Primary Upset
Omaha businessman Scott Petersen defeated Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen in Tuesday's Republican primary. Petersen, who questioned election integrity and ballot security, won 55% of the vote compared to Evnen's 45%, with nearly all votes tallied. The victory marks the end of Evnen's two terms as the state’s top elections official.
Challenging the Incumbent
Petersen gained traction by raising questions about Nebraska's election procedures. He promoted theories about voting equipment that Rep. Don Bacon derided as “the President of the TinFoil Hat Club.” Evnen, in contrast, maintained that Nebraska’s elections are held to the “gold standard” of election security.
Hand Counts and Mail Voting
A point of contention between the candidates was hand-counting ballots. Petersen advocated for full hand counts of ballots, while Evnen highlighted the existing system of hand-count audits in 10% of randomly selected election precincts. Petersen also proposed limiting mail voting to those who are disabled, serve in the military, or live far from their polling place.
Republican Backing
Despite the loss, Evnen had endorsements from prominent Nebraska Republicans, including Gov. Jim Pillen and the state's congressional delegation: Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, and Reps. Mike Flood, Don Bacon, and Adrian Smith. Evnen also turned over information about every registered voter in the state to the Justice Department after a request, amplifying his MAGA credentials.
General Election Outlook
Petersen, a former chair of the Douglas County Republican Party, is expected to win November’s general election. Nebraska is considered a reliably Republican-leaning state.
