Nebraska's 10 most recent governors
Here are the 10 most recent governors of Nebraska, beginning with current Gov. Pete Ricketts.
10 Governors Pete Ricketts
Briefly: Ricketts, whose billionaire family owns the Chicago Cubs, has won two terms as governor. He has focused on taxes, regulations and government efficiency.
10 Governors Dave Heineman
Briefly: Heineman became Nebraska’s longest-serving governor after moving up from lieutenant governor. A staunch conservative, he oversaw two major tax cut packages.
10 Governors Mike Johanns
Briefly: Johanns put thousands of miles on his car campaigning for governor. A former Lincoln mayor, he went on to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and spent one term in the U.S. Senate.
10 Governors Ben Nelson
Briefly: Nelson served two terms as governor and two in the U.S. Senate. As governor, he merged five state agencies and kept Nebraska from being the site of a low-level radioactive waste dump.
10 Governors Kay Orr
Briefly: Orr was Nebraska’s first woman elected governor. She oversaw the creation of business tax incentives and a push to increase university research. She has reemerged as a political force in recent years.
10 Governors Bob Kerrey
Briefly: Kerrey is a decorated Vietnam War veteran who led the state through a major farm crisis. He went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. While governor, he dated actress Debra Winger.
10 Governors Charles Thone
Briefly: Thone, better known as “Charley,” spent eight years in Congress before being elected governor. He focused on education and economic development.
10 Governors J. James Exon
Briefly: Exon, a two-term governor and three-term U.S. senator, became the patriarch of the state Democratic Party. As governor, he was a fiscal conservative and an early proponent of ethanol.
10 Governors Norbert Tiemann
Briefly: Tiemann, a reformer, took office in the midst of a state tax crisis. His solution – creating the state sales and income tax system – cost him a second term.
10 Governors Frank Morrison
Briefly: Morrison, who served three 2-year terms as governor, was known as a tireless promoter of Nebraska. He pushed tourism and criminal justice reform.
Charles Herbster said that while he supported Donald Trump from the beginning, the extended Ricketts family spent $7.5 million "against Donald Trump and his America First agenda" before he gained the Republican nomination in 2016.
The former state senator "told me last night she is officially a candidate" for governor, Cass County Republican Chairwoman Tracy Zeorian stated in an online post promoting a forum hosted by the county party.
Pillen campaign officials said that the "not that bad" comment was taken out of context and that he was really making a point about excessive federal spending.
Former Herbster staffer Tyler Henningsen said the video was a "setup" and "dirty trick" by the Herbster campaign to show Taylor Gage and the Ricketts administration oppose Herbster's candidacy.
The governors cited a 1990 Supreme Court case, Perpich v. Department of Defense, which states National Guard forces are under the command and control of their respective state’s governor unless they have been called to federal duty.
The governor unveiled an ambitious program of investments in Nebraska's future, including major development and protection of natural resources along with workforce development while targeting substantial additional tax relief.
Gov. Pete Ricketts endorsed Jim Pillen on Tuesday, throwing his support as the state's top Republican behind the Columbus pig farmer in the upcoming primary race for governor.
The Omaha organizer said he received the Brett Lindstrom campaign’s acceptance within a week and Theresa Thibodeau’s a few days later. But he never heard back from Charles Herbster or Jim Pillen.
The development positions two prominent Republican leaders, Gov. Pete Ricketts and Noem, on opposite sides of the Nebraska Republican primary race.
Candidates for Nebraska governor collectively raised over $12 million in 2021, but the vast majority of that total went to the campaigns of two Republicans: Jim Pillen and Charles W. Herbster.
Three candidates for governor have all used University of Nebraska logos or imagery in ads. The university would like them to cut it out and "ensure that we're not mistakenly conveying an endorsement of any one candidate.”
Charles Herbster has used Jim Pillen’s record on critical race theory as ammunition in attacks against his chief rival in the Republican primary. But the critiques aren’t backed by much substance.
