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Lynne Walz (born June 18, 1963) is a former Nebraska state senator who served in the Nebraska Legislature from 2017 to 2025. She represented District 15 which includes Fremont, Nebraska, and surrounding areas. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life and education

Walz was born in Fremont, Nebraska and graduated from Arlington High School in 1981. She then went on to Midland Lutheran College to earn a B.A. in elementary education in 1994. She married her husband in 1986 and now has 3 children and 4 grandchildren. She is a distant cousin of Minnesota governor Tim Walz.

Walz is a former teacher and worked for Fremont Public Schools and Archbishop Bergan. She is a current realtor at Don Peterson and Associates. Before entering the state legislature, Walz was on the Fremont Bergan School Board and served as the president of Fremont Board of Realtors.

Political career

Election results

Walz was first elected to the state legislature in 2016, defeating incumbent David Schnoor with 51% of the vote. She was chosen as the running mate (Lieutenant Governor) of fellow State Senator Bob Krist in his 2018 campaign for Governor. The Krist-Walz ticket lost the election receiving 41% of votes. Walz won reelection on November 3, 2020, against David Rogers with 59.6% of the votes. Walz will be term limited in 2025.

Committees

At the beginning of the 2017 Legislative Session, Walz sat on the Education and Natural Resources Committees. From 2019 till now, she sits on both the Health and Human Services and Education Committee.

In 2021, she ran for Education Chair and won against incumbent Senator Mike Groene. Chairs are elected through a secret ballot and the final vote was 25–23. The secret ballot initiative has led to several Senators attempting rule changes every year.

References

1. ^ "Biography « District 15 Blog". news.legislature.ne.gov. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
2. MacKinnon, Sean (August 7, 2024). "'Nice to have Nebraska really represented': Vice President Kamala Harris selects Nebraska native as running mate". KETV. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
3. Gaardner, Nancy (April 30, 2018). "State Sen. Lynne Walz chosen as Democrat Bob Krist's running mate". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
4. "Official Results: General Election – November 6, 2018". Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
5. "Nebraska Secretary of State - Election Night Results - November 3rd, 2020". electionresults.nebraska.gov. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
6. "Lynne Walz". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
7. Stoddard, Martha; Hammel, Paul. "Walz unseats Groene as chair of Education Committee in Nebraska Legislature". Fremont Tribune. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
8. Walton, Don. "Nebraska Legislature votes to keep secret balloting for committee chairs". Omaha.com. Retrieved March 29, 2021.

• 21st-century American women politicians
• Living people
• Midland University alumni
• Democratic Party Nebraska state senators
• People from Fremont, Nebraska
• Women state legislators in Nebraska
• 1963 births
• 21st-century members of the Nebraska Legislature