2024 Election Results

IT’S WAY PAST MY BEDTIME!

I stayed up to watch election night results. But I may not have been hanging on the same results you were.

I watch much nerdier stuff on election night – the down-ballot races that really affect us and our clients. Of course, I’m referring to the legislative races.

I know you hear me say it every cycle, but this truly was an important election in the Unicameral for NATA PAC. There was a total of 25 seats contested. Of those, NATA friendly senators held eight seats. In order to maintain enough votes on the floor, we needed to hold those eight spots.

Before I say anything about those results, though, I want to give thanks where it is due. First, thanks to all of the candidates – winners and losers, for getting into the races and impacting the debate. Running for the legislature is an incredible sacrifice by them and their families.

Thanks to contributors to the PAC. This year alone, we had the largest budget ever to spend on candidates and races – over $300,000. Your sacrifices may not be seen by everyone in the state, but the impact of those sacrifices will be felt for decades.

Thanks to the lobbyists from O’Hara Lindsay Government Relations: John Lindsay, Randi Scott, Don Wesely, and Blair MacDonald. The gallons of coffee consumed with them during strategy meetings, candidate meetings, zoom meetings and crafting midnight emails to keep the PAC on track has impacted the Columbian economy.

Thanks to Stella Huggins and to Deborah Neary who provided so much administrative support and tireless zeal to the PAC during this cycle. I have proved over and over again that without your help, I’m not organized enough on my own to do this job.

In summarizing the night, our biggest win might have to be in LD 15 – Fremont. Outgoing Sen. Walz was a great supporter of NATA in the Legislature, and she hailed from a district that was not set up well to elect another favorable candidate. Dave Wordekemper won. He received significant support from the PAC and he expressed deep appreciation for our help.

Our hardest loss is most certainly LD 49. Incumbent Sen. Day was truly a great friend to NATA PAC. She won her seat four years ago, in a shocking upset, over incumbent Andrew LaGrone. She understood our issues. She argued them with passion. And she was effective. She entered the race with a target on her back.

So here is how your PAC contributions helped shape the future of Nebraska. Below you will see the races in which the PAC made contributions.

LD 01  (Slama – did not run)

ROBERT HALLSTROM 52%

Dennis Schaardt  48%

LD 03  (Blood – term limited)

VICTOR ROUNDTREE 51%

Felix Ungerman 49%

LD 07  (Vargas – term limited)

DUNIXI GUERECA 58%

Tim Pendrell 42%

LD 09 

JOHN CAVANAUGH, JR. (I) 71%

Julia Palzer 29%

LD 11

TERRELL McKINNEY (I) 100% 

Ernie Chambers (withdrew)

LD 13 (Wayne – term limited)

ASHLEI SPIVEY 50.45%

Nick Batter 49.55%*

*Whenever any race is within 1% of the total votes cast, statute mandates a recount. This race could change in a recount, but not likely.

LD 15  (Walz – term limited)

DAVE WORDEKEMPER 53%

Roxie Kracl 47%

LD 21  (Incumbent – Appointed)

BEAU BALLARD (I) 56%

Seth Derner 44%

Seth Derner 44%LD 01  (Slama – did not run)Ernie Chambers

LD 25   (Incumbent – Appointed)

CAROLYN BOSN (I) 53%

Nicki Behmer Popp 47%

LD 27  (Wishart – term limited)

JASON PROKOP 52%

Dawn Liphardt 48%

LD 31 

KATHLEEN KAUTH (I) 54%

Mary Ann Folchert 46%

LD 35

DAN QUICK 51%

Ray Aguilar (I) 49%

LD 37 (Lowe – term limited)

STANLEY CLOUSE 59%

Lana Peister 41%

LD 39  (Linehan – term limited)

TONY SORRENTINO 52%

Alison Heimes 48%

LD 45

RITA SANDERS (I) 52% 

Sarah Centineo 48%

LD 49 

BOB ANDERSEN 51%

Jen Day 49%

(The candidates we supported are listed in bold type. )

By the numbers:

100% of the candidates supported by the PAC received a full description of NATA PAC’s issues in the legislature, including legislative fixes to the Supreme Court decisions in Joshua M., Moser, and Tadros. They also received a solid education on our organization’s positions on statutory immunities, caps on damages, and worker’s compensation protections. Every candidate supported by the PAC expressed support for our issues. 

There were five races where nearly $500,000 was raised by the combined campaigns. Ten years ago, there was only one.

The PAC contributed to three Republican and one Independent candidates.

Nine PAC races were decided by less than 5 percentage points. Five races were decided by 500 votes or less, and nine races were decided by less than 1,000 votes. This was a very competitive year. 

I have to wipe my brow when I look at these results. NATA PAC dodged a big and fast-moving bullet. 

Thank you, again, to everyone who contributed to the PAC in the last cycle. Nebraskans owe you a great debt of gratitude.