The 2022 Nebraska gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the next governor of the U.S. state of Nebraska. Incumbent Republican governor Pete Ricketts was term-limited and unable to seek a third term. In the general election, Republican Jim Pillen won the gubernatorial election by a 23-point margin.

Nebraska's primary elections were held on May 10. Pillen, the former University of Nebraska Board of Regents chair, won the Republican nomination, while state senator Carol Blood won the Democratic nomination.

The race took on increased importance in October 2022, when U.S. senator Ben Sasse announced he would resign and Ricketts said he would allow the winner of the gubernatorial election to appoint Sasse's replacement. In the end, Pillen appointed Ricketts to Sasse's seat.

Republican primary Candidates Nominated Jim Pillen, member and former chair of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents Running mate: Joe Kelly, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska

Eliminated in primary Donna Carpenter, contractor Michael Connely, educational advisor, quality assurance director, small-scale agribusiness, USMC veteran Charles Herbster, agribusiness executive and candidate for governor in 2014 Brett Lindstrom, financial advisor, state senator and candidate for in 2012 Running mate: Dave Rippe, real estate broker and former director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development Lela McNinch Breland Ridenour, information technology manager Theresa Thibodeau, former state senator and former chair of the Douglas County Republican Party Running mate: Trent Loos, agriculture advocate and podcast host

Declined Don Bacon, U.S. representative for (successfully ran for re-election) Deb Fischer, U.S. senator Mike Flood, state senator, former Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, and candidate for governor in 2014 Mike Foley, Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska, former Nebraska State Auditor, and candidate for governor in 2014 (successfully ran for State Auditor; endorsed Herbster) Jeff Fortenberry, former U.S. representative for Dave Heineman, former governor Mike Hilgers, Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature (successfully ran for Attorney General) Greg Ibach, former U.S. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs and former Nebraska Director of Agriculture Dave Nabity, financial adviser, talk show host, and candidate for governor in 2006 Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and candidate for governor in 2014 Adrian Smith, U.S. representative for (successfully ran for re-election) John Stinner, state senator Jean Stothert, Mayor of Omaha (endorsed Lindstrom)

Endorsements

Polling Graphical summary

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error CharlesHerbster BrettLindstrom JimPillen TheresaThibodeau Other UndecidedWPA Intelligence (R)WPA Intelligence (R)April 30 – May 2, 2022500 (LV)± 4.4%26%16%31%–8%19%WPA Intelligence (R)WPA Intelligence (R)April 26–28, 2022505 (LV)± 4.4%23%20%24%7%2%24%Data Targeting (R)Data Targeting (R)April 19–20, 2022858 (LV)± 4.9%26%28%24%6%–16%3D Strategic Research (R)3D Strategic Research (R)April 10–12, 2022500 (LV)± 4.4%23%27%27%6%5%12%Moore Information Group (R)Moore Information Group (R)March 26–29, 2022206 (LV)± 7.0%23%19%10%5%9%34%KAConsulting LLC (R)March 8–10, 2022600 (LV)± 4.0%27%17%18%3%–35%3D Strategic Research (R)March 7–9, 2022500 (LV)± 4.4%30%20%23%3%6%18%Data Targeting (R)Data Targeting (R)February 8–11, 20221,168 (LV)± 2.9%27%21%26%–––3D Strategic Research (R)September 2021– (LV)–32%10%19%–9%30%

Results

Pillen, Herbster, and Lindstrom all won their respective home counties – Pillen won Platte County with 66.3% of the vote, Herbster won Richardson County with 55.7% of the vote, and Lindstrom won Douglas County with 39.5% of the vote. Lindstrom won the Omaha metropolitan area and came close to winning Lancaster County, home to state capital Lincoln, losing to Pillen by about 2.1%. Pillen and Herbster won parts of more rural Nebraska.

While Herbster won most of the Sandhills region, Pillen won most of northeastern Nebraska and counties along the I-80 corridor.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominated Carol Blood, state senator Running mate: Al Davis, former state senator

Eliminated in primary Roy A. Harris

Withdrew Bob Krist, former state senator and nominee for governor in 2018 (endorsed Lindstrom)

Declined Sara Howard, member of the Omaha Public Power District board and former state senator Steve Lathrop, state senator Alisha Shelton, behavioral health clinical supervisor and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020 (unsuccessfully ran for U.S. House) Tony Vargas, state senator (unsuccessfully ran for U.S. House)

