Nebraska
'Defender of Downtrodden' keeps voters guessing as deadline nears to file for 2024 election | Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — The self-proclaimed “Defender of the Downtrodden” is keeping voters guessing about whether he might seek to reclaim his North Omaha seat in the Nebraska Legislature.
In a recent interview with the Examiner, former State Sen. Ernie Chambers — the longest serving legislator in state history — said he’s “thinking about” running against incumbent Sen. Terrell McKinney.
‘Thinking’ different than ‘planning’
But Chambers, now 86, added that thinking about it is “different than planning or intending to.”
The final deadline to file as a candidate for the Nebraska Legislature is March 1 at 5 p.m.
The filing deadline for incumbents came and went on Thursday with one big surprise: State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar declined to seek another term, setting off a storm of speculation about who might seek her seat in southeast Nebraska.
Sixteen of the 25 seats up for election in 2024 are “open” seats — seats lacking an incumbent — and four other races feature appointees making their first run to retain their post. Appointees, as history has shown, aren’t a shoo-in for re-election.
Big turnover coming
So a big turnover is ahead for the 49-seat, nonpartisan Unicameral.
As of Friday, only one legislative district in the state lacked a candidate: Fremont’s District 15, where two-term Sen. Lynne Walz is barred from running again due to term limits.
One remaining mystery as the deadline looms is whether Chambers — who served 46 years in the Unicameral — might seek a return to the Legislature, where he often dominated floor debate and listed his occupation as “Defender of the Downtrodden.”
Chambers has “returned” once before, reclaiming his seat in 2012 after being term-limited in 2008.
‘People won’t let me be’
After leaving office in 2021 — again, due to term limits — the veteran senator said he’d consider running again in 2024 if his health was good and his mind was “clear.”
Chambers said both of those boxes are checked, but “people won’t let me be.”
He said that those people believe he could block some of the “bad things” that have happened in recent sessions, and that he has a “magic wand” to do that.
“But there’s only so much one person can do,” Chambers said. “Even Jesus would end up on the cross.”
Still, he described what’s been coming out of Lincoln as “crazy” and “pathetic.”
“It’s like a throwback to all those years ago when you had nutty people bringing backward stuff,” Chambers said.
Yet, the former senator said, it’s hard to imagine driving back and forth to Lincoln, amid the cold, snow and slush of winter, to serve again.
“To be completely honest, I’m thinking about it, but I can’t say really say if I’ll do it,” Chambers said.
Here are the candidates who have filed as of Friday. Incumbents noted with *:
District 1
Mike Powers of Palmyra. A former school board member, he ran unsuccessfully for the Legislature in 2000, 2004 and in 2020.
District 3
Ben “Felix” Ungerman of Papillion. A retired Air Force colonel, he serves as deputy chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Don Bacon.
District 5
Tim Benak of Omaha. A 10-year veteran of the Omaha Fire Department as well as an adjunct instructor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Flint Harkness of Omaha. He serves as a resource teacher for special education.
Margo Juarez of Omaha. A member of the Omaha School Board, she is a retired federal tax examiner.
Gilbert Ayala of Omaha. He ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2016 and 2020, and for Omaha City Council in 2021.
District 7
Dunixi Guereca of Omaha. He is the executive director of Stand for Schools, which supports public schools and opposes school choice laws.
Christopher Geary of Omaha. A martial arts instructor/studio owner and former Marine, he ran unsuccessfully for Omaha mayor in 2017 and the Nebraska Legislature in 2012.
District 9
*John Cavanaugh of Omaha. A lawyer and member of a widely known political family.
Julia Palzer of Omaha. Also a lawyer, she previously served as dean of admissions at Creighton University School of Law.
District 11
* Terrell McKinney of Omaha. A law student at Creighton School of Law.
District 13
Tracy Hightower Henne of Omaha. A lawyer who serves as executive director of the Nebraska Innocence Project.
District 15
None
District 17
Glen Meyer of Pender. Chairman of the Thurston County Board, he has farmed and worked as a sales manager for a seed company.
District 19
*Rob Dover of Norfolk. Real estate manager/owner of a real estate firm. He was appointed to the Legislature in July 2022 by then-Gov. Pete Ricketts.
Jeanne Reigle of Madison. A farmer, she is a member of the governing board of the Northeast Community College.
District 21
*Beau Ballard of Lincoln. A small-business owner, he was appointed to the Legislature in December 2022 by then-Gov. Ricketts.
Seth Derner of Lincoln. He is co-founder of a business that designs instructional programs, curriculum and online learning modules.
District 23
Jacob Wolff of Colon. A Navy veteran who recently moved into the district after living in Omaha.
