairs in the legislature should continue to be elected by secret ballot because that process enhances non-partisanship. He also thinks the current filibuster rules should remain unchanged, because if 33 people aren’t on board with legislation, it probably shouldn’t happen.
Joe Johnson
Joe Johnson works for an engineering firm and lives just outside of Kearney. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Kearney and earned a Masters in public administration from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He previously served as the city manager in David City, South Sioux City, and Nebraska City.
Joe is running for Nebraska Legislature because he feels the legislature needs to get back to the business of governing and running our state. He feels that there has been a lot of drama for show in the legislature, and instead thinks that the legislature must have strategic goals and execute them.
Joe says the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is high property taxes. He said that if he were elected he would bring property tax solutions. In his role as city manager, he has a strong understanding of the property tax system. First, he says that we need to find a revenue source to fund public education. He feels the TEEOSA formula isn’t working, and he has the knowledge to develop a better system. Once the property tax issue is solved, Joe says we can get back to the business of running our state.
Joe supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of our employment. He has experience at the bargaining table as a city manager, and thinks the collective bargaining process is a good way to get stakeholders to the table to discuss solutions that benefit all parties.
Joe says we don’t know the limits of AI yet, and so we must have some regulation without stifling innovation. Joe says AI is a tool that can allow us to be more creative while eliminating busy work.
Joe understands why the current secret ballot system is in place to elect committee chairs in the legislature, but he has no problem with a public vote. He supports the current filibuster rules.
Jacob Sikes
Jacob is from River Dale and has been a professional musician and has rehabbed buildings in Central Nebraska – even being featured on HGTV’s Zillow Gone Wild. Jacob shared that being a musician was a better hobby than a career, and that’s when he became an orthotist. As a healthcare professional, he is very familiar with how medicare and medicaid works and affects his fellow Nerbaskans. Jacob was appointed by the Governor to serve on the Nebraska Board of Health.
Jacob is running for legislature because when he was in 5th grade he fell in love with politics. He met Ronald Regan in North Platte when he was ten years old and got involved with the young Republicans. He feels that the legislature is at a stand still and new leadership is needed to get things done. He believes that open communication is important and will be present if he is elected to listen to concerns from all stakeholders.
Jacob feels the most important issue facing Nebraskans today is high property taxes. A close second in his district is unfunded mandates. He feels that in his district, infrastructure must be improved and funding is necessary to tackle that challenge.
Jacob believes that in order to balance the state budget there needs to be more spending cuts, and he needs to dive deeper into the budget to determine where those cuts should come from. He believes that property taxes should be frozen for one year in order for politicians to work out a solution.
Jacob supports the right of state employees to unionize and collectively bargain the terms and conditions of our employment.
Jacob believes that AI should not displace workers and that we absolutely must have human oversight of AI technology.
Jacob believes that committee chairs in the legislature should be elected by public vote, and he would keep the current filibuster rules unchanged.
Legislative District 42
Senator Mike Jacobson
Senator Jacobson did not respond to our request to be interviewed.
Shaylee Scranton
Shaylee Scranton did not respond to our request to be interviewed.
Legislative District 44
Senator Theresa Ibach
Senator Ibach did not respond to our request for an interview.
Legislative District 46
Senator Danielle Conrad
Originally from Seward, Nebraska, Senator Conrad is a civil rights attorney who is currently the longest serving senator in the Unicameral. She was first elected in 2006 and reelected in 2010 and 2022. She is seeking another term in the Nebraska legislature to continue to advance a “Working Families” agenda.
There are few candidates who have the experience of Senator Conrad. She has a 100% voting record on issues that have affected our union members. In 2011 she protected our right to collectively bargain. She has led the fight to protect paid sick leave, minimum wage, and protections for gig workers. In short, Senator Conrad has been a champion for NAPE/AFSCME members for 12 years in the Unicameral.
Senator Conrad has earned our endorsement because she has the experience and the ability to advocate for frontline workers in the Unicameral. NAPE/AFSCME members have an important advocate in Senator Conrad.
Legislative District 48
Senator Brian Hardin
Senator Hardin did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Jessica Landers
Jessica Landers did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Sam Landers
Sam Landers did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
Kurt Zadina
Kurt grew up in a conservative republican household in Superior, Nebraska. Kurt has a long history with the Unicameral, having served as a legislative page while he was in college. He later became an administrative assistant to Senator Bob Clark of Sidney. Kurt loves and respects the non-partisan Unicameral legislative system. He has held a number of jobs in education including experience in Omaha, Wood River, Chappell, and Arlington. He retired last June after serving as technology director for Alliance Public Schools.
Kurt is running for legislature because he doesn’t think anyone should run unopposed. After canvassing in Mitchell, Morrill, Dix, and Kimball, he thought he could be a strong voice for his panhandle district in the legislature. He believes strongly in the motto, “The salvation of the state is in the watchfulness of the citizens.”
Kurt believes the most important issue facing Nebraska today is our state budget deficit. He thinks the only way to solve high property taxes is to find different revenue sources to balance the budget. He is open to creative solutions like wind farms on school property. Kurt also thinks that shortages of water are the most important issue facing his district.
Kurt said that he absolutely supports the right of state employees to collectively bargain and negotiate the terms and conditions of our employment.
Kurt said that AI is a tool that will lead to new jobs just like television and radio did in years gone by. He believes that human oversight is crucial. Kurt also has concerns over water use with AI and thinks there will likely need to be regulation to protect water resources.
Kurt does not have a strong preference on how committee chairs are elected in the legislature. He thinks a public vote would be more transparent. He thinks the current filibuster rules should remain in place because of our unique unicameral system.