Jim Pillen
41st Governor of Nebraska
Assumed office
January 5, 2023
LieutenantJoe Kelly
Preceded byPete Ricketts
Personal details
Born (1955-12-31) December 31, 1955
Columbus, Nebraska, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseSuzanne Pillen
Children4
ResidenceGovernor's Mansion
EducationUniversity of Nebraska, Lincoln (BS)
Kansas State University (DVM)
WebsiteCampaign website
College football career
No. 29
PositionDefensive back
Career history
CollegeNebraska (1975–1978)
High schoolLakeview (Columbus, Nebraska)
Career highlights and awards
2x All-Big Eight (1977, 1978)
1x Academic All-American (1978)

James Douglas Pillen (born December 31, 1955)[1][2][3] is an American politician, veterinarian and livestock producer serving as the 41st and current governor of Nebraska since 2023.[4] A member of the Republican Party, Pillen served on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents from 2013 to 2023.

Early life and education

Pillen was born in Columbus, Nebraska to Dale and Dorothy Pillen.[2] After graduating from Lakeview Junior-Senior High School in 1974, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine.[5]

From 1975 to 1978, Pillen was a defensive back for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team under Tom Osborne.[6][7] He was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 2004.[8]

Career

Pillen is a practicing veterinarian and also works as chair of Pillen Family Farms. The business, which employs members of Pillen's family, acquired DNA Genetics in 2003.[9] Pillen has also worked as president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce and chaired the Columbus Community Hospital Board of Directors.[10] He has served on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents (which governs the University of Nebraska System) since 2012, and as vice-chair and chair in 2018 and 2020, respectively.[5]

Pillen was the Republican nominee in the 2022 Nebraska gubernatorial election.[11][12] During the Republican primary election, he refused to debate his primary rivals.[13][14][15] Pillen was endorsed by incumbent Governor Pete Ricketts and former Governor Kay A. Orr.[16][17] In a crowded field of primary candidates, Pillen won the nomination with about 33.75% of the vote, defeating Charles Herbster (who received 30.13%), Brett Lindstrom (25.68%), and Theresa Thibodeau (6.05%).[18][11] Pillen's running mate was former U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Kelly.[19][20] Pillen campaigned on opposing abortion and critical race theory.[18] In the general election, he refused to debate the Democratic nominee, Carol Blood.[21]

Pillen was elected governor with 59.9% of the vote to Blood's 36.1% and Libertarian nominee Scott Zimmerman's 4%.[22] He took office on January 5, 2023. One week after being sworn in, he appointed his predecessor, Pete Ricketts, to the United States Senate seat left vacant by the resignation of Ben Sasse to become president of the University of Florida.[23]

Governor of Nebraska

Elections

2022

Final results by county
Final results by county in 2022:
  Jim Pillen
  •   >90%
  •   80–90%
  •   70–80%
  •   60–70%
  •   50–60%
  •   50–60%

Incumbent Republican Governor Pete Ricketts was term-limited and unable to seek a third term.[24] Pillen won the gubernatorial election by a 23-point margin.

Nebraska's primary elections were held on May 10. Pillen won the Republican nomination, while state senator Carol Blood won the Democratic nomination.

The race took on increased importance in October 2022, when U.S. Senator Ben Sasse announced he would resign and Ricketts said he would allow the winner of the 2022 gubernatorial election to appoint Sasse's replacement.[25] Pillen appointed Ricketts to replace Sasse.

Tenure

Pillen drew criticism in October 2023 when responding to reporting about dangerously high levels of nitrates at his farms. Reporter Yanqi Xu had written that 16 Pillen farms had nitrate levels of at least 50 parts per million, five times the level considered safe to drink.[26] Claiming not to have read the article in question, he said: "all you’ve got to do is look at the author. Author’s from Communist China—what more do you need to know?"[27] The Asian American Journalists Association issued a statement condemning Pillen's remarks, stating that "Xu, an investigative reporter who grew up in China, deserves to do her job without being judged because of her nationality."[28]

Personal life

Pillen and his wife, Suzanne, have four children and seven grandchildren.[29] Pillen is a Roman Catholic.[30]

Electoral history

2022 election

Nebraska gubernatorial Republican primary, 2022
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Pillen 91,459 33.9%
Republican Charles Herbster 80,642 29.9%
Republican Brett Lindstrom 70,487 26.1%
Republican Theresa Thibodeau 16,413 6.1%
Republican Breland Ridenour 4,682 1.7%
Republican Michael Connely 2,831 1.1%
Republican Donna Nicole Carpenter 1,533 0.6%
Republican Lela McNinch 1,192 0.4%
Republican Troy Wentz 708 0.3%
Write-in 193 0.1%
Total votes 269,947 100.0%
2022 Nebraska gubernatorial election[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican
398,334 59.74% +0.74
Democratic
242,006 36.29% -4.71
Libertarian
  • Scott Zimmerman
  • Jason Blumenthal
 26,445 3.97% N/A
Total votes 666,795 100.00%
Turnout 682,716 54.93%
Registered electors 1,242,930
Republican hold

