1994 Nebraska gubernatorial election

The 1994 Nebraska gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994. Incumbent governor Ben Nelson won a re-election to a second term in a landslide, defeating Republican businessman Gene Spence by 47.4 percentage points and sweeping all but two counties in the state, despite the concurrent 1994 Republican Revolution. As of, this is the last time that a Democrat was elected governor of Nebraska.

Democratic primary

Governor

Candidates

Ben Nelson, incumbent governor of Nebraska
Robb Nimic
Robert Franklin Winingar

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

Kim M. Robak ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. She was the incumbent Nebraska Lieutenant Governor who was appointed in 1993 by Governor Ben Nelson after Maxine Moul resigned.

Republican primary

Governor

Candidates

John DeCamp, former Nebraska State Senator
Alan Jacobsen, roofing company owner
Ralph Knobel, farmer and former chairman of the Republican Party of Nebraska
Gene Spence, businessman
Mort Sullivan, perennial candidate

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

De Carlson, co-owner of the Upper Missouri Trading Company and former member of the board of governors of Northeast Community College from Crofton, Nebraska
Willie J. Carr, Jr. from Omaha, Nebraska, who filed as a pauper candidate and did not conduct an active campaign
Horace "Hoss" Dannehl, feed dealer and livestock breeder from Riverdale, Nebraska
Kate Witek, member of the Nebraska Legislature in District 31 since 1993 from Omaha, Nebraska.

General election

Campaign

Though Nelson ultimately did approve of an action to prevent foster children from living with homosexuals or unmarried couples after he was re-elected, Spence hammered the governor for not supporting restrictions on foster homes. Ultimately, four weeks before the elections, many prominent Republicans accused Spence of "throwing in the towel" and essentially conceding defeat to Nelson before any ballots were cast. The divided Republican primary and Gene Spence's inability to unite the party following his plurality victory in the primary eventually led to Nelson's overwhelming re-election.