Newest Nebraska State Senator Very Familiar With Lancaster County District

From Nebraska Examiner:

Paul Hammel

December 22, 2022

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s newest state senator won’t have any trouble finding his way around his legislative district.

Beau Ballard has lived his entire life in northwest Lancaster County’s District 21, and has gone door-to-door to campaign for his grandfather who ran unsuccessfully for the Legislature in the district.

And the 28-year-old formerly worked for the senator who now represents District 21, Mike Hilgers, who is resigning after being elected Nebraska Attorney General in November.

Governor and gov-elect made choice

Gov. Pete Ricketts and Gov.-elect Jim Pillen joined in selecting Ballard from a field of nine candidates which included the current Adjutant General of the Nebraska National Guard and the current director of the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

Pillen said that Ballard will be a great representative for the district, where he was knocking on doors back in 2008 in support of the candidacy of his grandfather, James Arthur Jeffers. Ballard’s father, Jim Ballard, has also been involved in politics, and was a candidate for the Lancaster County Board in 2016.

“He will fight to cut government spending, provide transformative property tax relief, and protect our common sense, conservative values,” Pillen said of Beau Ballard.

Will face election in 2024

Ballard will assume the seat in a couple of weeks when the Nebraska Legislature opens its 2023 session. He will stand for election in two years.

He is the owner and founder of two small businesses in Lincoln, BJB Strategies and the Rabbit Hole Bakery.

Last year, Ballard was honored by the Lincoln Independent Business Association with a Young Business Leader of the Year award.

He earned a bachelors degree in business from Colorado Christian University and a masters degree in business from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The other applicants for the District 21 post were: Karl Elmshaeuser (Environmental Trust director); Phillip Bickford; Alan Critser; Todd Higgins; Jacy Todd; Daryl Bohac (Adjutant General of the Nebraska National Guard); Colin Moore; and Daniel Benes.

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