Pillen, Walz lean into conservative support in dueling endorsements for Nebraska governor

OMAHA — Republican Gov. Jim Pillen and former Democratic state Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont each leaned into conservative support from former lawmakers Monday in dueling events for Nebraska governor that also featured the National Rifle Association.

Pillen held a smaller gathering at 88 Tactical, a shooting range and gun training facility just outside Omaha, where he hailed endorsements from the NRA and former state Sen. Tom Brewer, who represented north central Nebraska.

In 2023, Brewer achieved his long-sought goal to pass NRA-backed legislation for “constitutional carry,” to allow concealed carry without the need for a permit or training. In Brewer’s eighth and final year in 2024, he passed a law to allow teachers and staff at small schools or colleges to carry a weapon on school property, if approved ahead of time.

“It’s black and white,” Pillen said Monday. “If we can’t stand up and defend ourselves, if somebody’s against that, it’s just absolutely hard to comprehend.”

Walz held a virtual roundtable with former state Sens. Tim Gragert of Creighton, Mark Kolterman of Seward and John Stinner of Gering. All three represented reliably conservative districts but had more moderate records in the Legislature than Brewer. Kolterman and Stinner had already endorsed Walz before Monday.

The trio spoke against Pillen’s handling of the state’s budget, property tax relief and open, accountable government. They said Walz was the best choice for governor.

“These senators know the stakes,” Walz said. “They’re putting Nebraska over party, and I’m proud to have them with me.”

‘A lifetime of work’

Brewer, a 36-year military veteran, said he, too, is good friends with Walz, who he said is a really nice person. But when Nebraskans elect their governor, he said, “You need to look at a lifetime of work.”

“You need to look at what they’ve actually done and how that’s going to impact the state of Nebraska, and that’s where I think I would like you to think through specifically the Second Amendment,” Brewer said.

On Brewer’s long-sought bill in 2023, for instance, Walz voted against. For multiple years, she avoided taking a position.

“That bill is up in my house, framed as one of those pieces of legislation that I’ll be the proudest of,” Brewer said Monday. He said he “jumped” at the chance to speak about the Second Amendment and Pillen, who Brewer said never showed a sign of hesitation for his bill.

Brewer chaired the Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee for four years. He served in the Legislature between 2017 and 2025, all eight years with Walz.

‘What is right for Nebraskans’

Gragert, a military veteran of 40 years, was a close ally of Brewer’s and supported his “constitutional carry” legislation repeatedly, as did Stinner and Kolterman. Gragert said everyone can “agree to disagree,” but at the end, “we must be willing to do what is right for Nebraskans.”

“After serving with Lynne for four years, I believe she is a person who will listen to everyone before making a final decision,” Gragert said.

As a veteran, Gragert said, he lives by three basic values that are “essential” for a good leader: integrity, trust and selfless service. He said Walz has all three, in addition to communication skills that are “second to none.”

“You can’t ask for anybody better,” Stinner said of Walz’s character.

Kolterman said that in the officially nonpartisan, one-house Legislature, where lawmakers do not caucus by party, it came down to who could do the best job. He said he feels the same for the governorship and believes Walz could finally achieve long-sought efforts for lasting property tax relief by amending a formula distributing state aid to local school districts.

Pillen, too, has made school funding reform a top priority. Kolterman’s successor, state Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward, worked with Walz on school funding in the Legislature, and Pillen has praised Hughes’ ongoing efforts.

Kolterman and Gragert served six years with Walz during their eight years of service between 2015 and 2023. Gragert served one term, from 2019 to 2023, and did not run for reelection. Kolterman chaired the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee between 2016 and 2022; Stinner chaired the Appropriations Committee between 2017 and 2022.

Pillen backs ‘stand your ground’ law

Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly, a longtime prosecutor, including as U.S. attorney for Nebraska between 2018 and 2021, said Brewer’s legislation in 2023 was a “historic win” for the self-defense of Nebraskans. He said it put some “real meaning” behind the Second Amendment.

“This is one of those issues where you just can’t sit in the middle,” Kelly said.

John Commerford, chair of the NRA Political Victory Fund, said Washington, D.C., and President Donald Trump have been a “core part of the golden age of the Second Amendment.” But Commerford said the “restoration of the Second Amendment, the core expansion of those true freedoms, happens at the state level.”

