Who is Jim Pillen and what is Pillen running on in the 2026 Nebraska Governor race?

Jim Pillen is the Republican candidate for Nebraska governor, and the incumbent. Governor of Nebraska since 2023; hog producer and businessman; former University of Nebraska regent. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

The race

• The seat: Incumbent Republican Jim Pillen seeking a second term.
• Rating: Likely R (Decision Desk HQ, Sept 30, 2026).
• Polling: Pillen 47, Walz 45 (Lake Research Partners, April 25 to 29, 2026; Dem-aligned firm). No recent public poll found.

Why Pillen is ahead

• Nebraska’s strong Republican lean plus incumbency.
• Huge money gap: Pillen $9.6M raised vs Walz about $674K by mid-June 2026.
• Walz attacks Pillen over the swing from a $1.2B surplus to a $750M budget deficit; Pillen points to the state’s AAA credit rating.
• Pillen is refusing to debate, calling debates ‘political theater’.

What Pillen is running on

• Property taxes. Pushes property-tax relief funded by expanding sales taxes.
• Education. Supports school choice programs.
• Cannabis. Wants tight medical cannabis rules and no recreational access.
• Budget. Touts tax cuts and the state’s AAA credit rating.
• Debates. Refusing to debate this cycle.

The other candidates

• Lynne Walz (D)

Every race

See every Senate and governor race on the ballot, with each candidate’s chance of winning: the 2026 midterms at a glance.