2026 Nebraska Legislature election
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 Nebraska Legislature election will be held on November 3, 2026, alongside the other 2026 United States elections.[1] Voters will elect members of the Nebraska Legislature in half of the U.S. state of Nebraska's 49 legislative districts to serve a two-year term.[2]
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November 3, 2026
Officially nonpartisan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
25 of the 49 seats in the Nebraska Legislature 25 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Republican incumbent Term-limited Republican Democratic incumbent Term-limited or retiring Democrat Term-limited Independent No election | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background
Nebraska's legislature is unicameral and officially nonpartisan, although political parties usually endorse candidates, making the de facto partisan affiliation of every legislator known. Bills in the legislature require a two-thirds supermajority to overcome a filibuster, which Republicans gained prior to the 2024 election due to a Democrat who switched parties. They retained this supermajority in the 2024 election, where both parties flipped the same number of seats.[3] Despite their supermajority, Republicans have been unable to pass some of their legislative priorities, such as a near-total abortion ban and mid-decade redistricting, due to opposition from Senator Merv Riepe. Intra-party opposition has also blocked attempts to switch the state's allocation of electoral votes in presidential elections from the congressional district method to a winner-take-all method.[4]
Democrats are seeking to break Republicans' supermajority in the chamber, which requires a net gain of one seat from the Republicans. This is complicated, however, by the candidacy of Democratic Senator John Cavanaugh, who is not up for re-election until 2028, for the state's second congressional district. If Cavanaugh wins, his seat would be filled by an unrestricted gubernatorial appointment, likely a Republican, for the remainder of his term. To mitigate this, Democrats are investing heavily in a number of seats won by Donald Trump in the 2024 election with backing from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.[4]
Retirements
Republican
- District 2: Robert Clements is term-limited.
- District 14: John Arch is term-limited.
- District 16: Ben Hansen is term-limited.
- District 18: Christy Armendariz is retiring.[5]
- District 22: Mike Moser is term-limited.
- District 30: Myron Dorn is term-limited.
- District 32: Tom Brandt is term-limited.
- District 38: Dave Murman is term-limited.
Democratic
- District 6: Machaela Cavanaugh is term-limited.
- District 10: Wendy DeBoer is term-limited and running for the Public Service Commission.[6]
- District 28: Jane Raybould is retiring.[7]
Independent
- District 8: Megan Hunt is term-limited.
Summary of results by district
| District | 2024 Pres.[8] | Incumbent | Party | Elected Senator | Outcome | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | R+24.9 | Robert Clements | Rep | TBD | |||
| 4th | R+5.9 | Brad von Gillern | Rep | TBD | |||
| 6th | D+15.8 | Machaela Cavanaugh | Dem | TBD | |||
| 8th | D+36.8 | Megan Hunt | Ind | TBD | |||
| 10th | D+8.2 | Wendy DeBoer | Dem | TBD | |||
| 12th | D+2.3 | Merv Riepe | Rep | TBD | |||
| 14th | R+8.7 | John Arch | Rep | TBD | |||
| 16th | R+47.6 | Ben Hansen | Rep | TBD | |||
| 18th | R+1.7 | Christy Armendariz | Rep | TBD | |||
| 20th | D+10.8 | John Fredrickson | Dem | TBD | |||
| 22nd | R+59.2 | Mike Moser | Rep | TBD | |||
| 24th | R+51.4 | Jana Hughes | Rep | TBD | |||
| 26th | D+10.2 | George Dungan | Dem | TBD | |||
| 28th | D+33.1 | Jane Raybould | Dem | TBD | |||
| 30th | R+20.8 | Myron Dorn | Rep | TBD | |||
| 32nd | R+44.6 | Tom Brandt | Rep | TBD | |||
| 34th | R+53.4 | Loren Lippincott | Rep | TBD | |||
| 36th | R+23.2 | Rick Holdcroft | Rep | TBD | |||
| 38th | R+66.4 | Dave Murman | Rep | TBD | |||
| 40th | R+70.5 | Barry DeKay | Rep | TBD | |||
| 41st (special) | R+64.3 | Fred Meyer | Rep | TBD | |||
| 42nd | R+58 | Mike Jacobson | Rep | TBD | |||
| 44th | R+61.9 | Teresa Ibach | Rep | TBD | |||
| 46th | D+13.7 | Danielle Conrad | Dem | TBD | |||
| 48th | R+50.4 | Brian Hardin | Rep | TBD | |||
List of districts
|
District 2 • District 4 • District 6 • District 8 • District 10 • District 12 • District 14 • District 16 • District 18 • District 20 • District 22 • District 24 • District 26 • District 28 • District 30 • District 32 • District 34 • District 36 • District 38 • District 40 • District 41 (Special) • District 42 • District 44 • District 46 • District 48 |
District 2
The 2nd district is represented by Republican Robert Clements, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. It encompasses all of Cass County along with parts of eastern Lincoln.
