Political party strength in Nebraska

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The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Nebraska (including its time as a territory):

The table also indicates the historical party composition in the:

For years in which a presidential election was held, the table indicates which party's nominees received the state's electoral votes.

Pre-statehood (1853–1866)

Year Executive offices Legislature United States Congress
Governor Delegate
1853 William Walker (I) no legislature Napoleon Bonaparte Giddings (D)
1854 Francis Burt (D)
1855 Mark W. Izard (D) Territorial legislature Bird Beers Chapman (D)
1856
1857 Fenner Ferguson (D)
1858 William Alexander Richardson (D)
1859 Samuel W. Black (D) Experience Estabrook (D)
1860 Samuel Gordon Daily (R)
1861 Alvin Saunders (R)
1862
1863
1864
1865 Phineas Hitchcock (R)
1866

1867–1936

Year Executive offices State Legislature United States Congress Electoral
votes
Governor Lieutenant
Governor		 Secretary
of State		 Attorney
General		 Auditor Treasurer Senate House Senator
(Class I)		 Senator
(Class II)		 House
1867 David Butler (R) no such office Thomas P. Kennard House (R) Champion S. Chase (R) John Gillespie (R) Augustus Kountze (R) R maj. R maj. Thomas Tipton (R) John Milton Thayer (R) Turner M. Marquett (R)
John Taffe (R)
1868 Grant/
Colfax (R) Y
1869 Seth Robinson (R) James Sweet (R)
1870
1871 William H. James (R) George H. Roberts (R) Henry A. Koenig (R) Phineas Hitchcock (R)
William H. James (R)
1872 Grant/
Wilson (R) Y
1873 Robert Wilkinson Furnas (R) John J. Gosper (R) Joseph R. Webster (R) Jefferson B. Weston (R) Lorenzo Crounse (R)
1874
1875 Silas Garber (R) Bruno Tzschuck (R) George H. Roberts (R) J. C. McBride (R) Algernon Paddock (R)
1876 Hayes/
Wheeler (R) Y
1877 Othman A. Abbott (R) Alvin Saunders (R) Frank Welch (R)
1878
Thomas Jefferson
Majors (R)
1879 Albinus Nance (R) Edmund C. Carns (R) S. J. Alexander (R) C. J. Dilworth (R) F. W. Liedtke (R) George M. Bartlett (R) Edward K.
Valentine (R)
1880 Garfield/
Arthur (R) N
1881 John Wallichs (R) Charles Van Wyck (R)
1882
1883 James W. Dawes (R) Alfred W. Agee (R) Edward P. Roggen (R) Isaac Powers, Jr. (R) Phelps D.
Sturdevant (D/A-Mo) 		D/A-Mo maj. R maj. Charles F. Manderson (R) 3R
1884 Blaine/
Logan (R) N
1885 Hibbard H. Shedd (R) William Leese (R) H. A. Babcock (R) Charles H. Willard (R) R maj. R maj.
1886
1887 John Milton Thayer (R) Gilbert L. Laws (R) Algernon Paddock (R) 2R, 1D
1888 Harrison/
Morton (R) Y
1889 George de Rue
Meiklejohn (R) 		Thomas H. Benton (R) John E. Hill (R) 3R
1890 Benjamin R. Cowdery (R)
1891 Thomas Jefferson
Majors (R) 		John Clayton Allen (R) George H. Hastings (R) Pop maj. Pop maj. 2Pop, 1D
1892 James E. Boyd (D) Harrison/
Reid (R) N