Dennis Fujan of Prague. A farmer and a Navy veteran, he is a past president of the Nebraska Soybean Association.
Alan Zavodny of David City. A farmer and former David City mayor.
Jared Storm of David City. A small-business owner and pilot.
Allie French of Prague. The co-owner of a bait shop and head of Nebraskans Against Government Overreach.
District 25
*Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln. A former county prosecutor, she was appointed to the Legislature in April by Gov. Jim Pillen.
Nicki Behmer Popp of Lincoln. A small-business owner, Realtor and member of the Lincoln Airport Authority.
Maher Aurang Zeb of Lincoln. A small business owner, he ran unsuccessfully for the Lincoln City Council in 2021 and the Lincoln Airport Authority in 2019.
District 27
Jason Prokop of Lincoln. The director of an early childhood care and education nonprofit, he once served as an adviser to then-U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson.
District 29
*Eliot Bostar of Lincoln. The executive director of the Nebraska Conservation Voters and Conservation Nebraska.
Phil Bruce of Lincoln. A cybersecurity analyst who launched a nonprofit that works on community building.
District 31
*Kathleen Kauth of Omaha. A professional mediator, she was appointed to the Legislature in June 2022 by then-Gov. Ricketts.
Mary Ann Folchert of Omaha. A former teacher.
District 33
Michelle Smith of Hastings. A mental health practitioner.
Dan Lonowski of Hastings. An Army veteran and retired teacher, now a manager for a substance and alcohol abuse prevention program.
Paul Hamelink of Hastings. A former member of the Hastings City Council and owner of a cigar lounge.
District 35
*Ray Aguilar of Grand Island. The retired owner of a janitorial service, he served in the Legislature from 1999 to 2008, then was re-elected to the post in 2020.
Dan Quick of Grand Island. A former state senator, who has served as president of a labor union, he was defeated for re-election in 2020 by Aguilar.
District 37
Stanley Clouse of Kearney. The mayor of Kearney, he is an account manager for Nebraska Public Power District.
Lana Peister of Kearney. A nurse and small business partner.
District 39
Tony Sorrentino of Omaha. A lawyer and certified public accountant, he is president/founder of a firm that helps health plans comply with federal law. Sorrentino ran unsuccessfully for the Legislature in 2006.
Allison Heimes of Omaha. A lawyer, she ran unsuccessfully for the Legislature in 2020.
District 41
Ethan Clark of Ord. He works in marketing for an agriculture implement company.
Nadine Diane Bane of Scotia. A retiree with experience in farming, nursing and trucking.
Daniel McKeon of Amherst. An Army National Guard veteran, he works as an agronomy consultant.
District 43
Tanya Storer of Whitman. A rancher and former member of the Cherry County Board, she ran unsuccessfully for the Legislature in 2020.
Tony Tangwall of Whitney. A rancher and senior pastor at his church.
District 45
*Rita Sanders of Bellevue. A former mayor of Bellevue and a commercial real estate developer.
Sarah Centineo of Bellevue. A nurse and attorney, she is a member of the Bellevue School Board.
District 47
Paul Strommen of Sidney. A member of the Sidney City Council and the Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission, he is an executive with an ethanol plant.
Larry Bolinger of Alliance. A property manager and Air Force veteran, he ran unsuccessfully for Nebraska attorney general in 2022 and for U.S. Congress in 2018 and 2020.
District 49
*Jen Day of Omaha. A small-business owner and fitness coach.
Caleb Muhs, Omaha. A financial consultant, he has degrees in law and finance.
Bob Anderson of Papillion. An Air Force veteran, he and his wife own child care businesses, and he formed a nonprofit geared toward defense-related research.
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The New Orleans Saints made a big splash in free agency when they signed Travis Etienne Jr. to pair with Alvin Kamara in the backfield. Etienne’s addition probably means that the Saints won’t select a back with an early choice in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, don’t be surprised if the team adds another back with a later pick. If that’s the case, Emmett Johnson of the Nebraska Cornhuskers could be someone on their radar.
Etienne will likely be the featured back, but Kamara’s future beyond 2026 is in some doubt. Kamara turns 31 in July and is entering his 10th season with a big contract after already showing some possible decline. Behind them, Kendre Miller has proven he shouldn’t be relied on and 2025 sixth round choice Devin Neal has flashed potential but remains unproven. The Saints may be wise to add more talent to their backfield with a middle or later round pick.
