Nebraska 2022 primary election results

ABC News projected Jim Pillen, a member of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, as the winner in the Nebraska Republican gubernatorial primary.

Pillen faced off against eight other contenders, including former President Donald Trump-backed businessman Charles Herbster and state Sen. Brett Lindstrom.

State Significance

Even though Nebraska is a reliable red state, the race was another test of Trump's endorsement power.

Eight women, including GOP state Sen. Julie Slama, have accused Herbster of sexual assault -- allegations he has denied. The question was whether Trump's support would be enough to make voters see past the allegations and break with the GOP establishment, which put its weight behind another candidate.

Term-limited Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and other state party leaders rallied around businessman Pillen. A third contender in the race, state Sen. Brett Lindstrom, gained traction partly due to his endorsement from the mayor of Omaha, Nebraska’s largest city.

The "big lie" overshadowed this race. Not only has Herbster pushed the false claim that Trump won the 2020 election, but he also attended the "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington, D.C., that preceded the attack at the Capitol.