1893 Lorenzo Crounse (R) Eugene Moore (R) Joseph S. Bartley (R) D/Pop maj. D/Pop maj. William V. Allen (Pop) 3R, 2Pop, 1D
1894
1895 Silas A. Holcomb (D/Pop) Robert E. Moore (D/Pop) Joel A. Piper (R) Arthur S. Churchill (R) R maj. R maj. John M. Thurston (R) 5R, 1Pop
1896 4 – Bryan/
Sewall (D/Sv) N
4 – Bryan/
Watson (Pop) N
1897 James E. Harris (D/Pop) William F. Porter (D/Pop) Constantine Joseph
Smyth (D/Pop) 		John F. Cornell (D/Pop) John B. Meserve (D/Pop) D/Pop/SvR maj. D/Pop/SvR maj. 4Pop, 2R
1898
1899 William A. Poynter (D/Pop) Edward A. Gilbert (R) R maj. R maj. Monroe Hayward (R) 3Pop, 2R, 1D
1900 William V. Allen (Pop) McKinley/
Roosevelt (R) Y
1901 Charles H. Dietrich (R) Ezra P. Savage (R) George W. Marsh (R) Frank N. Prout (R) Charles Weston (R) William Stuefer (R) Joseph Millard (R) 2D, 2Pop, 2R
Ezra P. Savage (R) vacant Charles H. Dietrich (R)
1902
1903 John H. Mickey (R) Edmund G. McGilton (R) Peter Mortensen (R) 5R, 1D
1904 Roosevelt/
Fairbanks (R) Y
1905 A. Galusha (R) Norris Brown (R) Edward N. Searle Jr. (R) Elmer Burkett (R) 6R
1906
1907 George L. Sheldon (R) Melville R. Hopewell (R) George C. Junkin (R) William T. Thompson (R) L. G. Brian (R) Norris Brown (R) 5R, 1D
1908 Bryan/
Kern (D) N
1909 Ashton C. Shallenberger (D) Silas Reynolds
Barton (R) 		D maj. D maj. 3D, 3R
1910 Arthur F. Mullen (D)
1911 Chester Hardy Aldrich (R) Addison Wait (R) Grant G. Martin (R) Walter A. George (R) Gilbert Hitchcock (D)
1912 vacant Wilson/
Marshall (D) Y
1913 John H. Morehead (D) Samuel Roy McKelvie (R) W. B. Howard (R) R maj. D maj. George W. Norris (R)
1914
1915 James Pearson (D) Charles W. Pool (D) Willis E. Reed (D) William H. Smith (D) George E. Hall (D) D maj. D maj.
1916
1917 Keith Neville (D) Edgar Howard (D)
1918
1919 Samuel Roy McKelvie (R) Pelham A. Barrows (R) Darius M. Amsberry (R) Clarence A. Davis (R) George W. Marsh (R) Daniel B. Cropsey (R) R maj. R maj. 6R
1920 Harding/
Coolidge (R) Y
1921
1922
1923 Charles W. Bryan (D) Fred Gustus Johnson (R) Charles W. Pool (D) Ora S. Spillman (R) Charles D. Robinson (R) Robert B. Howell (R) 3D, 3R
1924 Coolidge/
Dawes (R) Y
1925 Adam McMullen (R) George A. Williams (R)
1926
1927 Frank Marsh Sr. (R) L. B. Johnson (R) W. M. Stebbins (R) 4D, 2R
1928 Hoover/
Curtis (R) Y
1929 Arthur J. Weaver (R) Christian A. Sorensen (R) 4R, 2D
1930
1931 Charles W. Bryan (D) Theodore W. Metcalfe (R) George W. Marsh (R) Truman W. Bass (R) 4D, 2R
1932 Roosevelt/
Garner (D) Y
1933 Walter H. Jurgensen (D) Harry R. Swanson (D) Paul F. Good (D) William B. Price (D) George E. Hall (D) D maj. D maj. 5D
William H. Thompson (D)
1934
Richard C. Hunter (D)
1935 Robert Leroy Cochran (D) William H. Wright (D) Edward R. Burke (D) 4D, 1R
Fred C. Ayres (D)
1936 George W. Norris (I)
H. J. Murray (D)

