Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen wins GOP primary for 2026 re-election bid

Republican Gov. Jim Pillen of Nebraska is a big step closer to winning re-election as governor of the red-leaning Great Plains state.

Pillen easily topped five challengers in Nebraska’s GOP gubernatorial primary to win his party’s 2026 nomination, the Associated Press reports.

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The governor, a practicing veterinarian and chair of Pillen Family Farms who also played defensive back for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers football team five decades ago, was first elected in 2022.

The backing of the outgoing Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts helped Pillen top a crowded field of GOP rivals in the primary before going on to easily win the general election.

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One week after being sworn in as governor, Pillen appointed Ricketts to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant when Republican Sen. Ben Sasse stepped down to become University of Florida president.

Pillen will be considered the clear favorite in the general election in a state President Donald Trump carried by 20 points as he won back the White House in 2024.

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The governor will face off against former state Sen. Lynne Walz, who won the Democratic nomination, the Associated Press reports. 

Walz crushed perennial candidate Larry Marvin in the Democratic primary.