References

  1. ↑ "Jim Pillen - 1978 - Football". University of Nebraska. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Do what is right is first core belief of Pillen Family Farms". Omaha World-Herald. October 7, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2023. ...James Douglas Pillen completed their family as their third son
  3. ↑ "Personals". Columbus Telegram. February 22, 1975. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  4. ↑ Walton, Don (November 21, 2022). Ricketts Moves Close to Acknowledging Senate Interest. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Nebraska Board of Regents Member Jim Pillen". Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  6. ↑ Murtaugh, Jerry; Sheil, Jimmy; Rosenthal, Brian; Achola, George; Brashaw, Brian (October 1, 2015). If These Walls Could Talk: Nebraska Cornhuskers: Stories From the Nebraska Cornhuskers Sideline, Locker Room, and Press Box. Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-63319-330-7.
  7. ↑ Williams, Pat; Babcock, Mike (December 26, 2012). Tom Osborne On Leadership: Life Lessons from a Three-Time National Championship Coach. Advantage Media Group. ISBN 978-1-59932-379-4.
  8. ↑ Apr 7 (April 7, 2021). "NU Regent, Former Husker Football Player Jim Pillen Announces Bid For Governor". KFOR FM 103.3 1240 AM. Retrieved May 5, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ "The Founding Story of Pillen Family Farms and What Comes Next | Jim Pillen - Popular Pig". Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  10. ↑ McCartney, Rob (April 20, 2022). "University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen talks on his 'Pillen Playbook' and his strategy behind running for governor". KETV. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  11. 1 2 Panetta, Brent D. Griffiths, Grace. "Jim Pillen defeats crowded field and Trump ally to win GOP Nebraska governor primary". Business Insider. Retrieved May 11, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ Epstein, Reid J. (April 30, 2022). "Nebraska Candidate for Governor Accused of Second Groping Incident at 2019 Dinner". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  13. ↑ Pillen says no to primary debates; Thibodeau says he should drop out of the race, NTV News (March 10, 2022).
  14. ↑ Sara Gentzler, Jim Pillen turns down another debate, rankling fellow GOP candidates for governor ,Omaha World-Herald (March 10, 2022).
  15. ↑ Siders, David (March 29, 2022). "Debate-dodging takes off in midterm campaigns". Politico. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  16. ↑ Epstein, Reid J. (May 7, 2022). "In Nebraska, a Trump-Inspired Candidate Cracks Open Divide in the G.O.P." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Ricketts endorses fellow Republican Jim Pillen for governor". AP NEWS. January 18, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  18. 1 2 Bauer, Will (May 9, 2022). "Race results: Trump's endorsement fails in Nebraska GOP governor primary". NPR. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Republican Jim Pillen adds prosecutor Joe Kelly to ticket". AP NEWS. April 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  20. ↑ Epstein, Reid J. (May 11, 2022). "Jim Pillen upends a Trump-backed rival to win Nebraska's G.O.P. primary for governor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Nebraskans Won't be Seeing Pillen Debate, Governor Hopeful Calls it 'Theater'". Nebraska Public Media. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Nebraska Governor Election Results". The New York Times. November 8, 2022. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  23. ↑ Bradner, Eric (January 12, 2023). "Nebraska Gov. Pillen appoints Pete Ricketts to Sasse's Senate seat". CNN. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  24. ↑ Hammel, Paul. "Candidates exploring runs in 2022 governor's race; Ricketts can't run due to term limits". omaha.com. Omaha World Herald. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Ricketts punts decision to next governor to appoint replacement for Ben Sasse if he resigns". Nebraska Examiner. October 7, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Governor's comments about FFP reporter infuriating, dead wrong". Flatwater Free Press. October 17, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Nebraska Governor Is Criticized for Comments on Reporter's Chinese Nationality". New York Times. October 18, 2023.
  28. ↑ Loo, Yi-Shen (October 18, 2023). "AAJA stands with Flatwater Free Press journalist Yanqi Xu, who was the target of comments about her nationality". Asian American Journalists Association. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  29. ↑ Gentzler, Sara. "Does having kids matter in Nebraska governor race? Pillen and Herbster disagree". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  30. ↑ "Jim Pillen". jimpillen.com. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Official Results: General Election – November 8, 2022". Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
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