1937–present

Year Executive offices State Legislature United States Congress Electoral votes
Governor Lieutenant
Governor		 Secretary
of State		 Attorney
General		 Auditor Treasurer Senator
(Class I)		 Senator
(Class II)		 House
1937 Robert Leroy Cochran (D) Walter H. Jurgensen (D) Harry R. Swanson (D) Richard C. Hunter (D) William H. Price (D) Walter H. Jensen (D) 43NP
(22R, 21D) 		Edward R. Burke (D) George W. Norris (I) 4D, 1R
1938
Nate M. Parsons (D)
1939 William E. Johnson (R) Walter R. Johnson (R) Ray C. Johnson (R) Truman W. Bass (R) 43NP
(24R, 19D) 		3R, 2D
John Havekost (D)
1940 Willkie/
McNary (R) N
1941 Dwight Griswold (R) Frank Marsh Sr. (R) L. B. Johnson (R) 43NP
(26R, 17D) 		Hugh A. Butler (R)
1942
1943 Roy W. Johnson (R) Carl G. Swanson (R) 43NP
(26R, 13D; 4 not reported) 		Kenneth S. Wherry (R) 4R
1944 43NP
(25R, 13D; 5 not reported) 		Dewey/
Bricker (R) N
1945 43NP
(28R, 7D; 8 not reported)
1946 Edward Gillette (R)
1947 Val Peterson (R) Robert B. Crosby (R) 43NP
(20R, 9D; 14 not reported)
1948 Dewey/
Warren (R) N
1949 Charles J. Warner (R) James Hodson
Anderson (R) 		43NP
(22R, 5D; 16 not reported) 		3R, 1D
1950 Clarence S. Beck (R) 43NP
(23R, 5D; 15 not reported)
1951 James S. Pittenger (R) Frank B. Heintze (R) 43NP
(25R, 5D, 1I; 12 not reported) 		4R
1952 Fred A. Seaton (R) Eisenhower/
Nixon (R) Y
Dwight Griswold (R)
1953 Robert B. Crosby (R) Frank Marsh (R) 43NP
(26R, 5D, 1I; 11 not reported)
1954 43NP
(26R, 4D, 1I; 12 not reported)
Samuel W. Reynolds (R) Eva Bowring (R)
Roman Hruska (R) Hazel Abel (R)
1955 Victor E. Anderson (R) Ralph W. Hill (R) 43NP
(23R, 8D, 2I; 10 not reported) 		Carl Curtis (R)
1956 vacant
1957 Dwight W. Burney (R) 43NP
(25R, 13D, 1I; 4 not reported)
1958 Bertha I. Hill (R)
1959 Ralph G. Brooks (D) Richard R. Larsen (D) 43NP
(31R, 9D, 3I) 		2D, 2R
1960 Nixon/
Lodge (R) N
Dwight W. Burney (R)
1961 Frank B. Morrison (D) Clarence A. H. Meyer (R) Clarence L. E. Swanson (R) 43NP
(26R, 11D, 3I; 3 not reported) 		4R
1962 43NP
(27R, 10D, 3I; 3 not reported)
1963 43NP
(29R, 12D, 2I) 		3R
1964 P. Merle Humphries (R) 43NP
(28R, 13D, 2I) 		Johnson/
Humphrey (D) Y
1965 Philip C. Sorensen (D) Fred Sorensen (D) 49NP
(31R, 12D, 2I; 4 not reported) 		2R, 1D
1966
1967 Norbert Tiemann (R) John E. Everroad (R) Wayne R. Swanson (R) 49NP
(33R, 12D, 2I; 2 not reported) 		3R
1968 Nixon/
Agnew (R) Y
1969 49NP
(36R, 11D; 2 not reported)
1970
1971 J. James Exon (D) Frank Marsh (R) Allen J. Beermann (R) Ray A. C. Johnson (R) 49NP
(36R, 12D, 1I)
1972
1973 49NP
(33R, 15D, 1I)
1974
1975 Gerald T. Whelan (D) Paul L. Douglas (R) Frank Marsh (R)
1976 Ford/
Dole (R) N
1977 49NP
(30R, 17D, 2I) 		Edward Zorinsky (D) 2R, 1D
1978 49NP
(28R, 19D, 2I)
1979 Charles Thone (R) Roland A. Luedtke (R) 49NP
(25R, 22D, 2I) 		J. James Exon (D)
1980 Reagan/
Bush (R) Y
1981 Kay A. Orr (R) 49NP
(30R, 17D, 2I) 		3R
1982 49NP
(31R, 16D, 2I)
1983 Bob Kerrey (D) Donald McGinley (D) 49NP
(30R, 17D, 2I)
1984 49NP
(29R, 19D, 1I)
1985 Robert M. Spire (R) 49NP
(26R, 22D, 1I)
1986 49NP
(25R, 23D, 1I)
1987 Kay A. Orr (R) William E. Nichol (R) Frank Marsh (R) 49NP
(26R, 22D, 1I)
David Karnes (R)
1988 49NP
(27R, 21D, 1I) 		Bush/
