Von Gillern concedes; jockeying begins for speakership of Nebraska Legislature

OMAHA — An incumbent state senator eyed as the frontrunner for speaker of the Nebraska Legislature has conceded his Omaha-area race in a rematch with his 2022 challenger.

State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn, in a statement Friday, congratulated state Sen.-elect Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek of Omaha. Since joining the Legislature in 2023, von Gillern has served in leadership positions for the Revenue Committee, including the first two years as vice chair to former state Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn before becoming chair.

“I wish Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek success as she heads to Lincoln to be our representative and will do all that I can to tee her up to succeed,” von Gillern wrote. “Her success is Nebraska’s success. The job is difficult and thankless, but vastly rewarding.”

The Douglas County Election Commission released updated results 12:15 p.m. Friday with 8,000 more ballots counted (about 7,000 are left). In Legislative District 4, 645 more ballots were counted.

In the latest results, Maxwell-Ostdiek’s lead expanded by almost 80 votes. She leads with 9,099 votes (51%) to von Gillern’s 8,729 votes (49%). In 2022, von Gillern won the election with 8,710 votes, a margin of 4.8 percentage points over Maxwell-Ostdiek that year.

The New York Times has not yet called the LD 4 race for Maxwell-Ostdiek, nor the winners in three other legislative races (LD 14, LD 18 and LD 36). However, with von Gillern’s announcement, all four second-place finishers now have conceded. All newly elected lawmakers, including Maxwell-Ostdiek, have started new senator orientation, or “senator school,” already.

Final results will be released in the coming weeks. The Nebraska Board of State Canvassers — consisting of the state’s constitutional officers — will finalize the election in early December.

Maxwell-Ostdiek also released a statement Friday saying she was “honored to have earned the trust of District 4 voters.”

“This campaign has been an unforgettable experience, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who helped make this victory possible,” Maxwell-Ostdiek wrote.

Speaker of the Legislature

Multiple lawmakers viewed von Gillern as the leading contender to succeed term-limited state Sen. John Arch of La Vista as speaker of the Legislature, a post he held for four years in turbulent times.

In Nebraska’s one-house Legislature, the speaker sets the daily debate schedule, and the speaker’s election is the first vote cast by senators each year. Under legislative rules, leadership votes are via secret ballot.

One lawmaker had already voiced her intention to seek the role regardless of von Gillern’s election: state Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha. Another, state Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, had said he would pursue the top role only if von Gillern lost. Jacobson has long said he wanted the Revenue Committee chairship but was willing to step up for speaker if needed.

The Nebraska Examiner can confirm one other legislator is considering the role: state Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner. Ibach said in the past 48 hours she’s had conversations with colleagues who encouraged her to seek the top spot, but she has not made a final call.

Kauth, Jacobson and Ibach all have legislative leadership positions already:

• Kauth is chair of the Business and Labor Committee.
• Jacobson is chair of the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee, and he is vice chair of the Revenue Committee.
• Ibach is vice chair of the Executive Board (an internal high-ranking committee that handles day-to-day affairs of the legislative branch) and the Agriculture Committee.

Lawmakers have said other legislators have discussed or are looking for other names, too.

‘One of the best experiences of my life’

Von Gillern, in his concession, thanked his wife, Mary, for joining him in the campaign and service, describing her as an “integral part of this service to our great state.” He also extended his “deepest gratitude” to supporters, some of whom gave time, resources, prayers and encouragement.

“All of it mattered,” von Gillern said.

Von Gillern said he launched his reelection bid one year ago to “finish the job,” including reforming the tax code, keeping neighborhoods safe and growing the economy. He said lawmakers “were able to accomplish a great deal” toward those efforts.

“Unfortunately, the voters wanted a change in this seat,” von Gillern wrote.

“I appreciate the feeling that tax relief did not replace the need and desire for tax reform,” von Gillern continued, “and I understand that national politics far from Nebraska increased the cost of goods we rely on right here in District 4.”

Von Gillern said he ran a positive and energetic race, worked his “tail off” each day to share his vision and knocked on close to 10,000 doors. He said he truly enjoyed talking with thousands of Nebraskans, including on porches where he said he earned some of his “fondest memories” that he’ll remember forever.

“It was an honor and one of the best experiences of my life,” von Gillern said. “I commit to wrap up the final days of my term just like the previous days, by working hard to ensure that this next 110th (Legislature) is productive and beneficial to Nebraskans.”

‘Earned the trust of District 4 voters’

Maxwell-Ostdiek thanked von Gillern for his “longstanding contributions to our community” as well as his legislative service. She said she wishes von Gillern and his wife well and looks forward to working with von Gillern during the transition.

The senator-elect will be the lone registered nonpartisan in the Legislature next year.

“(I) want to be clear that I intend to represent all of my District 4 neighbors, regardless of their party or who they supported this election season,” Maxwell-Ostdiek wrote.

“The voters of this district elected me because property taxes are too high, the cost of living is rising too quickly, the state is in a budget crisis and Nebraskans don’t feel heard,” she continued. “I will work every day to deliver progress on these issues, and look forward to getting started.”