Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen touts $10 million campaign war chest ahead of 2026 reelection bid

LINCOLN — Fresh off securing President Donald Trump’s endorsement, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced his campaign has raised $7.6 million, bringing the governor’s political war chest to $10 million ahead of his 2026 reelection bid. 

The incumbent governor’s fundraising haul comes as a potential Republican primary election rematch is on the horizon with multi-state agribusinessman Charles Herbster, a longtime Trump donor. 

The Pillen campaign said the amount is “almost seven times” that of any previous incumbent governor going into reelection. Pillen finished 2024 with more than $3 million in cash on hand, according to state campaign finance reports.

Dona-Gene Barton, a political science professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who studies political behavior, said, “This massive war chest creates a David vs. Goliath situation for potential challengers.”

Herbster and his team declined to comment. He and Pillen combined in 2022 for the most expensive gubernatorial primary contest and governor’s race in state history, with both raising and spending more than $11 million. 

Herbster lost to Pillen in that 2022 GOP primary, finishing second in a three-way race that also included then-State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha, who is running for the U.S. House in the Omaha-based 2nd District. 

Pillen then cruised to a general election victory against then-Democratic State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue. If a GOP primary rematch happens, Herbster will have to run without Trump’s endorsement this time, which he had in 2022.

Trump backing Pillen is a dramatic change from the last time Herbster faced the former University of Nebraska regent in a GOP-led state where Republicans hold a 2-to-1 voter registration advantage.

Herbster is expected to decide whether to run as early as this month. He continued his social media attacks on Pillen last week, saying Pillen is “running the state into the ground,” referring to the state budget shortfall. 

Currently, Jacy Todd and Sheila Korth-Focken, who announced late Monday, are the other two GOP candidates for governor. They haven’t yet filed fundraising tallies with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, which are required after candidates raise more than $5,000.

On the Democratic side, former state Sen. Lynne Walz is exploring a bid for governor. Walz spokesman Brandon Bayer said Pillen’s fundraising totals would have no impact on her decision to run. 

The GOP primary for governor is May 12. The general election is Nov. 3.