Quayle (R) Y
1989 49NP
(28R, 20D, 1I) 		Bob Kerrey (D) 2R, 1D
1990 49NP
(29R, 19D, 1I)
1991 Ben Nelson (D) Maxine Moul (D) Don Stenberg (R) John Breslow (D) Dawn Rockey (D) 49NP
(27R, 21D, 1I)
1992 49NP
(26R, 22D, 1I) 		Bush/
Quayle (R) N
1993
Kim M. Robak (D)
1994 49NP
(25R, 23D, 1I)
1995 Scott Moore (R) John Breslow (R) Dave Heineman (R) 49NP
(26R, 22D, 1I) 		3R
1996 Dole/
Kemp (R) N
1997 49NP
(27R, 21D, 1I) 		Chuck Hagel (R)
1998 49NP
(26R, 21D, 2I)
1999 Mike Johanns (R) David Maurstad (R) Kate Witek (R) 49NP
(28R, 19D, 2I)
2000 49NP
(29R, 18D, 2I) 		Bush and
Cheney (R) Y
2001 John A. Gale (R) 49NP
(31R, 16D, 2I) 		Ben Nelson (D)
Dave Heineman (R) Lorelee Hunt Byrd (R)
2002
2003 Jon Bruning (R) 49NP
(34R, 13D, 2I)
2004 Ron Ross (R)
2005 Dave Heineman (R) Rick Sheehy (R) 49NP
(32R, 15D, 2I)
2006 Kate Witek (D)
2007 Mike Foley (R) Shane Osborn (R) 49NP
(30R, 17D, 2I)
2008 4 – McCain/
Palin (R) N
1 – Obama/
Biden (D) Y
2009 49NP
(31R, 18D) 		Mike Johanns (R)
2010 49NP
(30R, 19D)
2011 Don Stenberg (R) 49NP
(32R, 17D)
2012 Romney/
Ryan (R) N
2013 Lavon Heidemann (R) 49NP
(29R, 19D, 1I) 		Deb Fischer (R)
2014
John E. Nelson (R)
2015 Pete Ricketts (R) Mike Foley (R) Doug Peterson (R) Charlie Janssen (R) 49NP
(34R, 14D, 1I) 		Ben Sasse (R) 2R, 1D
2016 49NP
(35R, 13D, 1I) 		Trump/
Pence (R) Y
2017 49NP
(31R, 16D, 1L, 1I) 		3R
2018
2019 Bob Evnen (R) John Murante (R) 49NP
(30R, 18D, 1I)
2020 4 – Trump/
Pence (R) N
1 – Biden/
Harris (D) Y
2021 49NP
(32R, 17D)
2022
2023 Jim Pillen (R) Joe Kelly (R) Mike Hilgers (R) Mike Foley (R) Pete Ricketts (R)
Tom Briese (R) 49NP
(32R, 16D, 1I)
2024 4 – Trump/
Vance (R) Y
1 – Harris/
Walz (D) N
49NP
(33R, 15D, 1I)
2025
Key to party colors and abbreviations for members of the U.S. Congress and other politicians or officials
Alaskan Independence (AKIP)
Know Nothing (KN)
American Labor (AL)
Anti-Jacksonian (Anti-J)
National Republican (NR)
Anti-Administration (AA)
Anti-Masonic (Anti-M)
Conservative (Con)
Covenant (Cov)
Democratic (D)
Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL)
Democratic–NPL (D-NPL)
Dixiecrat (Dix),
States' Rights (SR)
Democratic-Republican (DR)
Farmer–Labor (FL)
Federalist (F)
Pro-Administration (PA)
Free Soil (FS)
Fusion (Fus)
Greenback (GB)
Independence (IPM)
Independent Democrat (ID)
Independent Republican (IR)
Jacksonian (J)
Liberal (Lib)
Libertarian (L)
National Union (NU)
Nonpartisan League (NPL)
Nullifier (N)
Opposition Northern (O)
Opposition Southern (O)
Populist (Pop)
Progressive (Prog)
Prohibition (Proh)
Readjuster (Rea)
Republican (R)
Silver (Sv)
Silver Republican (SvR)
Socialist (Soc)
Union (U)
Unconditional Union (UU)
Vermont Progressive (VP)
Whig (W)
Independent (I)
Nonpartisan (NP)
  1. Provisional
  2. Impeached and removed from office for misappropriation of state funds; the impeachment was expunged six years later.
  3. As state secretary of state, acted as governor for unexpired term.
  4. Died in office.
  5. The Coalition elected an Anti-Monopolist as Senate President Pro Tempore.
  6. James E. Boyd won the 1890 election and was sworn in on January 8, 1891. However, due to a question of his U.S. citizenship and eligibility for the office, he did not take office until February 8, 1892.
