Nebraska candidate filing
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Phone: (402) 459-9259
Email: [email protected]
CandidateDemocratic
Ben Steffen
Candidate websites
Lieutenant Governor
2026 Nebraska Governor — General Election · November 3, 2026
Published evidence-backed profile
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Last reviewed September 17, 2026Overview
- Current race
- 2026 Nebraska Governor — General Election on November 3, 2026
- Official candidacy
- Lieutenant Governor · Democratic · Candidate
VerifiedSource: Nebraska Secretary of State
VerifiedOfficial records: Nebraska Secretary of State
Policy statements from campaign-controlled sources are labeled candidate positions; they are not independently presented as proven outcomes.
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Nebraska Secretary of State — current 2026 General Election candidate workbook
Office: Lieutenant Governor
Candidate row: Lynne Walz and Ben Steffen
Party or ballot method: Democratic
City of residence: Fremont
Target-office incumbent: No
Phone: (402) 459-9259
Email: [email protected]
Official and campaign contacts
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Experience
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Lynne Walz for Nebraska
Candidate-statedProud wife, mother, grandmother, and Nebraskan. Running to be Nebraska’s next Governor.
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Proud wife, mother, grandmother, and Nebraskan. Running to be Nebraska’s next Governor.
A Different Kind of Leader for Nebraska.
Candidate-statedA lifelong Nebraskan, Lynne grew up on a small hog farm outside Fremont – a farm her family still owns today. Her father was a union carpenter, and her mother worked at the local hospital. Nothing on the farm was mechanized; everything depended on early mornings and honest work. Lynne and her siblings did the chores that kept things running – hauling buckets of water and feed, cleaning pens, and caring for the sows and their litters. For a few short years, she helped her family plant and harvest 100,000 onions by hand for her father’s short-lived onion business.
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A lifelong Nebraskan, Lynne grew up on a small hog farm outside Fremont – a farm her family still owns today. Her father was a union carpenter, and her mother worked at the local hospital. Nothing on the farm was mechanized; everything depended on early mornings and honest work. Lynne and her siblings did the chores that kept things running – hauling buckets of water and feed, cleaning pens, and caring for the sows and their litters. For a few short years, she helped her family plant and harvest 100,000 onions by hand for her father’s short-lived onion business.
A Different Kind of Leader for Nebraska.
Candidate-statedAfter high school, Lynne worked as a caretaker for three women with developmental disabilities. They quickly became her friends, teaching her compassion and patience – values that have guided her since.
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After high school, Lynne worked as a caretaker for three women with developmental disabilities. They quickly became her friends, teaching her compassion and patience – values that have guided her since.
A Different Kind of Leader for Nebraska.
Candidate-statedAfter earning her degree in education, Lynne returned to serving others, working for a non-profit supporting people with developmental disabilities. She then entered the classroom, teaching 4th and 5th grade at Fremont Public Schools and at Archbishop Bergan Catholic School. She went on to serve on Bergan’s school board, the Fremont Chamber of Commerce Board, and as president of the Fremont Board of Realtors.
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After earning her degree in education, Lynne returned to serving others, working for a non-profit supporting people with developmental disabilities. She then entered the classroom, teaching 4th and 5th grade at Fremont Public Schools and at Archbishop Bergan Catholic School. She went on to serve on Bergan’s school board, the Fremont Chamber of Commerce Board, and as president of the Fremont Board of Realtors.
Positions and priorities
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A Different Kind of Leader for Nebraska.
Candidate positionThe things that bring us together are far stronger than what divides us. I believe in freedom, hard work, and personal responsibility. I want a better life for our families. I want low taxes, strong schools, and a bustling economy where we have opportunities to get ahead. I cannot let political elites and large tech and media companies continue to divide us. Nebraska can once again rise above the dysfunction. I am a leader with a track record of putting parties aside to get results.
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The things that bring us together are far stronger than what divides us. I believe in freedom, hard work, and personal responsibility. I want a better life for our families. I want low taxes, strong schools, and a bustling economy where we have opportunities to get ahead. I cannot let political elites and large tech and media companies continue to divide us. Nebraska can once again rise above the dysfunction. I am a leader with a track record of putting parties aside to get results.
A Different Kind of Leader for Nebraska.
Candidate positionNebraskans deserve honest leaders who will tell people what they need to know, not just what they want to hear. I will fight for an honest, transparent government. It’s time to provide full transparency to Nebraskans and stop corruptive behaviors.
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Nebraskans deserve honest leaders who will tell people what they need to know, not just what they want to hear. I will fight for an honest, transparent government. It’s time to provide full transparency to Nebraskans and stop corruptive behaviors.
A Different Kind of Leader for Nebraska.
Candidate positionNebraska has so much potential. We are in the center of the country and can be a hub for transportation, manufacturing, and so much more. I will provide tools to grow and support businesses and attract new businesses to our state. I will grow our rural communities by investing in broadband, agriculture, and small businesses on Main Street. I will create an environment that keeps our young people and families here.
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Nebraska has so much potential. We are in the center of the country and can be a hub for transportation, manufacturing, and so much more. I will provide tools to grow and support businesses and attract new businesses to our state. I will grow our rural communities by investing in broadband, agriculture, and small businesses on Main Street. I will create an environment that keeps our young people and families here.
A Different Kind of Leader for Nebraska.
