Who is running in Nebraska's state house primary race?

The Nebraska Legislature's litany of candidates for the statehouse is now set, ranging from the owner of a cigar lounge to an 86-year-old former legislator who wants to return to office, as more than half of the state's 49 seats are up for election in the state's primary on May 14.

Aside from term limits, Nebraska's state house has other quirks, including being the only nonpartisan and unicameral, or one-body, legislature in the country—meaning all members are senators. A bill must successfully pass through its committee and three rounds of floor consideration to become law.

While the legislature is nonpartisan, there are still obvious party affiliations and endorsements. The body currently has a conservative majority, which most notably passed a ban on abortions after 12 weeks and gender-affirming care for minors last session, which drew party lines even deeper. The conservative majority is expected to stay in place through this year's election, but a handful of wins for either party could be significant in their ability to pass or block legislation in the next session.

A look at who is running for the Cornhusker's legislature in 2024.

More: Nebraska voter registration guide: Deadlines, polling places and how to vote early

District 1

Current District 1 Sen. Julie Slama announced last month that she would not seek a second term in office, stating she wanted more time to focus on her family, including her newborn child. For a while, no candidates were running for the seat, but four flooded in before the final filing deadline in February, including:

• Dennis Schaardt of Steinauer ran for the seat in 2020, but lost to Slama. Schaardt served as Pawnee County commissioner, mayor, city councilman, volunteer fire chief and owner of Den’s Country Meats

• Bob Holman of Auburn.

• Glenda Willnerd of Unadilla. Willnerd has a background working in public schools as a teacher and a librarian.

• Robert Hallstrom of Syracuse. Hallstrom is am attorney.

District 3

State Sen. Carol Blood is serving the last of her eight years in the legislature, leaving the District 3 seat vacant. The Bellevue lawmaker is currently running against Rep. Mike Flood for Nebraska's First Congressional District. Blood narrowly won reelection in 2020 by less than one point in the district that encompasses Offutt Air Force Base. Here are the candidates running to fill her seat:

• Ben "Felix" Ungerman of Papillion. Ungerman is a former U.S. Air Force Colonel and currently serves as a deputy chief of staff for Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon.

• Victor Rountree of Bellevue. Rountree is a retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant and is currently a pastor.

More: Democratic state lawmaker to run against Nebraska Republican Rep. Mike Flood

District 5

• Gilbert Ayala of Omaha. Ayala ran against McDonnell in 2020 and 2016, losing both times.

• Flint Harkness of Omaha. Harkness is a resource teacher in special education.

• Margo Juarez of Omaha. Juarez serves on the Omaha School Board and is a retired tax examiner for the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration.

District 7

Nebraska's District 7 seat in Omaha is being left vacant after current state Sen. Tony Vargas is wrapping up his eighth legislative year. Vargas is now running against Rep. Don Bacon in Nebraska's Second Congressional District, which is shaping up to be one of the most competitive races in the country. Here are the candidates running to fill the Omaha seat:

• Christopher Geary of Omaha. Geary previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps and has run unsuccessful campaigns in the past, including running District 7 in 2012 and in the 2017 Omaha mayoral election.

• Dunixi Guereca of Omaha. Guereca was previously a union organizer and now serves as the Executive Director of Stand For Our Schools, a nonprofit that advocates for public schools.

• Tim Pendrell of Omaha. Pendrell has served in many roles In Nebraska government and is currently a Committee Clerk for the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee.

• Ben Salazar of Omaha is a businessman, Latino community advocate, and director of La Casa del Pueblo.

More: Why Democrats are eyeing Congressman Don Bacon's seat in Nebraska

District 9

• John Cavanaugh of Omaha. Cavanaugh is the District 9 incumbent and is running for his second term in office. Cavanaugh has served as a public defender for Douglas County and comes from a well-known political family.

• Julia Palzer of Omaha is a lawyer who previously served as dean of admissions at Creighton University School of Law.

District 11

District 11 Incumbent Terrell McKinney is facing two challengers for the seat, including Nebraska's longest-serving state senator, Ernie Chambers, who held the seat for 46 years non-consecutive years. Chambers, 86, announced his race last week, drawing eyes to what will likely be a competitive election.

• Terrell McKinney of Omaha. McKinney is running for his second term in office and is a student at Creighton School of Law.

• Ernie Chambers of Omaha. Chambers has been a long-time activist for North Omaha and served in the Nebraska Legislature for 46 years.

• Calandra Cooper of Omaha. Cooper is a Metro Community College instructor.

More: Nebraska's longest serving state lawmaker, 86, is running for office—again

District 13

• Nick Batter of Omaha is a former U.S. Army engineer who now serves as corporate counsel for a locally-owned construction company.

• Tracy Hightower-Henne of Omaha is a lawyer and executive director of the Nebraska Innocence Project.

• Ashlei Spivey of Omaha is the founder of I Be Black Girl, a reproductive justice organization that creates space for Black women and girls.

• Matthew Clough of Omaha has also filed for candidacy.

District 15

• Dave "Woody" Wordekemper of Fremont. Wordekemper is a veteran firefighter and paramedic.

• Anthony Hanson of Fremont.

• Roxie Kracl of Fremont. Kracl is the county chair of the Dodge County Republicans.

• Scott Thomas of Fremont.

