Ex-state senator eyes possible nonpartisan Nebraska governor bid

Former state Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha cracked open the door this week for a possible nonpartisan gubernatorial campaign during an appearance on a Lincoln-based political podcast, according to reporting from the Nebraska Examiner.

During an interview with the Dan Parsons Show on Monday, Lindstrom said he had not made a final decision on running for governor but that he sees a viable path as a nonpartisan candidate. "I dug into [it] a little bit … mathematically it can work, but I haven't made a decision on that yet," Lindstrom said.

For a nonpartisan to qualify for the ballot, the candidate must gather at least 4,000 signatures, with approximately 750 from registered voters in each of Nebraska's three congressional districts. The deadline to file signatures with the Secretary of State's Office is Aug. 3.

Lindstrom dropped out of a congressional race in January, saying he no longer wanted to engage in divisive politics. He left the Republican Party in March, making himself eligible to run as a nonpartisan if he chooses.

The move comes after a political journey marked by centrist stances. As a state senator from 2015 to 2023, Lindstrom was often a swing vote on controversial issues and helped push for eliminating state income taxes on Social Security. He came in third in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary, finishing behind winner Jim Pillen and businessman Charles Herbster.

Pillen expects to cruise through the GOP primary with a Republican registration advantage of roughly 2-to-1 over Democrats in Nebraska. However, the incumbent faces controversies and polling indicates he is among the nation's least popular incumbent governors. In the Democratic primary, former state Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont is the leading Democratic candidate.

Also Wednesday, Omaha attorney Bryan Slone, a registered nonpartisan previously mentioned as a possible gubernatorial prospect, told the Examiner he would not be running this election cycle, though he did not foreclose a future bid.

The Nebraska primary is scheduled for May 12, with the general election on Nov. 3.