Nebraska filing deadline: State executive candidate update

### March 4, 2014

By Kristen Mathews

Lincoln, Nebraska: Six state executive positions are up for election in 2014 in the state of Nebraska. A total of 27 candidates have filed.
On March 3, the filing period for candidates came to a close. The first filing deadline, February 18, was the deadline for incumbent candidates to file. The primary election is scheduled for May 13, 2014. A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. In Nebraska, participation rules for primaries vary by the office up for election. State legislative primaries use a nonpartisan top-two primary system in which any voter can participate. Congressional primaries are partisan, but any voter may vote in the congressional primary of their choice. For all other statewide offices, a state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters to vote their primary ballot.[1]

As of October 2025, the Democratic Party held a semi-closed primary in which registered party members and unaffiliated voters could participate, and the Republican Party held a closed primary in which only registered party members could participate.[2][3]

Incumbent Governor of Nebraska Dave Heineman is prevented by term limits from seeking another term in office. Current Attorney General Jon Bruning and State Auditor Mike Foley are both running for governor this year. Only Secretary of State John Gale and Treasurer Don Stenberg are running for re-election to their posts.

Governor Note: Lavon Heidemann's name did not appear on the ballot after an appeal by Pete Ricketts to add running mate Mike Foley following Heidemann's withdrawal on September 9, 2014. State law required gubernatorial candidates to select their running mates by September 1, with no provision for removing selected candidates from the ballot. Ricketts selected State Auditor Mike Foley as a replacement for Heidemann, and the Nebraska Secretary of State approved an appeal to replace Heidemann with Foley on September 10, 2014.[4][5]

### General election

Pete Ricketts/Mike Foley [6][7]
Chuck Hassebrook/Jane Raybould[8]
Mark G. Elworth Jr./Scott Zimmerman[9]

### Withdrew from race

Lavon Heidemann \- Former lieutenant governor
Greg Adams \- President of the Nebraska Unicameral, representing District 24[10]
Charlie Janssen \- State Senator, District 15[11][12]
Mike Flood \- Past Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature[13][14]
Rick Sheehy\- Former Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska[15]
Don Stenberg \- Nebraska State Treasurer[16][17]
Annette Dubas \- Member of the Nebraska Unicameral representing District 34.[18][19]

### Lost in primary

Tom Carlson \- State Senator, District 38[20]
Beau McCoy \- Member of the Nebraska State Legislature, representing District 39 since 2009.[21][22][23]
Jon Bruning \- Current Attorney General of Nebraska[24]
Mike Foley \- Nebraska State Auditor[22]
Bryan Slone \- Tax attorney, former Reagan administration official[25]

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Attorney general

* Doug Peterson[26]
* Janet Stewart[27]

### Lost in primary

* Pete Pirsch[26]
* Brian Buescher[27]
* Mike Hilgers[27]
* Allan Eurek[27]

Secretary of state John A. Gale \- Incumbent[17]
Ben Backus[28]

Treasurer

* Don Stenberg \- Incumbent
* Christopher Costello[27]
* Michael O'Hara[27]
* Michael Knebel[27]

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Auditor

* Charlie Janssen[26]
* Larry Anderson[27]
* Amanda McGill[29]

Public Service Commission

* Crystal Rhoades[30]
* John Green[26]
* Jim Esch[26]
* John Sieler[26]

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## See also

* Nebraska elections, 2014
* Nebraska state executive official elections, 2014

* Nebraska gubernatorial election, 2014
* Nebraska Gubernatorial and Lieutenant Gubernatorial election, 2014
* Nebraska attorney general election, 2014
* Nebraska secretary of state election, 2014
* Nebraska down ballot state executive elections, 2014

* Nebraska Treasurer
* Nebraska Auditor
* Nebraska Public Service Commission

## Footnotes

1. ↑ Nebraska Legislature, "Neb. Rev. Stat. § 32–912," accessed October 27, 2025
2. ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "How nonpartisan voting works in Nebraska primary elections," accessed October 27, 2025
3. ↑ Nebraska Democratic Party, "2026 Democratic Candidates," accessed October 27, 2025
4. ↑ WOWT, "Update: Ricketts Names Mike Foley As New Running Mate," September 9, 2014
5. ↑ Kearney Hub, "Secretary of State: Mike Foley's name to appear on ballot," September 10, 2014
6. ↑ Journal Star, "Waiting for shoes to fall," accessed July 21, 2013
7. ↑ Wichita Eagle, "Pete Ricketts joins GOP race for Nebraska governor," accessed September 8, 2013 (dead link)
8. ↑ The Freemont Tribune, "Hasseback will enter 2014 governor's race," accessed June 3, 2013
9. ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "2014 Filed Candidates," accessed February 19, 2014
10. ↑ Journal Star, "Walton: Speaker Adams looks at governor race," accessed September 1, 2013
11. ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "State Sen. Charlie Janssen to run for governor; Clare won't run," accessed February 18, 2013
12. ↑ Nebraska Watchdog, "Janssen 'seriously considering' run for governor," accessed December 13, 2012
13. ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Mike Flood drops bid for governor; wife ill," accessed December 6, 2012
14. ↑ Lincoln Journal Star, "Don Walton: Flood won't re-enter governor's race," accessed July 7, 2013
15. ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Sheehy's gubernatorial campaign shutting down," accessed February 5, 2013
16. ↑ World Herald-Bureau, "Mike Flood launches bid for governor's office in 2014," accessed November 13, 2012
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 News & Observer, "Nebraska Treasurer Stenberg to seek re-election," accessed December 5, 2013 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "reelect2014" defined multiple times with different content
18. ↑ Omaha, "Democrat Annette Dubas' bid for governor stirs excitement about the race in both parties," accessed August 9, 2013
19. ↑ The Grand Island Independent, "Dubas drops out of Nebraska governor’s race," accessed November 26, 2013
20. ↑ Fox 14 News, "State Sen. Carlson joins race for Neb. governor," accessed July 12, 2013 (dead link)
21. ↑ Centre Daily Times, "Republican Beau McCoy to enter governor's race," accessed August 23, 2013
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Omaha World-Herald, "Potential candidates jockey for office vacated by Sheehy," accessed February 2, 2013
23. ↑ Journal Star, "Sen. Beau McCoy enters GOP governor race," accessed August 23, 2013
24. ↑ Omaha, "Nebraska AG Jon Bruning Confirms Interest in Gubernatorial Bid," accessed January 30, 2014
25. ↑ NTV, "Bryan Slone Enters Nebraska Governor's Race," accessed December 17, 2013
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 26.5 Nebraska Secretary of State, "2014 Candidate Filings," accessed February 19, 2014 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "sos" defined multiple times with different content
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 27.6 27.7 Nebraska Secretary of State, "2014 Candidate Filings," accessed March 3, 2014 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "sos2" defined multiple times with different content
28. ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "2014 Candidate Filing," accessed March 3, 2014
29. ↑ Nebraska Watchdog, Lincoln senator McGill to run for state auditor, January 2, 2013
30. ↑ Omaha, Anne Boyle to retire from Nebraska Public Service Commission, September 4, 2013

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