Who's In the Race

Republican Gov. Jim Pillen faces former Democratic state Sen. Lynne Walz in Nebraska's Nov. 3 gubernatorial election, seeking a second term in a state that backed President Donald Trump by double digits in the last presidential election. Also on the ballot are Rick Beard of the Legal Marijuana Now Party and Brett Lindstrom of the America First Party. ​

All three party primary nominees won their May 12 contests. Pillen received 75.4% of the Republican vote, defeating five challengers, while Walz won the Democratic primary with 91.5%. Beard secured the Legal Marijuana Now Party nomination with 69.1% of the vote. Lindstrom qualified separately for the general-election ballot.

Endorsements

Pillen has the backing of President Donald Trump. Former Republican Gov. Dave Heineman has also endorsed Pillen. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D-KS) has endorsed Walz. The sources reviewed identified no other endorsements from nationally prominent executive-branch officials or statewide officeholders for Walz or Beard.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Polling

The three major race-rating outlets classify Nebraska's governor's race as Republican-leaning, although their assessments differ. Sabato's Crystal Ball and Inside Elections rate the race Likely Republican, while the Cook Political Report moved it from Likely Republican to Lean Republican on Oct. 27, citing the competitive four-way contest.

Polling aggregated by Legis1 across 18 surveys through Oct. 29 shows Pillen leading Walz 48% to 42%, a margin of about 6 percentage points. Individual polls have shown varying margins. A YouGov survey conducted Sept. 24-Oct. 3 found Pillen leading 44% to 43%, while a Republican-affiliated co/efficient poll conducted Sept. 28-30 showed Pillen ahead 43% to 38%, with Lindstrom receiving 5% and Beard 4%.

Previous Elections

In the 2024 presidential election, Trump carried Nebraska statewide with approximately 55% of the vote, compared with 43% for Democrat Kamala Harris, a margin of about 12 percentage points. Nebraska awards two of its five electoral votes based on the statewide result, with the remaining three allocated by congressional district.

In the 2022 governor's race, Pillen defeated Democrat Carol Blood, winning 398,334 votes to Blood's 242,006, a margin of 156,328 votes. Pillen received 59.2% of the vote, compared with Blood's 36%.

The primary turnout numbers offer additional context. Pillen's 75.4% share in the Republican primary was about 41 percentage points higher than the 33.9% he received in the crowded 2022 Republican primary, although differences in candidate fields limit direct comparisons. Democratic primary participation also increased compared with 2022, while Republican participation declined.

An analysis by the Nebraska Examiner found that 35.5% of registered Democrats voted in the May primary, compared with 32.1% of registered Republicans, the first time the Democratic participation rate exceeded the Republican rate in a Nebraska primary in more than 30 years. However, more Republican voters cast ballots overall, and a University of Nebraska-Lincoln political scientist cautioned against treating primary turnout as a reliable indicator of general-election outcomes.

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