District details

Heneger, a Democrat, has spent 25 years working in education and holds both a master’s degree and a doctorate in education leadership from Doane University.

Johnson, a Republican, previously served as a city administrator for Nebraska City and David City. He now works as a business development professional for a Nebraska-based engineering firm and is a small business owner.

Heneger is endorsed by Campaign for a Healthy Nebraska.

Johnson is endorsed by Pillen, U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, the Nebraska Farm Bureau and more. See the full list of endorsers on his campaign website.

On the issues

Heneger said he is running to have a purposeful role in the Legislature and get current leaders who are serving themselves, their party or the funders of their campaigns back on track. Johnson said he is running to provide experienced leadership focused on strengthening local communities, supporting agriculture, decreasing property taxes and ensuring Nebraska remains a great place.

Both candidates pointed to property taxes as the top issue of the district. Johnson said the Legislature should fund more of a portion of K-12 education to reduce the burden on local property taxpayers. Heneger said he would increase taxes on the ultra-wealthy, legalize and tax recreational cannabis and investigate large-scale tax reorganization.

Heneger said increasing the sales tax to make up for further property tax relief would be regressive and hurt Nebraskans already struggling to get by. He said he is open to eliminating some sales tax exemptions but would need more information about who would be affected. Johnson said discussions on sales taxes should focus on fairness, economic competitiveness and the impact on Nebraskans. He said the goal should be meaningful property tax reduction while maintaining fiscal discipline.

Both candidates said the language of voter-approved ballot measures should be respected. Johnson said that, simultaneously, many initiatives lack detailed statutory language needed for successful implementation, and lawmakers should balance both. Heneger said he would support a law requiring good-faith implementation of ballot initiatives.

Heneger said he supports the implementation of moratoriums on data centers, and he would support a statewide moratorium until the Legislature can pass legislation that properly regulates them. Johnson said data centers create strong property tax bases without great demands on schools and other local services, but they should be evaluated thoroughly. 

Johnson said that when addressing Nebraska’s budget deficit, legislators should focus on disciplined budgeting, prioritization of essential services, government efficiency and long-term economic growth. Heneger said he would address the state’s budget deficit by increasing taxes on the ultra-wealthy, legalizing and taxing recreational cannabis and investigating large-scale tax reorganization.

Heneger said he would reverse the state’s brain drain by focusing legislative efforts on affordable housing and economic development rather than social or cultural issues. He said recent legislation focused on trans people and immigration makes the state unwelcoming. Johnson said Nebraska should continue investing in workforce development, higher education partnerships, career and technical education and economic opportunities that encourage graduates to build careers here.