Candidate positionNebraskans work hard for a living and should be able to afford to take care of their families. The essentials like housing, childcare, healthcare, and groceries are too expensive. I will work with state and national leaders to address our affordability crisis.
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Nebraskans work hard for a living and should be able to afford to take care of their families. The essentials like housing, childcare, healthcare, and groceries are too expensive. I will work with state and national leaders to address our affordability crisis.
A Different Kind of Leader for Nebraska.
Candidate positionProperty taxes and taxes in general are too high. I will responsibly look at ways to cut taxes while ensuring vital services remain strong and that we can balance our budget. That relief needs to be more targeted so it helps the working families, not just the state’s top earners. I have a proven track record of producing bipartisan plans to help all Nebraskans.
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Property taxes and taxes in general are too high. I will responsibly look at ways to cut taxes while ensuring vital services remain strong and that we can balance our budget. That relief needs to be more targeted so it helps the working families, not just the state’s top earners. I have a proven track record of producing bipartisan plans to help all Nebraskans.
Lynne Walz for Nebraska
Candidate positionJoseph McKeeIf she puts in writing that she will not raise property taxes i would think about it.
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Joseph McKeeIf she puts in writing that she will not raise property taxes i would think about it.
A Different Kind of Leader for Nebraska.
Candidate positionThe government should be protecting our freedoms, not taking them away. I believe that our elected leaders should not be telling people how to live their lives, raise their children, or take care of their own health and well-being. My focus won’t be on policing our personal lives: instead, it’ll be to grow Nebraska’s economy.
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The government should be protecting our freedoms, not taking them away. I believe that our elected leaders should not be telling people how to live their lives, raise their children, or take care of their own health and well-being. My focus won’t be on policing our personal lives: instead, it’ll be to grow Nebraska’s economy.
A Different Kind of Leader for Nebraska.
Candidate positionI will ensure that Nebraska is a place where our children will want to live when they grow up. In addition to creating economic opportunities, we need to ensure our communities are thriving so families want to live here. We need strong schools, vibrant community spaces, strong main streets, and continued investments for police officers and firefighters to keep us safe.
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I will ensure that Nebraska is a place where our children will want to live when they grow up. In addition to creating economic opportunities, we need to ensure our communities are thriving so families want to live here. We need strong schools, vibrant community spaces, strong main streets, and continued investments for police officers and firefighters to keep us safe.
A sneak peek of my interview with Dan Parsons and Gov. Laura Kelly
Candidate positionAllowing foreign beef imports to enter the market will hurt Nebraska cattlemen. This comes at a terrible time just as ranchers are about to sell calves. Jim Pillen is an enthusiastic supporter of the trade policies that are bringing economic pain to our agricultural economy.
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Allowing foreign beef imports to enter the market will hurt Nebraska cattlemen. This comes at a terrible time just as ranchers are about to sell calves. Jim Pillen is an enthusiastic supporter of the trade policies that are bringing economic pain to our agricultural economy.
Lower Property Taxes
Candidate positionSupports lowering property taxes.
- Steffen stated in an August 2026 campaign email that he and Lynne Walz are committed to lowering property taxes.
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Lower Property Taxes
Support Local Public Schools
Candidate positionSupports local public schools.
- Steffen stated in an August 2026 campaign email that he and Lynne Walz are committed to supporting local public schools.
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Support Local Public Schools
Responsible State Spending
Candidate positionSupports managing Nebraska state spending responsibly.
- Steffen stated in an August 2026 campaign email that he and Lynne Walz are committed to responsible state spending.
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Responsible State Spending
Opposed Tax Increases on Farmers and Working Families
Candidate’s account of past workAs Richardson County Farm Bureau chair, Steffen opposed tax increases affecting farmers and working families.
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Opposed Tax Increases on Farmers and Working Families
Advocated for Agricultural Research and Agribusiness Investment
Candidate’s account of past workAs a former president of Ag Builders of Nebraska, Steffen advocated for investment in agricultural research and agribusiness.
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Advocated for Agricultural Research and Agribusiness Investment
Helped Preserve Local Nursing-Home Services
Candidate’s account of past workSteffen led a local effort to help keep Colonial Acres nursing home operating during a period of financial distress.
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Helped Preserve Local Nursing-Home Services
Public record
Executive public-record methodology
Executive public-record methodology
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Campaign finance
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Research boundary
Claims that did not clear the publication standard remain visibly excluded.
Candidate-stated policy positions
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Party platforms, snippets, endorsements, third-party descriptions, ticket-mate statements, and inferred views are not substituted.
Member-level public record
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Sources
Every profile claim points back to retained source evidence.
- Election record
2026 Nebraska candidate record — Ben Steffen
Nebraska Secretary of State
Open Nebraska Secretary of State - GOVERNMENT_CAMPAIGN_FINANCE_SEARCH
Ben Steffen — Nebraska campaign-finance disclosure search
Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission
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Ben Steffen campaign source 1
Ben Steffen campaign
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Ben Steffen campaign source 3
Ben Steffen campaign
Open Ben Steffen campaign - THIRD_PARTY_ARCHIVE_OF_CANDIDATE_COMMUNICATION
Ben Steffen — August 2026 campaign email archive
Political Email Archive
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Ben Steffen — Meet Ben
Lynne Walz campaign
Open Lynne Walz campaign