Incumbent Republican Governor Pete Ricketts was ineligible to seek a third consecutive term as Governor. Jim Pillen, a member of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, won the Republican primary to succeed him. He faced State Senator Carol Blood, the Democratic nominee, in the general election and defeated her in a landslide.
Incumbent Attorney General Doug Peterson declined to seek a third consecutive term. Mike Hilgers, the Speaker of the Legislature, won the Republican primary to succeed him. The only candidate that Hilgers faced in the general election was Larry Bolinger, the nominee of the Legal Marijuana Now Party. Hilgers defeated Bolinger with nearly 70% of the vote.
Incumbent Secretary of State Bob Evnen ran for re-election to a second term. He won the Republican primary win a 44% plurality and was unopposed in the general election.
Incumbent State Treasurer John Murante ran for re-election to a second term. He won the Republican primary and then faced Libertarian candidate Katrina Tomsen in the general election, winning 72% of the vote.
Incumbent Auditor Charlie Janssen declined to seek a third term. Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley, who previously served as Auditor from 2007 to 2015, won the Republican primary to succeed him. He then defeated two independent candidates in the general election.
2022 Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts election[1]
Incumbent Public Service Commissioner Rod Johnson ran for re-election. He was opposed in the Republican primary by Geneva Mayor Eric Kamler, who criticized Johnson for his poor attendance record on the Commission.[2] Kamler ultimately defeated Johnson by a wide margin in the primary and was unopposed in the general election.
Incumbent Public Service Commissioner Mary Ridder ran for re-election. She was opposed by businessman Kevin Stocker and Dakota Delka in the Republican primary. Stocker narrowly defeated Ridder and faced no opposition in the general election.
Four seats were up on the State Board of Education in 2022: Districts 5, 6, 7, and 8. Across the state, a slate of socially conservative candidates backed by Protect Nebraska Children, a political action committee, ran to win a conservative majority on the Board.[4] The slate was opposed to the teaching of "critical race theory" and to proposed sexual health standards considered by the Board.[5] Three of the four members of the slate were elected, with incumbent Kirk Penner winning re-election in District 5, Sherry Jones winning an open seat in District 6, and Elizabeth Tegtmeier defeating incumbent Board Member Robin Stevens in District 7.[4]
District 5
Incumbent member Kirk Penner, who was appointed to the Board of Education in 2021 by Governor Pete Ricketts, ran for re-election to a full term.[6] He was opposed by retired professor Helen Raikes, whom he defeated.
Incumbent Board Member Maureen Nickels declined to seek re-election to a third term.[7] Two retired teachers, Sherry Jones and Danielle Helzer, ran to succeed her. Jones, who was part of the conservative slate of candidates,[5] defeated Helzer in a landslide.
Candidates
Sherry Jones, retired teacher and school counselor
Danielle Helzer, retired English teacher and writing coach
Incumbent Board Member Robin Stevens ran for re-election to a second term. He was opposed by former public school teacher Elizabeth Tegtmeier and retired pastor Pat Moore. Tegtmeier was part of the conservative slate of candidates for the Board,[8] and placed first in the primary election by a wide margin. In the general election, Tegtmeier defeated Stevens for re-election in a landslide.
Incumbent Board Member Deborah Neary ran for re-election to a second term. She was opposed in the primary election by massage therapist Marni Hodges, who was a part of the conservative slate of candidates, and former Board Member John Sieler.[9] At the primary election, Neary placed first, and Hodgen narrowly edged out Sieler for the second slot. The ensuing general election became one of the most contentious races statewide,[5] and Neary narrowly defeated Hodges, winning re-election with 52% of the vote.
Incumbent Regent Paul Kenney ran for re-election to a second term. Former Grand Island City Councilwoman Julie Hehnke ran against him.[10] Kenney narrowly won re-election.
Incumbent Regent Bob Phares declined to seek re-election to a fourth term, creating an open seat. State Senator Matt Williams, former State Board of Education member Kathy Wilmot, and Nolan Gurnsey ran to succeed him. Williams and Wilmot placed first and second in the primary election and advanced to the general election. Williams was endorsed by Regent Jim Pillen, the Republican nominee for Governor, as well as several other regents, while Wilmot was endorsed by Governor Pete Ricketts.[11] The Nebraska Future Fund, a political action committee funded by the Ricketts family, spent several hundred thousand dollars attacking Williams as a "Republican in Name Only (RINO),"[12] and elevating Wilmot, who claimed that the courses in the university system were "liberal leaning."[11] Ultimately, Wilmot defeated Williams, winning 54% of the vote.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l mRobert B. Evnen. Official Report of the Nebraska Board of Canvassers, General Election, November 8, 2022 (PDF).
^"Epic Chisma, Geneva Mayor defeats incumbent for Public Service Commissioner". News Channel Nebraska. May 11, 2022. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
^ a b c d e f g hRobert B. Evnen. Official Report of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers, Primary Election, May 10, 2022 (PDF).
^ a bBonderson, Aaron (2022-11-09). "Nebraskans elect 3 conservatives to the state Board of Education in midterms". Nebraska Public Media. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
^ a b cSanderford, Aaron (2022-11-05). "State Board of Ed races could decide future role of board, next Ed Commissioner". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
^ a bOzaki, Andrew (2022-11-01). "Penner and Raikes face off in District 5 State Education Board race". KETV. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
^Vraspir, Will (2022-10-12). "Helzer, Jones campaign to join state board of education". Hastings Tribune. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
^Williams, Joel (2022-04-13). "Sexual education proposal at center of primary for Nebraska State Board of Education". Center Square. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
^"Race for the State Board of Education: Incumbent & 2 conservative challengers face-off". KMTV. 2022-05-04. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
^Raun, Andy (2022-05-11). "Kenney, Hehnke vote close in first round of NU regents race". Hastings Tribune. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
^ a bHammel, Paul (2022-10-15). "NU Regents race is spiced by charge that campaign is aimed at replacing top university leaders". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved 2015-02-15.
^Gentler, Sara; Richards, Alex (2024-10-16). "Wealthy Governor, Billionaire Family Changed Nebraska Elections". Governing Magazine. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
Government
