OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska hog farm owner and veterinarian Jim Pillen has won the state’s crowded Republican primary race for governor, overcoming another conservative endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
Pillen defeated the Trump-backed Charles Herbster, an agribusinessman with strong ties to the former president.
He also beat state Sen. Brett Lindstrom, an Omaha financial adviser who emerged as a strong contender late in the contest and was generally viewed as a more moderate choice.
Pillen was endorsed by many top GOP leaders in the state, including Gov. Pete Ricketts, former Gov. Kay Orr, and renowned former University of Nebraska football coach and congressman Tom Osborne.