  7. Resigned on November 20, 1889 to take an elected seat in the United States House of Representatives.
  8. Appointed to fill vacancy.
  9. A Republican was elected as Senate President Pro Tempore, but the chamber was organized by the coalition of Democrats and Populists.
  10. A Silver Republican was elected as Senate President Pro Tempore, and the Silver Republicans were in coalition with the Democrats and Populists in organizing both chambers.
  11. Appointed to fill vacancy; did not seek election.
  12. Resigned on May 1, 1901 to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
  13. As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.
  14. Resigned in 1910 to take office as Solicitor of the United States Treasury.
  15. Died in office on August 19, 1935.
  16. Died in office on December 21, 1936.
  17. Changed party affiliation from Republican to Independent in 1936.
  18. Due to a constitutional amendment passed in 1934, effective with the 1936 election, the Nebraska Legislature became a non-partisan unicameral body with 43 elected members.
  19. Died in office on August 21, 1939.
  20. Died in office on February 9, 1951.
  21. Resigned on December 31, 1945.
  22. Appointed to fill vacancy; subsequently elected.
  23. Resigned.
  24. Died in office on July 13, 1958.
  25. Died in office on April 5, 1964.
  26. Due to the mandate of "one man, one vote" in Baker v. Carr and Reynolds v. Sims in redistricting, the Legislature expanded to 49 members.
  27. Appointed to fill vacancy; lost election to a full term.
  28. Resigned on October 4, 1993 to take office as director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
  29. Resigned on December 15, 2000 to take a position with Union Pacific Railroad.
  30. Changed party affiliation from Democratic to Republican in November 1994 after winning reelection as a Democrat.
  31. Resigned on October 1, 2001 to take office as Lieutenant Governor.
  32. Resigned on January 20, 2005 to take office as United States Secretary of Agriculture.
  33. Resigned on October 1, 2001 to take office as director of Federal Emergency Management Agency Region VIII.
  34. Resigned on January 6, 2004.
  35. As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term and was later elected in his own right.
  36. Changed party affiliation from Republican to Democratic in August 2006.
  37. McCain and Palin received the state's two at-large votes and one vote each in the First and Third Congressional Districts while Obama and Biden received one vote in the Second District.
  38. Resigned on September 18, 2023 to lead the Nebraska Public Employees Retirement Systems.
  39. Trump and Pence received the state's two at-large votes and one vote each in the First and Third Congressional Districts while Biden and Harris received one vote in the Second District.
  40. Trump and Vance received the state's two at-large votes and one vote each in the First and Third Congressional Districts while Harris and Walz received one vote in the Second District.

See also

  • Politics in Nebraska

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