Endorsements

Results

Libertarian primary Candidates Declared Scott Zimmerman, businessman, comedian, founder of Z-Trak Productions and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014 Running mate: Jason Blumenthal

Results

General election Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report March 4, 2022 Inside Elections March 4, 2022 Sabato's Crystal Ball January 26, 2022 PoliticoApril 1, 2022 RCPJanuary 10, 2022Fox News May 12, 2022538June 30, 2022Elections DailyNovember 7, 2022

Post-primary endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JimPillen (R) CarolBlood (D) Other UndecidedData Targeting (R)Data Targeting (R)September 26–28, 20221,340 (LV)± 2.7% 48%41%–11%

Results

By county

County Pillen /Kelly RepublicanBlood / DavisDemocraticZimmerman / BlumenthalLibertarianWrite-insMarginTotal#%#%#%#%#%Adams6,97367.03%2,82127.12%4604.42%1491.43%4,15239.91%10,403Antelope2,02681.63%2419.71%803.22%1355.44%1,78571.92%2,482Arthur22088.00%135.20%114.40%62.40%20782.80%250Banner31685.64%297.86%205.42%41.08%28777.78%369Blaine16982.04%2311.17%125.83%20.97%14670.87%206Boone2,02677.95%39315.12%1576.04%230.88%1,63362.83%2,599Box Butte2,46273.08%76122.59%1223.62%240.71%1,70150.49%3,369Boyd73981.75%9910.95%404.42%262.88%64070.80%904Brown93877.14%15913.08%574.69%625.10%77964.06%1,216Buffalo11,23369.99%3,94624.59%7184.47%1520.95%7,28745.40%16,049Burt2,03072.32%63822.73%1224.35%170.61%1,39249.59%2,807Butler2,77378.49%58516.56%1343.79%411.16%2,18861.93%3,533Cass7,46265.43%3,31729.08%5574.88%690.60%4,14536.34%11,405Cedar3,10780.49%46612.07%1654.27%1223.16%2,64168.42%3,860Chase1,29684.65%17611.50%533.46%60.39%1,12073.15%1,531Cherry1,98477.74%2409.40%1455.68%1837.17%1,74468.34%2,552Cheyenne2,68880.38%45613.64%1695.05%310.93%2,23266.75%3,344Clay2,17578.75%40514.66%1344.85%481.74%1,77064.08%2,762Colfax1,89277.86%44518.31%763.13%170.70%1,44759.55%2,430Cuming2,58980.65%50915.86%962.99%160.50%2,08064.80%3,210Custer3,56280.77%56112.72%2034.60%841.90%3,00168.05%4,410Dakota2,52569.98%93125.80%1474.07%50.14%1,59444.18%3,608Dawes2,15867.48%82125.67%1203.75%993.10%1,33741.81%3,198Dawson4,30376.31%1,03518.35%2804.97%210.37%3,26857.95%5,639Deuel61283.49%7610.37%435.87%20.27%53673.12%733Dixon1,71075.87%40618.01%934.13%452.00%1,30457.85%2,254Dodge7,68266.42%3,30228.55%5314.59%510.44%4,38037.87%11,566Douglas87,13645.50%96,62850.46%6,9823.65%7460.39%−9,492−4.96%191,492Dundy65085.30%759.84%283.67%91.18%57575.46%762Fillmore1,85976.50%49120.21%783.21%20.08%1,36856.30%2,430Franklin97681.81%15913.33%514.27%70.59%81768.48%1,193Frontier89582.64%14213.11%403.69%60.55%75369.53%1,083Furnas1,52481.15%24112.83%945.01%191.01%1,28368.32%1,878Gage5,31766.20%2,35729.35%3173.95%410.51%2,96036.85%8,032Garden73682.33%10912.19%364.03%131.45%62770.13%894Garfield62881.24%8010.35%182.33%476.08%54870.89%773Gosper67680.29%12715.08%313.68%80.95%54965.20%842Grant25389.72%186.38%82.84%31.06%23583.33%282Greeley76673.37%19418.58%514.89%333.16%57254.79%1,044Hall10,22366.83%4,14527.10%7995.22%1310.86%6,07839.73%15,298Hamilton3,12875.83%75718.35%1834.44%571.38%2,37157.48%4,125Harlan1,10977.93%23416.44%745.20%60.42%87561.49%1,423Hayes34186.55%235.84%235.84%71.78%31880.71%394Hitchcock84479.17%12011.26%504.69%524.88%72467.92%1,066Holt3,12578.48%43110.82%1944.87%2325.83%2,69467.65%3,982Hooker30080.00%6216.53%112.93%20.53%23863.47%375Howard1,85375.45%44218.00%1275.17%341.38%1,41157.45%2,456Jefferson1,91671.25%63423.58%1154.28%240.89%1,28247.68%2,689Johnson1,06165.05%46728.63%875.33%160.98%59436.42%1,631Kearney1,98177.02%44817.42%1074.16%361.40%1,53359.60%2,572Keith2,33780.09%45615.63%983.36%270.93%1,88164.46%2,918Keya