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

More here:

These are the candidates running for office Senate, House and Legislature in 2020 in Nebraska - Omaha World-Herald