• Peter Mayberry of Valley. Mayberry unsuccessfully ran for District 31 in 2016.

District 17

• Glen Meyer of Pender. Meyer is the chairman of the Thurston County Board and has a background in farming.

• Cindy Kai of Thurston.

• Mike Albrecht of Thurston. Albrecht is a farmer, has served on multiple local boards, and is the husband of District 17's current State Sen. Joni Albrecht.

District 19

• Rob Dover of Norfolk. Dover is running for his current seat after being appointed to the Legislature in 2022 by former Gov. Pete Ricketts.

• Jeanne Reigle of Madison. Reigle is a member of the governing board of the Northeast Community College and a farmer.

• Melissa Temple of Norfolk. Temple serves on the board of directors for the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District. She sued the board last year after is censured her for confirming to a newspaper that she filed a complaint against other board members. The court sided with Temple.

District 21

• Beau Ballard of Lincoln. Ballard has represented District 21 since he was appointed to the seat by former Gov. Pete Ricketts in 2022.

• Seth Derner of Lincoln is the former Treasurer of the Nebraska Future Farmers of America Foundation and co-founder of an instructional program and curriculum company.

• Bryan Paseka of Lincoln.

District 23

• Allie French of Prague. French is the head of Nebraskans Against Government Overreach.

• Dennis Fujan of Prague. Fujan is a past president of the Nebraska Soybean Association and a farmer.

• Jared Storm of David City. Storm is a pilot and a farmer.

• Jacob Wolff of Colon. Wolff was an officer in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps.

• Alan Zavodny of David City. Zavodny is the former mayor of David City.

• Larissa Schultz of Yutan. Schultz is the chair of the Saunders County Democratic Party and the president of the Nebraska Young Democrats.

District 25

• Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln. Bosn has represented District 25 since she was appointed to the Legislature in April by Gov. Jim Pillen.

• Nicki Behmer Popp of Lincoln. Behmer Popp is a member of the Lincoln Airport Authority and relator.

• Maher Aurang Zeb of Lincoln is a small business owner who unsuccessfully ran for Lincoln City Council in 2021.

District 27

• Jason Prokop of Lincoln is the director of First Five Nebraska, an early childhood care and education nonprofit. He also served as a Senior Advisor to former U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson.

• Dawn Liphardt of Lincoln. Liphardt is the executive director of the Nebraska GOP.

District 29

• Eliot Bostar of Lincoln. Bostar, the executive director of the Nebraska Conservation Voters, is running uncontested for his second term in office.

District 31

• Kathleen Kauth of Omaha. Kauth has represented District 31 since she was appointed by former Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts in 2022. She was re-elected later that year.

• Mary Ann Folchert of Omaha. Folchert is a former teacher.

District 33

• Michelle Smith of Hastings. Smith is a mental health practitioner.

• Dan Lonowski of Hastings. Lonowski is an Army veteran and serves as the project coordinator for a substance and alcohol abuse prevention program.

• Paul Hamelink of Hastings. Hamelink owns a cigar lounge and previously served on the Hastings City Council.

• Joshua Frederick of Juniata. Frederick is an architectural designer and project manager at a construction company.

District 35

• Ray Aguilar of Grand Island. Aguilar is running for his fourth term in the Legislature after serving from 1999 to 2008, and then returning in 2020.

• Dan Quick of Grand Island. Quick previously represented District 35 and lost a reelection bid in 2020 to Aguilar.

District 37

• Stanley Clouse of Kearney. Clouse has served as the mayor of Kearney since 2006.

• Lana Peister of Kearney. Peister is a nurse.

• Nathan Leach of Kearney. Leach is the founder of Nonpartisan Nebraska.

District 39

• Tony Sorrentino of Elkhorn is a lawyer and public accountant who lost a 2006 bid for the Legislature.

• Allison Heimes of Elkhorn. Heimes is an attorney who unsuccessfully ran for District 39 in 2020.

District 41

• Daniel McKeon of Amherst. McKeon is a U.S. Army veteran, former high school wrestling official and farmer.

• Nadine Diane Bane of Scotia. Bane is the vice chair of the Greely County GOP.

• Ethan Clark of Ord. Clark works in marketing and communications for an agriculture implement company.

District 43

• Tanya Storer of Whitman is a former member of the Cherry County Board, a rancher and an unsuccessful 2020 candidate for the Legislature.

• Tony Tangwall of Whitney. Tangwall is a senior pastor and a rancher.

District 45

• Rita Sanders of Bellevue is running for a second term in the Legislature. She formerly served as mayor of Bellevue.

• Sarah Centineo of Bellevue. Centineo is a nurse and an attorney who serves on the Bellevue School Board.

District 47

• Paul Strommen of Sidney. Strommen is a member of the Sidney City Council and the Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission.

• Larry Bolinger of Alliance. Bolinger unsuccessfully ran for attorney general in 2022, and for U.S. Congress in 2018 and 2020. He

District 49

• Jen Day of Omaha was narrowly elected to the legislature in 2020 by one point and is running for a second term.

• Bob Andersen of Papillion is a U.S. Air Force veteran who co-owns a childcare business with his wife.

• Caleb Muhs of Omaha. Muhs is a financial consultant.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is running in Nebraska’s state house primary elections in May?