2010 Nebraska gubernatorial election

The 2010 Nebraska gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to elect the Governor of Nebraska, who will serve a four-year term to begin in January 2011. Republican incumbent Dave Heineman won, defeating Democrat Mike Meister. Heineman easily won his party's nomination. Mark Lakers ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, but dropped out in July 2010.[1] Attorney Mike Meister was chosen as a replacement.[2] As of 2021, this is the last time Lancaster County voted for the Republican candidate.

2010 Nebraska gubernatorial election

November 2, 2010
 
Nominee Dave Heineman Mike Meister
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Rick Sheehy Anne Boyle
Popular vote 352,267 121,994
Percentage 74.3% 25.7%

County results
Heineman:      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90–100%

Governor before election

Dave Heineman
Republican

Elected Governor

Dave Heineman
Republican

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dave Heineman (incumbent) 152,931 89.91
Republican Paul Anderson 8,980 5.28
Republican Christopher Geary 8,179 4.81
Total votes 170,090 100.00

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Mark Lakers, investment banker

Results

Democratic primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mark Lakers 57,463 100.00
Total votes 57,463 100.00

Lakers was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. However, he dropped out of the race on July 2, 2010, due to a scandal involving campaign fundraising. Several donors listed on a campaign finance report denied ever giving money to Lakers, prompting criticism from both parties.[4]

After being forced from the race due to investigations by the Nebraska Attorney General's Office and the Nebraska Campaign Disclosure Board, Lakers pleaded guilty in September to a misdemeanor charge of abuse of public records and admitted to falsifying his campaign finance reports. As part of the plea, Lakers acknowledged that 51 of the 80 pledges listed on his reports were false and agreed to pay a $500 fine.[5]

Mike Meister, the Democratic nominee for Attorney General of Nebraska in 2002, was selected to replace him[6] and he selected Nebraska Public Service Commissioner and former state Democratic Party chairwoman Anne Boyle as his running mate.[7]

General election

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Dave
Heineman (R)
Mark
Lakers/Mike
Meister (D)
Other Undecided
Rasmussen Reports October 7, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 66% 24% 3% 6%
Rasmussen Reports September 2, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 61% 28% 3% 8%
Rasmussen Reports July 19, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 71% 18% 2% 8%

Results

Nebraska gubernatorial election, 2010[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Dave Heineman (incumbent) 360,645 73.90% +0.50%
Democratic Mike Meister 127,343 26.10% +1.64%
Majority 233,302 47.81% -1.13%
Turnout 487,988
Republican hold Swing

See also

References

Official campaign sites (Archived)
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