Pillen’s campaign said debates served as political theater — “a chance for the mainstream media to pit Republican candidates against each other and hijack the agenda from Republican voters.”
Third-party ads targeting two Republican candidates for governor surfaced online Friday. Along with recent polling, the ads indicate an increasingly competitive race between three candidates.
A bill that would require Gov. Pete Ricketts to apply for $120 million in federal rental assistance could be dead in the water even after it passed in the Legislature Wednesday morning.
Jim Pillen won't be among the Republican candidates at Thursday's debate. The choice puzzled some political observers, but not everyone is convinced of debates' importance to a winning strategy.
Even Charles Herbster, who’s endorsed by former President Donald Trump, agrees that Joe Biden is the country's leader. Herbster was at the Jan. 6, 2021, rally that escalated into a storming of the Capitol.
"It is one thing to talk about success; it is another to show a history of success," the attorney general said in endorsing Jim Pillen.
A day after Gov. Ricketts vetoed a bill seeking an additional $120 million in federal rental aid, advocates for Nebraskans facing housing challenges said there remains an urgent need across the state.
“If you go back 40 or 50 years, we had prayer in the school systems,” Charles Herbster said. “We should have prayer in the school systems today. I’ll stand by that.” He also wants to scrap lessons that cast America in a negative light.
Nebraska lawmakers voted to override almost all of Gov. Pete Ricketts' vetoes on the state budget, restoring more than $172 million in expenditures.
GOP candidate Charles W. Herbster has donated more to his own campaign than current Gov. Pete Ricketts spent — from all sources — on the 2014 primary and general election combined.
Deputy Secretary Adewale Adeyemo said he was disappointed Gov. Pete Ricketts had not applied for the funding and encouraged him to rethink his position "on behalf of the thousands of Nebraskans in need of assistance."
Republican candidate for governor Charles W. Herbster maintained his denial of any misconduct and said his campaign is preparing a lawsuit to counter sexual assault allegations from multiple women.
Brett Lindstrom, Theresa Thibodeau and Charles W. Herbster fielded a wide range of questions at the Republican gubernatorial debate in Holdrege. Jim Pillen again was a debate no-show.
From food assistance to rental aid, Ricketts has turned away millions of dollars meant for Nebraskans in need, often based on the argument that it is time to return to pre-pandemic order.
Top contenders for the Republican gubernatorial nomination did not slow their fundraising — or their spending — during the final month leading up to the May 10 primary.
Charles W. Herbster does not plan to attend a deposition planned Friday at the Johnson County District Court in his legal fight with state Sen. Julie Slama, according to statements from his campaign.
Political science professors said the most recent polling results hold good news for Jim Pillen. “Momentum is important when we look at polling numbers,” one UNL professor said.
Gov. Ricketts intends to spend most of his remaining time in office implementing new legislation, promoting Nebraska business development and speaking out against federal policies he disagrees with.
Ricketts' comments came in response to a question regarding a Tweet by Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen. "We need to put God back into our schools," Pillen tweeted.
Nebraska officials announced that the new number (9-8-8) is being rolled out Saturday as a way to call, chat or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at any hour.
Gov. Pete Ricketts flew to Kuwait to thank Nebraska National Guard soldiers who are deployed in the Mideast and around the world.
Nebraska officials expect to receive nearly $200 million from the federal government, which they're planning to devote to expanding broadband internet access across the state.
Last month Ricketts gave $314,000 to the Nebraska Future Action Fund. So far, the PAC has spent $51,000 opposing a Republican lawmaker's campaign for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.
“The Biden vaccine mandate on our military creates a national security risk that severely impacts our defense capabilities abroad and our state readiness here at home,” the governors said.
Gov. Pete Ricketts announced Tuesday that he will apply to fill U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse's seat once Sasse resigns, confirming suspicions that he would seek the position.
Jim Pillen's administration will mark the third gubernatorial term in a row that the Nebraska Governor's Mansion in Lincoln will lack a full-time resident.