Emmett Johnson bio
- Position: Running back
- College: Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Height: 5-feet, 10 inches
- Weight: 202 pounds
- 40-yard dash: 4.56 seconds
- 10-yard split: 1.59 seconds
- 3-cone drill: 7.32 seconds
- 20-yard shuttle: 4.29 seconds
- Vertical jump: 35.5″
- Broad jump: 10′
Recipient of the 2021 Minnesota Mr. Football award at Academy of Holy Angels High School, Johnson began with the Nebraska Cornhuskers as a three-star recruit. He’d take a redshirt in 2022 then rushed for 411 yards with 2 scores in 2023 as part of a backfield committee. In 2024, Johnson picked up 598 yards on the ground and caught 39 passes for 286 yards with 3 total scores.
By 2025, Johnson was the Cornhuskers featured weapon and exploded onto the national radar. Johnson’s 1,451 rushing yards and 251 carries both led the Big Ten and were among the NCAA leaders. He also caught a team-high 46 passes and scored 15 touchdowns, as his 1,821 yards from scrimmage were second across the NCAA. Those eye-popping numbers earned him 1st Team All-American honors as well as the 2025 Big Ten Running Back of the Year.
Strengths
- Hits rushing lanes with authority
- Makes sharp cuts at top speed
- Decisive north-south runner
- Good acceleration into the second level
- Legitimate receiving threat
Weaknesses
- Doesn’t have breakaway speed
- Has trouble creating yards when the hole isn’t there
- Must maintain balance better through contact
- Doesn’t break many tackles
- Only one year of high-level production
Emmett Johnson 2026 draft outlook
Johnson’s 2025 tape and production are worthy of a high pick, but teams looking for a featured back might be wary of his lack of power. Still, Johnson has a strong chance of being picked somewhere on the second day and shouldn’t last later than the fourth round. His decisive one-cut and go style and receiving ability gives him a strong chance to be an instant contributor with an incredibly high upside of a potential starter.
New Orleans has had success with late-round picks and undrafted players at running back. Emmett Johnson won’t last that long. But, if Johnson slips into Day 3, the Saints could be tempted to add him and bolster their backfield in multiple ways.
Carson Jasa pitched a strong game, earning his second complete-game of the season. Nebraska’s offense started fast and kept rolling, leading to a 12-2 run-rule win over No. 12 USC in seven innings on Saturday at Hawks Field. This marked head coach Will Bolt’s 200th career win at Nebraska.
A season-high crowd of 7,602 fans filled the ballpark, making for one of the most exciting games of the year. This attendance is the 25th largest in Hawks Field history and the second biggest since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, just behind the 7,650 fans at a 2021 doubleheader against Michigan. The fans saw Nebraska play a complete game, improving to 30-9 overall and 14-3 in the conference. USC fell to 30-10 and 13-7 in Big Ten play.
Nebraska’s offense scored 12 runs on 12 hits and made only one error. USC scored just two runs on five hits and had two defensive mistakes. Drew Grego led the way, going 3-for-4 and missing the cycle by only a triple. He hit a home run, a double, and drove in four runs. Dylan Carey also went 3-for-4 with a home run and scored three times. Case Sanderson went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, and Jett Buck added a double and scored three runs. Mac Moyer, Joshua Overbeek, and Trey Fikes each had a hit.
Jasa took control on the mound right from the start. He pitched all seven innings, giving up just two runs, only one earned, on five hits. He struck out seven and walked only two, moving his record to 7-1 this season.
The Huskers started strong, taking an early lead in the first inning. Nebraska sent eight batters to the plate and scored four runs right away. Sanderson brought in the first run with a groundout that scored Moyer. Buck hit a double to bring home Carey, Grego added an RBI double to score Buck, and Overbeek finished the inning with a single that made it 4-0.
Nebraska added to its lead in the third inning with three solo home runs.. Sanderson and Carey hit back-to-back homers, and Grego followed by sending the first pitch he saw over the left field wall. That made it 7-0 and put the game out of reach.
The Huskers continued to add on in the fifth inning, capitalizing on aggressive baserunning. Carey and Buck each stole. The Huskers kept building their lead in the fifth inning by taking advantage of aggressive baserunning. Carey and Buck both stole bases to get into scoring position, and Grego singled to left field to drive them both in, making it 9-0.
USC rallied briefly in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs on three hits and a Nebraska error. A solo home run gave the Trojans their first run, and a mix of hits and a defensive mistake brought in another, making it 10-2. Stokes drew walks to put runners on base, and Trey Fikes delivered an RBI single to left field. A USC fielding error on the play allowed both Buck and Stokes to score, ending the game at 12-2 and clinching the series for the Huskers.
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On the 12th day of the 2026 transfer portal cycle, Nebrasketball picked up its fourth commitment.
