Voters Have Their Say In Race Highlighted By Republican Division

NEBRASKA CITY - Voters weighed in their opinion in a state Legislature race that was highlighted by the Republican Party leadership taking sides.

Incumbent State Sen. Julie Slama was the top vote getter wth 6,497 votes cast. She received 60.9 percent of the total.

Janet Palmtag finished second with nearly 21 percent of the vote and a total of 2,232.

Dennis Schaardt finished with 18 percent and a total of 1,937.

Gov. Pete Ricketts and the state Republican Party offered their endorsement to State Sen. Julie Slama, while former Gov. Dave Heineman and Congressman Jeff Fortenberry favored long-time Republican supporter Janet Palmtag.

Republican Dennis Schaardt was endorsed by former State Senator Floyd Vrtiska.

Republican voting results:

Slama: 6,497

Palmtag: 2,232

Schaardt: 1,937

 

Slama

State Sen. Julie Slama announced her campaign in July with endorsements from Gov. Pete Ricketts, Lt. Gov. Mike Foley and former Gov. Kay Orr.

She also announced support from Attorney General Doug Peterson, Auburn Mayor Dan White, Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer, State Sen. Rob Clements and others.

Slama, who grew up outside of Peru, graduated from Auburn High School and Yale University, where she majored in political science with an emphasis on international relations.

She was appointed to the Legislature when former State Sen. Dan Watermeier was elected to the Public Service Commission.

At the time she announced her candidacy, she was enrolled at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law.

She's previously worked as a para-educator at Auburn’s Calvert Elementary School and as an assistant track coach at Auburn High School.

In her first year in the Legislature, Slama successfully introduced and prioritized bills to crack down on human trafficking, strengthen Nebraska’s civics education standards, and protect family farms from government seizure.

Palmtag

Janet Palmtag kicked off her campaign in August.

She is supported by former Gov. Dave Heineman and US Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, as well as State Sens. Roger Wehrbein and Dave Pankonin.

Born and raised in Nebraska City, she founded J.J. Palmtag Realty and owns Best Western Hotel with her husband John.

She is a real estate agent and small business owner for decades. She earned her degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and her master’s degree in e-commerce.

She is the former president of the Nebraska Realtors Association and has served on the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission and Nebraska Economic Development Commission.

She is a leader for the Nebraska City Veterans Memorial Building renovation and is active with the Brownville Concert Series and Nebraska City Airport Authority.

She has a private airplane license.

Schaardt

A third Republican in the race, 53-year-old Dennis Schaardt, was firsts to announce his candidacy on the Fourth of July.

He has been endorsed by former State Sen. Floyd Vrtiska of Table Rock.

He is owner of Den’s Country Meats in Table Rock, where he was a former fire chief at Table Rock and a 15-year village board member.

He currently serves as chairman of the Pawnee County Board of Commissioners.

He has been active in 4H, fair board and community clubs.

Schaardt campaigned as a common sense voice for rural interests and one who can work with lawmakers to reach a compromise to bring property relief.