Candidates
Declared
- Dean Helmick (Republican), former Cass County GOP chairman[9]
- Jayden Speed (Democratic), university student[10]
- Caitlin Knutson (Democratic), former special education teacher[11]
Endorsements
- Organizations
District 4
The 4th district is represented by Republican Brad von Gillern, who is running for re-election.[13]
Candidates
Declared
- Brad von Gillern (Republican), incumbent State Sentator[13]
- Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek (Independent), nonprofit president[13]
District 6
The 6th district is represented by Democrat Machaela Cavanaugh, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates
Declared
Endorsements
Organizations
District 8
The 8th district is represented by Independent Megan Hunt, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates
Declared
District 10
The 10th district is represented by Democrat Wendy DeBoer, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates
Declared
- Cindy Johnson (Democratic), audiologist and education advocate[20]
- Rebecca Rens (Republican), University of Nebraska Medical Center Board of Counselors member[13]
District 12
The 12th district is represented by Republican Merv Riepe, who is running for re-election.[21]
Candidates
Declared
District 14
The 14th district is represented by Republican John Arch, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates
Declared
- Bill Bowes (Republican), Former Papillion-La Vista fire chief[13]
- Jay Jackson (Republican), lawyer and U.S. Air Force Reserve colonel[13]
- SuAnn Witt (Democratic), Papillion La Vista School Board president[13]
District 16
The 16th district is represented by Republican Ben Hansen, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Declared
District 18
The 18th district is represented by Republican Christy Armendariz, who is retiring.[5]
Candidates
Declared
District 20
The 20th district is represented by Democrat John Fredrickson, who is running for re-election.[28]
Candidates
Declared
- Chris Anderson (Republican), aerospace industry consultant[13]
- John Fredrickson (Democratic), incumbent State Senator[28]
- Dan Witt, retired Omaha Public Power District planner[13]
District 22
The 22nd district is represented by Republican Mike Moser, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates
Declared
District 24
The 24th district is represented by Republican Jana Hughes, who is running for re-election.[30]
Candidates
Declared
- Jana Hughes (Republican), incumbent State Senator[30]
- Dan Winter[13]
District 26
The 26th district is represented by Democrat George Dungan III, who is running for re-election.[31]
Candidates
Declared
- George Dungan III (Democratic), incumbent State Senator[31]
- Tobias Howard[13]
District 28
The 28th district is represented by Democrat Jane Raybould, who announced in June 2025 that she would not seek re-election in 2026.[7]
Candidates
Declared
- Patty Pansing Brooks (Democratic), former State Senator[32]
- Chad Kulig[13]
- Colby Woodson[13]
District 30
The 30th district is represented by Republican Myron Dorn, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates
Declared
- Janet Bock, (Democrat), advanced practice nurse[13]
- Cally Ideus (Republican), insurance agent and nonprofit owner[33]
District 32
The 32nd district is represented by Republican Tom Brandt, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates
Declared
- Mark Schoenrock (Republican), Jefferson County Commissioner[13]
- Shay Smith (Independent), attorney[34]
District 34
The 34th district is represented by Republican Loren Lippincott, who is running for re-election.[35]
Candidates
Declared
- Ben Blodgett (Democrat), electrician[13]
- Arron Kowalski (Republican), perennial candidate[13]
- Loren Lippincott (Republican), incumbent state senator[35]
District 36
The 36th district is represented by Republican Rick Holdcroft, who is running for re-election.[36]
Candidates
Declared
- Rick Holdcroft (Republican), incumbent state senator[36]
- Darin Tompkins (Independent), business leader[37]
District 38
The 38th district is represented by Republican Dave Murman, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates
Declared
- Tim Anderson (Republican), Mayor of Sutton (2024–present)[38]
- Jon Capps (Republican), Vice Chair of the Webster County GOP[39]
- Janell Anderson Ehrke (Republican), Founder and CEO of GROW Nebraska[40]
- Melanie Knight (Democratic), Education advocate[41]
- Wes Wilmot (Republican), Vice Chair of Furnas County GOP[42]
District 40
The 40th district is represented by Republican Barry DeKay, who is running for re-election.[43]
Candidates
Declared
- Barry DeKay (Republican), incumbent state senator[43]
District 41 (special)
The 41st district is represented by Republican Fred Meyer, who has not announced whether he will run for the seat in the special election. Meyer was appointed to this seat after the resignation of incumbent Dan McKeon, who faced expulsion for sexual misconduct.[44]
Candidates
Declared
District 42
The 42nd district is represented by Republican Mike Jacobson, who is running for re-election.[47]
Candidates
Declared
- Mike Jacobson (Republican), incumbent state senator[47]
- Shaylee Scranton[13]
District 44
The 44th district is represented by Republican Teresa Ibach, who is running for re-election.[48]
Candidates
Declared
- Teresa Ibach (Republican), incumbent state senator[48]
District 46
The 46th district is represented by Democrat Danielle Conrad, who is running for re-election.[49]
Candidates
Declared
- Danielle Conrad (Democratic), incumbent state senator[49]
District 48
The 48th district is represented by Republican Brian Hardin, who is running for re-election.[50]
Candidates
Declared
- Brian Hardin (Republican), incumbent state senator[50]
- Jessica Landers, lawyer and former police officer[51]
- Sam Landers, part-time massage therapist[51]
- Kurt Zadina, retired school teacher[51]
Notes
- Megan Hunt of Omaha was elected as a Democrat but switched party affiliation to Independent in May 2023.