Boden Kapke, a 6-foot-11 forward/center out of Boston College, has committed to the Huskers. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
Kapke announced his commitment on social media, captioning his post, “🔴⚪️GBR🌽”
Kapke began his college career at Butler. As a true freshman, he played in 22 games, averaging 7.0 minutes of action per contest. In limited run during his first season of collegiate action, he shot 48% from the field and made seven of his 17 attempts (41%) from three-point range.
As a sophomore, Kapke made 16 starts while appearing in 34 of the team’s 35 games. In just 13.4 minutes per game, he averaged 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds. He shot 40% from the field and 27% (18-for-66) from deep.
Kapke transferred to Boston College for his junior season. In his lone year with the Eagles, his numbers jumped to 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds over 26.7 minutes a game. He made 17 starts in 31 appearances on the year. He shot 47% from the field and 33% on three-pointers.
Out of Victoria, Minnesota, Kapke was a finalist for his state’s 2023 Mr. Basketball. As a senior, he averaged 23 points and 13 rebounds a game, helping Holy Family Catholic to a 29-3 record and the Class AA State Tournament semifinals.
Kapke finished his prep career with 1,796 career points and 1,062 rebounds.
Nebraska lost nearly all of its frontcourt production from a 28-7 campaign that ended in the Sweet 16. Starter Rienk Mast and backup Jared Garcia have both exhausted their eligibility, while starter Berke Büyüktuncel entered the transfer portal last week.
The Huskers do have a returning frontcourt player in Leo Curtis. The 7-foot-2 native of Iceland appeared in 17 games as a true freshman.
Nebraska also picked up a likely starting four man from Belmont in Sam Orme. The full-time starter as a redshirt sophomore this past season, Orme averaged 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 25.8 minutes per game.
Still up in the air is the status of Central Michigan transfer Ugnius Jaruševičius. The Lithuanian big man played in just one game in 2025-26 with Nebraska and is seeking a medical waiver for an additional year of eligibility. With his back issues and a waiver being needed from the NCAA, the coaching staff can’t be certain that he’ll be available next season.
As of this commitment, Kapke would slide into the starting five spot. Kapke is nearly identical to Mast in terms of size, bringing one more inch of height and five more pounds of weight. His offensive play style, however, would be more similar to what Husker fans saw from Büyüktuncel.
A final decision is still to be announced from Boise State forward/center Drew Fielder. The former Georgetown big averaged 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists this past season with the Broncos, shooting 40.9.% on three-pointers and 60.6% inside the arc. Fielder has visited Nebraska and Washington and is visiting Alabama this weekend.
On Friday, Nebraska picked up a starting ball handler in Utah Valley’s Trevan Leonhardt. This past season, he started all 35 games, averaging 11.8 points, 6.0 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per contest. He earned first-team All-WAC and All-Defensive team honors.
Nebraska’s starting lineup right now projects to be Leonhardt, Sandfort, Frager, Orme, and Kapke. That gives the Huskers a starting lineup height of 6-foot-5, 6-foot-7, 6-foot-7, 6-foot-9, and 6-foot-11. As for three-point shooting, that group had averages in 2025-26 of 37%, 41.6%, 35.2%, 40.4%, and 33%.
Multiple pieces from last year have confirmed they will be returning.
First-team All-Big Ten selection Pryce Sandfort will be back for his senior season. Coach Fred Hoiberg confirmed earlier this month that the first-team All-Big Ten selection had been battling a sports hernia injury. Sandfort underwent surgery after the season ended and will be rehabbing for several weeks, diminishing the potential of him leaving early for the NBA draft.
Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year Braden Frager re-signed with Nebraska. He will slide into one of the starting spots vacated by Sam Hoiberg and Jamarques Lawrence. In his redshirt freshman season, Frager hit the 20-point scoring mark six times on his way to averaging 11.8 points a game off the bench.
Curtis and main rotation piece Cale Jacobsen have also had their returns confirmed. In 2025-26, Jacobsen played in all 35 contests, averaging 4.6 points on 52 percent shooting, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game with a 2.1-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Along with Jaruševičius, sharpshooter Connor Essegian is also seeking a medical waiver for an additional year of eligibility. However, he did get an official return post on social media. In the seven games he was on the floor this season, he averaged 5.4 points per game, making eight three-pointers.
Other players on the roster to be confirmed returning are Henry Burt and Will Cooper.
The Huskers are also adding a pair of high school signees. Colin Rice and Jacob Lanier are both four-star forward prospects and could see the floor earlier in their collegiate careers.
Besides 61-game starter Büyüktuncel, Nebraska has also seen Quentin Rhymes and Justin Bolis leave via the transfer portal.
Nebraska now has two open spots remaining on the roster. The portal remains open through April 21.
Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.
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