LINCOLN An Ashland businesswoman with a familiar name in state legislative politics and a former state senator were among the candidates filing to run for the Nebraska Legislature on Monday, the last day to file for the May primary.
Helen Raikes filed to run against State Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard, who now serves District 23, which is north and northeast of Lincoln.
Raikes, a 76-year-old independent, said she conducted 12 listening sessions with local voters before deciding to run.
Im ready to make a real difference for my neighbors, said Raikes, who is involved in the family farm and retail beef business. She said she will focus on property tax relief and helping small businesses and farmers succeed.
Raikes is retiring this spring as a professor of early childhood education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She said she helped set in motion several of Nebraskas early childhood programs with her husband, the late State Sen. Ron Raikes, who served in the Legislature from 1998 to 2008.
Former State Sen. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island, a 72-year-old Republican who served in the Legislature from 1999 to 2009, also filed Monday. He will face current State Sen. Dan Quick, who is a registered Democrat.
Aguilar said he was urged by Gov. Pete Ricketts to run, but had been considering it anyway.
Its something I still have a passion for, Aguilar said.
Also filing on deadline day was Sheryl Lindau, a former mayor of Wayne. She will oppose incumbent State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston to represent northeast Nebraskas District 17.
Lindau, who was mayor of Wayne from 1994 to 2004 and owned a retail clothing store there, said shes concerned about how partisan politics have become.
I dont believe there are Republican or Democratic answers to our problems, there are only Nebraska answers to our problems, Lindau said in a press release. I plan on seeking those answers, and representing every voter in the district, regardless of their political party.
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Of the 25 legislative seats up for election this year, 20 of them will have contested races.
One of the more active races will be in North Omaha, where seven candidates have filed for District 11 to replace State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha, who has served in the State Legislature a record 46 years.
Omaha also will see a contested race for the Nebraska Public Service Commission. Incumbent Crystal Rhoades, a Democrat who represents District 2, will be opposed by two Republicans, Tim Davis and Krystal Gabel.
Another notable race seven Democrats will appear on the May 12 primary ballot to oppose U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, a Republican.
A roundup of candidates in selected races (*denotes incumbent):
U.S. Senate
Democratic Chris Janicek of Omaha, Dennis Frank Macek of Lincoln, Larry Marvin of Fremont, Angie Philips of Omaha, Alisha Shelton of Omaha, Andy Stock of Lincoln, Daniel Wik of Norfolk
Libertarian Gene Siadek of Omaha
Republican Matt Innis of Crete, *Ben Sasse of Fremont
U.S. House of Representatives
Democrat Kate Bolz of Lincoln, Babs Ramsey of Bellevue
Libertarian Dennis Grace of Fremont
Republican *Jeff Fortenberry of Lincoln
Democrat Ann Ashford, Gladys Harrison, Kara Eastman, all of Omaha
Libertarian Tyler Schaeffer of Omaha
Republican Paul Anderson of Omaha, *Don Bacon of Papillion
Democrat Mark Elworth Jr. of Omaha
Libertarian Dustin Hobbs of Grand Island.
Republican Larry Lee Scott Bolinger of Alliance, Wayne Elfgren of Overton, Arron Kowalski of Grand Island, Justin Moran of Atkinson, *Adrian Smith of Gering
Nebraska Legislature
District 1 Janet Palmtag of Nebraska City, Dennis Schaardt of Steinauer, *Julie Slama of Peru
District 3 *Carol Blood, Rick Holdcroft, both of Bellevue
District 5 Gilbert Ayala, *Mike McDonnell, both of Omaha
District 7 Jorge Sotolongo, *Tony Vargas, both of Omaha
District 9 John Cavanaugh, Marque Snow, Mark Vondrasek, all of Omaha
District 11 Fred Conley, Gwen Easter, Terrell McKinney, Teela Mickles, John Sciara, Cornelius Williams, Dennis Womack, all of Omaha
District 13 *Justin Wayne of Omaha
District 15 David Rogers, *Lynne Walz, both of Fremont
District 17 *Joni Albrecht of Thurston, Sheryl Lindau of Wayne
District 19 Mike Flood of Norfolk
District 21 Joseph Couch, *Mike Hilgers, Brodey Weber, all of Lincoln
District 23 *Bruce Bostelman of Brainard, Helen Raikes of Ashland
District 25 *Suzanne Geist, Stephany Pleasant, both of Lincoln
District 27 Brenda Bickford, *Anna Wishart, both of Lincoln
District 29 Eliot Bostar, Jacob Campbell, Jennifer Carter, Neal Clayburn, Michael Connely, Lisa Lee, all of Lincoln
District 31 Mark Gruenewald, Alexander Martin, Rich Pahls, Tim Royers, Melanie Williams, all of Omaha
District 33 *Steve Halloran of Hastings
District 35 Ray Aguilar, *Dan Quick, both of Grand Island
District 37 Mercadies Damratowski, *John Lowe, both of Kearney
District 39 Allison Heimes, *Lou Ann Linehan, both of Elkhorn
District 41 *Tom Briese of Albion
District 43 *Tom Brewer of Gordon, Tanya Storer of Whitman
District 45 Susan Hester, Rita Sanders, both of Bellevue
District 47 *Steve Erdman of Bayard
District 49 Jen Day of Omaha, *Andrew La Grone of Gretna
Nebraska has 49 state senators in the Legislature. Click through to find your state senator and others.
District 1: State Sen. Julie Slama
From: Peru
Party: Republican
District 2: State Sen. Robert Clements
From: Elmwood
Party: Republican
District 3: State Sen. Carol Blood
From: Bellevue
Party: Democratic
District 4: State Sen. Robert Hilkemann
From: Omaha
Party: Republican
District 5: State Sen. Mike McDonnell
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
District 6: State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
District 7: State Sen. Tony Vargas
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
District 8: State Sen. Megan Hunt
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
District 9: State Sen. Sara Howard
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
District 10: State Sen. Wendy DeBoer
From: Bennington
Party: Democratic
District 11: State Sen. Ernie Chambers
From: Omaha
Party: Independent
District 12: State Sen. Steve Lathrop
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
District 13: State Sen. Justin Wayne
From: Omaha
Party: Democratic
District 14: State Sen. John Arch
From: La Vista
Party: Republican
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