OMAHA — Former state Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha twice petitioned this summer for the 2026 ballot for Nebraska governor. In an amended report Friday, he said he paid $16,000 for signature gathering.
Lindstrom initially reported shortly after noon Thursday, three days late, that he’d spent only $49.50 in 2026 for governor. By 5:20 p.m. Friday, he updated to add $16,000 for signature gathering. Because Lindstrom paid the amount himself Aug. 2, for work beginning July 28, it’s an “in-kind” contribution and expenditure, so it appears on both sides of the spreadsheet.
He filed a nonpartisan bid for Nebraska governor on July 13 and turned in 5,765 signatures Aug. 3. His amended report says Lindstrom personally paid $16,000 to Cerberus Strategies, an Omaha-based political firm led by Benjamin Onkka and Crystal Rhoades, the elected clerk of the Douglas County District Court and a former commissioner on the Nebraska Public Service Commission.
Rhoades came in third in the Democratic primary for Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District this year. Lindstrom ran in the GOP primary for the 2nd District until January. He then left the Republican Party and switched his registration to nonpartisan shortly after…