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Cash, contributions shape primary field
Four of the five candidates running for Nebraska’s 38th District have filed first primary reports with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission (NADC).
In Nebraska, candidate committees follow an election-based reporting schedule rather than quarterly deadlines, with filings tied directly to the primary and general elections. For each election, committees are required to submit a report 30 days before the election and another 10 days before the election, detailing all receipts, expenditures, and financial activity through specified cutoff dates.
Following the election, a post-election report is required, typically due about 40 days afterward, to capture remaining financial activity. This same structure applies to both the primary and general elections, meaning active candidates who advance beyond the primary will repeat the process later in the cycle. Additional reports may be required in certain circumstances, such as when late contributions are received close to an election, but the core framework remains consistent: two preelection reports and one post-election report for each election in which the candidate appears on the ballot.
Tim Anderson of Sutton, through Tim Anderson for Legislature, reported the highest total receipts at $24,650, including $18,900 from individuals and $5,750 from other sources, with no candidate contributions or outstanding loans. The campaign reported $28,038.22 in expenditures—exceeding receipts—and retained a cash balance of $12,549.55 as of the April 13, 2026 filing.
Jon Capps, Sr., of Blue Hill, operating under Capps for Nebraska, reported $7,574.54 in total receipts, including $6,978.84 in candidate contributions, $95.70 from individuals and $500 from other sources, while also carrying $15,000 in outstanding loans. The campaign reported $9,333.59 in expenditures, leaving a cash balance of $485.43 as of the April 9, 2026 filing.
Wes Wilmot of Beaver City, under Wes Wilmot for Legislature, reported $1,960 in total receipts, including $960 from individuals and $1,000 from other sources, with no candidate contributions or outstanding loans. The campaign reported $9,375 in expenditures and held a cash balance of $4,765.77 as of the April 13, 2026, filing.
Melanie Knight of Clay Center does not appear among the candidates who filed a report for the most recent preprimary deadline, which may indicate that her campaign is operating under Nebraska’s “Statement of Organization” threshold that allows candidates who raise or spend less than $5,000 to avoid forming a full candidate committee and filing regular reports. Under that provision, a candidate may remain exempt so long as total receipts and expenditures stay below the $5,000 limit; however, once that threshold is exceeded, the candidate is required to form a committee and begin filing disclosure reports covering all financial activity to date.
When reached for comment on this article, Knight replied, “I am running the most grass-roots campaign, as most of my supporters are people working 40+ hours, but yet still do not have the funds to donate to a candidate. I’m having excellent conversations at the door, meeting some of the most amazing people.”
Janell Anderson Ehrke of Orleans holds the strongest cash position, according to filings. The Anderson Ehrke for Legislature committee reported total receipts of $21,275, with the vast majority—$19,275—coming from individual donors and $2,000 from other sources, while reporting no candidate self-contributions or outstanding loans. The campaign listed $3,198.59 in expenditures, leaving a strong cash balance of $23,076.41 as of the April 13, 2026 filing
While the reports are instructive, many donors deliberately wait to make contributions until after a given report period and these figures should be viewed with that possibility in mind.