Paha31875.71%378.81%235.48%4210.00%28166.90%420Kimball1,11583.52%15811.84%604.49%20.15%95771.69%1,335Knox2,92278.53%58615.75%1403.76%731.96%2,33662.78%3,721Lancaster52,76945.94%57,42449.996%3,8083.32%8570.75%−4,655−4.05%114,858Lincoln9,02974.31%2,48120.42%5424.46%990.81%6,54853.89%12,151Logan29086.05%226.53%123.56%133.86%26879.53%337Loup25575.22%4814.16%216.19%154.42%20761.06%339Madison9,10877.63%2,03517.34%4744.04%1160.99%7,07360.28%11,733McPherson18884.30%2410.76%94.04%20.90%16473.54%223Merrick2,62978.55%51615.42%1574.69%451.34%2,11363.13%3,347Morrill1,54378.60%25512.99%1256.37%402.04%1,28865.61%1,963Nance92372.05%26020.30%685.31%302.34%66351.76%1,281Nemaha1,65570.52%57124.33%1094.64%120.51%1,08446.19%2,347Nuckolls1,27680.10%23414.69%483.01%352.20%1,04265.41%1,593Otoe3,92067.62%1,59327.48%2384.11%460.79%2,32740.14%5,797Pawnee81775.44%22420.68%403.69%20.18%59354.76%1,083Perkins91882.48%13512.13%454.04%151.35%78370.35%1,113Phelps3,01281.54%50913.78%1544.17%190.51%2,50367.76%3,694Pierce2,46385.17%2889.96%1003.46%411.42%2,17575.21%2,892Platte9,10381.58%1,69515.19%3082.76%530.47%7,40866.39%11,159Polk1,65880.33%32115.55%733.54%120.58%1,33764.78%2,064Red Willow3,17479.23%60815.18%2045.09%200.50%2,56664.05%4,006Richardson1,98766.88%76625.78%1655.55%531.78%1,22141.10%2,971Rock50483.44%6310.43%182.98%193.15%44173.01%604Saline2,38863.06%1,18831.37%1794.73%320.84%1,20031.69%3,787Sarpy35,82155.28%26,03940.19%2,5763.98%3580.55%9,78215.10%64,794Saunders6,84270.84%2,31623.98%4484.64%520.54%4,52646.86%9,658Scotts Bluff7,12572.07%2,25922.85%4324.37%700.71%4,86649.22%9,886Seward4,92172.80%1,55623.02%2443.61%390.58%3,36549.78%6,760Sheridan1,34971.87%22612.04%1035.49%19910.60%1,12359.83%1,877Sherman89671.68%24619.68%786.24%302.40%65052.00%1,250Sioux42779.96%5610.49%183.37%336.18%37169.48%534Stanton1,96779.73%34013.78%1345.43%261.05%1,62765.95%2,467Thayer1,70777.87%37317.02%803.65%321.46%1,33460.86%2,192Thomas26583.33%299.12%123.77%123.77%23674.21%318Thurston82463.68%42432.77%423.25%40.31%40030.91%1,294Valley1,41478.12%27815.36%784.31%402.21%1,13662.76%1,810Washington6,24470.53%2,22725.16%3323.75%500.56%4,01745.37%8,853Wayne2,21572.55%68522.44%1234.03%300.98%1,53050.11%3,053Webster1,02177.76%20715.77%554.19%302.28%81462.00%1,313Wheeler22764.31%3911.05%143.97%7320.68%18853.26%353York3,82175.81%97119.27%2194.35%290.58%2,85056.55%5,040TOTALS398,33459.22%242,00635.98%26,4553.93%5,7980.86%156,32823.24%672,593

By congressional district Pillen won all three congressional districts. District Pillen Blood Representative 55.77% 40.57%Mike Flood 48.21% 48.06%Don Bacon 75.04% 20.45%Adrian Smith

See also 2022 Nebraska elections

Notes

Partisan clients

References

External links Official campaign websites

Jim Pillen (R) for Governor Scott Zimmerman (L) for Governor