“It’s happened right here in Nebraska,” Commerford said, describing Brewer’s 2023 legislation as “getting rid of a government permission slip to exercise a core Second Amendment right.”

But Commerford said there’s more work to do.

Pillen initially told reporters that another four years would be focused on helping educate the next generation and getting more people involved, so Nebraskans never take their rights for granted. 

Asked by an attendee whether he would specifically support making Nebraska a “stand your ground” state, allowing the use of deadly force outside a home if someone fears death or serious physical harm, Pillen said “100%.”

“I think that anything we can do to strengthen the Second Amendment in Nebraska is a no-brainer,” Pillen said.

Republican frustration

Stinner has repeatedly criticized Pillen’s policy choices of pursuing tax cuts that then require cutting state spending. Pillen has long said he wants to “run the government like a business.”

“If I ran my business the way they’re running the state right now, I’d be bankrupt, and they’ve just got to get off this ‘my way or the highway,’ which I know that you will,” Stinner told Walz. “You’ll bring the people together. You’ll bring the right management and put this thing back on its tracks.”

Asked about Walz’s Republican endorsements, Pillen said he understands many people are “ticked off” with higher than $6 diesel fuel, but he doesn’t “play politics” with some groups.

“When you say ‘no’ to everything like we have, and you invest and don’t spend, yeah, ticks people off everywhere,” Pillen said. “It’s OK. It’s a free country, and I respect that, but it’s OK that we don’t agree about everybody. God forbid if every Republican agreed on everything.”

Pillen’s campaign manager, Taylor Sliva, hit back harder and said Walz’s event was “just another example of liberals pretending to be moderates to trick Nebraska Republicans.”

“Don’t listen to what they say — just look at their voting record,” Sliva said in a statement. “They have been voting with Democrats their whole political careers.”

Walz, meanwhile, called the NRA endorsement “another distraction” meant to take away from her work. She said she’s focused on Nebraskans and what’s next.

Walz has pledged to appoint Democrats, Republicans and independents throughout her administration if elected. Asked whether Walz is considering appointing her latest endorsers, or whether she had already offered appointments, spokesperson Sophie Mestas did not say.

“As governor, Lynne will bring together people and voices from all sides of the aisle,” Mestas said in a statement. “Right now, her focus is on reaching Nebraskans across the state and earning their votes.”

Third-party candidates

In addition to Pillen and Walz, two third-party candidates from Omaha will appear on the ballot for governor: former state Sen. Brett Lindstrom, for the America First Party, and Rick Beard, for the Legal Marijuana NOW Party.

Lindstrom’s time in office was the same as Stinner and Kolterman, and Kolterman said Lindstrom would have been a “formidable candidate” but got in too late. Lindstrom, until early this year, had been a lifelong Republican. He later launched a nonpartisan campaign this summer, which went up in smoke over allegations of petition fraud. 

Kolterman said Walz had “worked her tail off,” and he, Stinner and Gragert said they’re confident Walz can win, contrary to Lindstrom’s concerns that she can’t.

Lindstrom has repeatedly said he believes he can win and isn’t intending to play “spoiler” or take away votes and help Pillen or Walz. Lindstrom unveiled his own new support Monday, from Nebraskans Against Government Overreach, a group which Lindstrom said had “worked tirelessly at the Legislature for years, standing up for conservative values, individual liberty and common sense.”

The new America First Party has made no secret of its intention to appeal to Republican voters. The separate Nebraska Working People Party has been accused of the opposite for Democrats.

“So I have a serious question for members of the Nebraska GOP,” Lindstrom said in a Monday Facebook post. “Help me understand why you support Jim Pillen. What has he done that has earned this kind of loyalty? I’m genuinely asking, because I haven’t seen a reason the Republican Party should be working this hard to protect one politician.

“The Republican Party should stand for principles, not personalities.”

Pillen, meanwhile, said he and his team are just at “halftime” in office and that wherever he goes, he hears “nothing” but assurances and thanks for his conservative record. He has heavily encouraged voter turnout this November, describing voting Monday as one of the “highest callings of democracy.”

“My opponents in this governor’s race — however many are on the ballot and whatever kind of parties that they’re named at — if I’m black, they’re white. If I’m red, they’re blue,” Pillen said. “There’s no comparison, and all you have to do is look at the facts and study it.”

The general election is Nov. 3.