Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly traveled from Topeka to Omaha to endorse Lynne Walz in Nebraska’s governor’s race. Walz used the visit to frame her campaign around party-line cooperation, property taxes and the state’s budget problems.
Kelly called Walz "everything Nebraska needs right now and everything Kansas wants in a neighbor" and said, "She’s smart, she’s experienced, she’s got the right value set." She also said the state’s unicameral system still requires leaders to "bring everybody together to build consensus in order to move things forward."
Omaha endorsement visit
The visit gave Walz a public endorsement from a neighboring governor as the Nebraska governor’s race takes shape in 2026. Kelly said she and Walz have a lot in common as Democratic women in politics in a red state and cited their ability to work across the aisle.
Walz tied that message to Nebraska’s day-to-day problems. She said it will take political unity to deal with issues from property taxes to trouble on the farm, and she added that the state must become "one strong voice."
Walz on taxes and cuts
Walz said Nebraska’s property tax problems will not be solved overnight. She said the key is to grow the state’s economy and find a way to dig out of the budget deficit, while warning, "Nebraskans are smart enough to know that we’re in trouble."
She drew a line on spending. Walz said, "One of the things I won’t do as governor is a 5% cut across the board. That is lazy, it’s irresponsible, and it hurts so many families."
Brett Lindstrom and Jim Pillen
Walz also said the fight is being shaped by the current field. She said Brett Lindstrom getting into the Nebraska governor’s race could work against Jim Pillen’s re-election chances, while arguing that Nebraska must move past negative political rhetoric to get things done.
She said the state’s political divide sharpened in 2023, when social issues reached the legislative floor and split the Legislature, the state, families and friends. Walz said, "I do not care if you’re a Republican or Democrat. I think it’s more important today, more than ever, that we bring people together."
