Herbster’s Lt Gov Pick Now Running Against Him

     Former State Senator has entered next May’s Republican primary for governor. Thibodeau had agreed to run as businessman Charles Herbster’s lieutenant governor, but withdrew in July for what she called “other opportunities.”

       Thibodeau served less than 2 years in the legislature as she was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2017, then lost her bid for a full term in 2018.

      There are now 6 candidates in the GOP gubernatorial primary: Thibodeau, Herbster, University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen, State Senator Brett Lindstrom, businessman Breland Ridenhou, and Michael Connely, a veteran.

       State Senator Carol Blood is the only Democrat to have announced a bid to succeed incumbent Republican Pete Ricketts, who is term-limited. The last Democrat to be governor was Ben Nelson, who left office in 1999.