Another candidate is throwing his name into the ring for the Nebraska Governor’s Race.
Former state Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha submitted paperwork to the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office to enter the race as a nonpartisan candidate.
In order to appear on the ballot, he would need to gather 4,000 valid signatures, including 750 voters in each of the state’s three congressional districts — by Aug. 3 to qualify for the Nov. 3 ballot.
Lindstrom was running for Nebraska’s second congressional district earlier this election cycle, currently held by retiring Republican Don Bacon. In January, he dropped out of the race and switched his longtime party registration to nonpartisan.
If he qualifies for the ballot, Lindstrom, 45, would go against Incumbent Republican governor Jim Pillen, Democrat Lynne Walz of Fremont, and Legal Marijuana NOW candidate Rick Beard of Omaha.
Lindstrom ran for governor in the Republican primaries in 2022. He took third, behind Pillen and Charles W. Herbster. He won four counties among the Nebraska/Iowa border in the primary, including the Omaha metro. 70,554 people voted for him in the primary, equaling 26% of the vote.
In a Facebook post, Lindstrom says “Nebraska is at a turning point. The choices we make right now – about our budget, about our economy – will decide whether our kids and grandkids get to build their lives here or watch the door close behind them. Nebraskans work hard and play by the rules. They deserve leaders who answer to them – not to two parties, and not to politics as usual.”
WHAT THE OPPONENTS SAID
Both the Nebraska Democrats and Nebraska Republicans made statements late Monday night decrying the Lindstrom bid. Governor Jim Pillen also made a statement on his social media accounts.
Governor Pillen did not name Lindstrom in his social media statement, saying in part: “You’re going to hear some about the political games people are playing. With the election just over 100 days away, we’ve officially entered silly season. Far-left liberals pretending to be moderates to trick Nebraskans. “Independent” candidates who will try to do anything to see their name on the ballot — again and again and again. I’m proud that Nebraskans know exactly who I am — and can count on me to work hard to get government out of the way, make life more affordable, defend rural communities, and advance the values that matter most to the families of our state.”
Brandon Bayer, senior advisor to the Lynne Walz campaign, said: “Brett Lindstrom is a lifelong conservative Republican who recently switched after an unsuccessful congressional bid. Now he is trying to mount a campaign as an independent after re-registering at the deadline. His record speaks for itself, he is no moderate.”
Nebraska Republican Party Chair Mary Jane Truemper said: “The Nebraska Republican Party is one hundred percent behind our Republican nominee, Governor Jim Pillen. Real Results have earned him broad and grassroots support from people across the state and across the political spectrum. On the other hand, Brett Lindstrom can’t make up his mind. A failed run for governor, a congressional bid he abandoned, a party switch, and now a last-ditch scramble to force his name onto another ballot. Nebraska voters are wondering: is Brett Lindstrom driven by principle, or just indecisive about everything except wanting to get elected to any office that’s on the ballot?”
Jane Kleeb, Nebraska Democratic Party chair, said: “Brett Lindstrom lost to Jim Pillen in 2022, and he will lose to Lynne Walz in 2026. The Nebraska Democratic Party will not be distracted or deterred. We will continue to build a strong coalition of farmers, business owners, and working families to elect Lynne Walz.”