Brett Lindstrom to Run for Nebraska Governor
The former state senator seeks to lead Nebraska as a candidate for the America First Party in the 2026 election.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Political Parties
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Brett Lindstrom has announced his candidacy for governor of Nebraska representing the America First Party. He seeks to secure the state's top office in the election scheduled for November 3, 2026.
Why it matters
Lindstrom left the Republican Party citing a transition from policy-focused platforms to personal loyalty. He believes the current state budget framework fails to provide a necessary engine for economic growth.
Official state voter registration data shows 196 registered America First Party members compared to a total electorate including 620,000 Republicans and 329,000 Democrats. Brett Lindstrom previously served as a state senator for 8 years.
The players
Brett Lindstrom
He is a former state senator who is running for governor of Nebraska under the America First Party banner.
The details
Lindstrom is prioritizing outreach to the state's 284,000 nonpartisan voters as a key component of his campaign. This move follows his third-place finish in the 2022 Nebraska gubernatorial primary as a Republican candidate.
Timeline
Lindstrom finished third in the 2022 gubernatorial primary.
Election Day in Nebraska is November 3, 2026.
Political Context
Lindstrom's bid tests the viability of third-party candidates within the constraints of the Nebraska voter registration statutes. His campaign marks a departure from his previous affiliation as he attempts to mobilize nonpartisan voters against the state's dominant two-party structure.
Voters will have a new option on the ballot in 2026 that diverges from traditional Republican and Democratic platforms. Citizens can evaluate how this shift in the gubernatorial race might influence future state budget and tax policies.
The takeaway
Lindstrom is banking on the state's large nonpartisan voting bloc to overcome the significant registration advantages held by major parties. Voters should research specific policy proposals to see how they differ from the established fiscal strategies currently in place.
Further reading
Learn more about the state's political landscape on the Political Parties section page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wowt.
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