Four state senators are headed toward reelection unopposed this year, and only two incumbents, Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln and Sen. Julie Slama of Peru, are at risk in a May primary contest because it includes more than one challenger.
All but five of the 20 contested 2020 races for a seat in the nonpartisan Legislature include at least one Republican and one Democratic candidate.
Sens. Justin Wayne of Omaha, Steve Halloran of Hastings, Tom Briese of Albion and Steve Erdman of Bayard are the lawmakers who are seeking a second four-year term unopposed.
Briese also was unopposed in 2016 when he won his first term in the Legislature.
One former state senator, Mike Flood of Norfolk, who served as speaker, is also running without opposition as he seeks to return to the Legislature after reaching the constitutional limit of two consecutive terms eight years ago.
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Even though Nebraska's unique one-house Legislature is nonpartisan, the party identification of each senator provides a strong indicator of political philosophy and how he or she will vote on issues and relate and respond to whomever may be governor.Â
The Legislature currently is composed of 30 Republicans, 18 Democrats and one registered nonpartisan — Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha — who usually votes with the Democrats.
A small reshuffling of those numbers could have a decisive impact on legislative action.
Here are the critical legislative numbers that matter: It takes 33 votes to end a filibuster that a minority of at least 17 senators may employ to trap legislation, and it takes 30 votes to override a veto of legislation issued by the governor.Â
So, even though the Legislature is nonpartisan, the political parties and Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts are actively engaged in legislative races — and increasingly so.
Ricketts in the past has opposed some incumbent senators who have voted to override his vetoes even if they were Republicans. Â
The most likely Republican targets this year would appear to be Sens. Carol Blood of Bellevue, Lynne Walz of Fremont and Dan Quick of Grand Island, all of whom are Democrats who represent legislative districts with Republican voter registration pluralities.Â
Walz was the 2018 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor.
Quick is opposed by a former Grand Island state senator, Republican Ray Aguilar.
Ricketts has been actively engaged in a number of races, including District 1, where his appointee, Sen. Julie Slama of Peru, is in a contest with two other Republicans. Janet Palmtag of Syracuse entered the race carrying the endorsement of former Republican Gov. Dave Heineman and GOP Rep. Jeff Fortenberry.
Slama is one of two Ricketts appointees seeking election for the first time; Sen. Andrew LaGrone of Gretna is matched against Jen Day, a Gretna Democrat, in the heavily Republican 49th District.
The Slama race is one of two intriguing legislative contests among or between Republicans.
Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon is being challenged by Tanya Storer of Whitman, who has been endorsed by former Republican Gov. Kay Orr, in western Nebraska's 43rd District.
Another former senator, Omaha City Councilman Rich Pahls, is one of four candidates in District 31 as Sen. Rick Kolowski of Omaha completes his second term.
In District 23, Helen Raikes of Ashland, the widow of former Sen. Ron Raikes, is challenging the reelection of Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard. Raikes is seeking the office as an independent candidate; Bostelman is a Republican.
In Lincoln, Sens. Suzanne Geist and Anna Wishart are seeking reelection along with Hilgers, a Republican who has two opponents in District 21 who are Democrats.
Geist, a Republican, faces one opponent, a Democrat, in District 25, and Wishart, a Democrat, has a single opponent, who is a Republican, in District 27.
Only 10 of the 49 legislative districts count more registered Democrats than Republicans. Â