Former Nebraska first lady advances in Omaha-area Regents race

Nebraska’s former first lady looks to be in good shape to run in the general election for the District 4 Board of Regents seat.

Susanne Shore, a Democrat who is married to former governor and current Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts, was the top vote-getter in early results released Tuesday night for the seat that encompasses the part of Douglas county mostly east of 72nd Street. Justin Solomon, also a Democrat, is following Shore with Democrat Larry Bradley in third place after the first tranche of results posted at 9:45 p.m.

Shore is one of five Democrats running to fill the seat formerly held by Elizabeth O’Connor, who resigned from the seat in January, months after being charged with a felony for allegedly driving while intoxicated and causing a crash that left a woman with serious injuries.

Shore, who stood beside her husband through many elections, noted how the experience was different with her name on the ballot.

“I've watched it from afar, and it's different when you're actually in the driver's seat running for office,” Shore said. “I really appreciate everybody who puts themselves out there, including the other four candidates for regent in this district. It really takes a humility, a level of giving of yourself to say I will step out and be a leader for your state.”

Shore said she was humbled to see herself in the lead when the first results dropped after polls first closed. Now, she’s feeling excited for the next phase of her campaign.

“Our university is really situated to take the next step to being a leader — not just one of the best, but the best universities within the nation, but we need to have the leadership that takes us to that next level,” Shore said.

O’Connor had four years left on her term, leaving it to be filled through a special election. Whoever wins the seat in November will finish out the term on the officially non-partisan board.

Shore’s priorities include affordability, integrating AI and finding ways to strengthen pipelines for healthcare, STEM and education careers, according to Shore’s campaign website.

Ricketts endorsed his wife for the seat, even though the two are in opposing parties.

Jim Rogers, former chair of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Department of Mathematics and Statistical Sciences, first ran for the District 4 seat in 2024 and at the time was a registered Republican. He has since changed his registration to Democrat.

Rogers’ priorities are in the forms of questions on his campaign website, including asking the role of the university in the state, how the university will change for the future and how accountable university administrators are.

Justin Solomon is the chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Integrated Life Choices, an organization helping people with disabilities. Solomon previously served on the Board of Regents as a student in the 2010-11 school year representing the Lincoln campus.

His priorities include affordability, building connections between the university and statewide employers, and protecting research and academic freedom, according to his campaign website.

Larry Bradley, an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said on his campaign website there is a “war on education.” His priorities include working against book bans and defending academic freedom. Bradley served 14 years in the Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District.

Michael Skocz worked for the medical center and Omaha campuses for about 14 years before retiring. He told The Gateway, UNO’s student newspaper, that his priorities include decreasing tuition fees and giving others a voice who don’t have one.

In the past year, regents have approved the elimination of four departments at the Lincoln campus and four degree programs at the Kearney campus. The board also approved a $600 million Memorial Stadium project in April.

Two other Regent seats are up for grabs.

In the District 1 race, which covers northeast Lancaster County including Lincoln, there are three candidates running to succeed incumbent Tim Clare, who chose not to run for reelection. The candidates are Republican Jeremy Hosein and nonpartisan candidate Brent Comstock and Roland Nance.

Comstock took an early lead, with Hosein taking second.

Hosein is a neurosurgeon and a former student regent representing the medical center campus. His priorities include putting students and faculty first, integrating AI across the university and keeping tuition affordable, according to his campaign website.

Comstock is the CEO and founder of BCom, a Lincoln-based advertising agency. He grew up in Auburn. Comstock’s priorities include affordability, recruiting and retaining students and innovation.

Speaking at a Democratic gathering in Lincoln's Hub Cafe Tuesday night, Comstock said he wanted the university system to unite Nebraskans.

"We need a Board of Regents that stands for academic freedom and shared governance," Comstock said.

The District 2 race, which covers southwest Douglas county and northeast Sarpy county, only saw two candidates for the primary. Both Jill Wolfe, a Republican, and Elizabeth Butler, who is non-partisan, moved forward to November’s election.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Brent Comstock is a Democrat. It was updated to reflect that he is nonpartisan.