Former state Sen. Lynne Walz officially announced the launch of her campaign for Nebraska governor Wednesday.
Walz, a Democrat who represented the Fremont area in the legislature from 2017-2025, in November formed a gubernatorial exploratory committee and said she was considering a run.
"After two months of traveling and listening to Nebraskans across the state, I decided to enter the race for Governor," Walz said in a news release. "Nebraska is full of possibilities, and we need a governor who will focus on creating and attracting good-paying jobs, supporting our public schools, and lowering the cost of food, health care, and day care. I believe we have more in common than what divides us, and I assure you I will be a governor who is focused on Nebraska's future."
Walz held an official announcement event in Fremont Wednesday morning surrounded by her family and campaign team.
“My administration will be focused on unifying our neighbors to work together,” Walz said. “It will be focused on making sure everyone -- regardless of what your background is -- that everyone is important and valued, and everyone has a chance to succeed.”
Walz said her top priorities were economic development and competition, balancing the state’s budget and keeping divisive national issues out of Nebraska politics.
“I think it’s time that our government starts working like Nebraskans do – together,” Walz said.
Walz expressed disappointment in the state of politics in Nebraska and across the country. She criticized the partisan nature of Gov. Jim Pillen’s Tuesday night call-in town hall.
“To spend precious time in a town hall where you’re supposed to be listening to people and telling people what your plans are for Nebraska – to spend time calling people names is very disappointing,” Walz said.
She was referring to Pillen’s repeated use of the term “libtard,” which is often seen as a disparaging description of someone who has left-leaning political views.
Walz was known as a bipartisan legislator, and she won two elections in a heavily Republican district that voted twice for Donald Trump for president by strong margins.
But she will face an uphill battle against the incumbent Pillen in a state that hasn’t elected a Democratic governor since 1994. Nebraska also has never elected a female Democrat to the governor's office. The only woman to hold the office was Republican Kay Orr, who served from 1987-1991.
Pillen's campaign released a statement responding to Walz's announcement.
“We welcome liberal Democrat Lynne Walz — family and supporter of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — to the race," the statement reads. "We look forward to reminding Nebraskans about her record in the Legislature. She fought to allow sex change surgeries on children, expanded abortion, opposed tax relief, opposed Second Amendment rights, and voted for free needles to drug addicts. She is at home with today’s radical national Democrat party and very out of step with hardworking Nebraskans.”
Walz said her campaign is focused not on how she’ll win, but why.
“I don’t care if you’re a Republican or if you’re a Democrat. We don’t have time to care about that,” Walz said. “We’ve got to come together as a state, neighbor to neighbor, and solve problems.”