MAGA-aligned Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen is being criticized for saying the state legislature’s filibuster rule is broken. Pillen wrote on Wednesday that “the Nebraska Legislature failed to advance a commonsense measure that would have held public schools accountable for the basic literacy of the kids they are entrusted to educate. Despite having the bipartisan support of an overwhelming majority of senators (more than 63%!), it could not even get a fair up-or-down vote because of the Legislature’s broken filibuster rule.”
Pillen added: “Nebraskans are electing majorities [in] Lincoln to get work done, only to have it die by an antiquated filibuster rule. This is dysfunctional and fails to serve the will of the people of our state. Senators should put politics aside and get the People’s work done.”
The vote to end a filibuster on Wednesday failed 27-15, and it needed 33 votes to pass.
[NOTE: Pillen signed an executive order in September to make Nebraska the first state to adopt a federal tax credit scholarship program for private schools, effective 2027, despite more than half of Nebraska voters passing a 2024 ballot measure to repeal a state-level voucher program.]
Governor, you didn’t lose to the filibuster. You lost bc you didn’t have the votes.
Calling the system “broken” because you planned a PR victory photo op with Sec of Ed Linda McMahon (in town tomorrow!) before your bill fell apart is political theater just like ur crybaby tweet https://t.co/zcQXmrLVbE
— Senator Megan Hunt (@NebraskaMegan) April 9, 2026
Independent State Senator Megan Hunt replied: “Governor, you didn’t lose to the filibuster. You lost bc you didn’t have the votes. Calling the system ‘broken’ because you planned a PR victory photo op with Sec of Ed Linda McMahon (in town tomorrow!) before your bill fell apart is political theater just like ur crybaby tweet.”
Below are the photos Hunt refers to, of Pillen with McMahon at an elementary school in Nebraska.
McMahon’s visit was part of her “History Rocks!” tour, which has been met with opposition (by parents, students, and teachers) and faced cancellations in states including Wisconsin, Illinois, and New Jersey.
Sponsors of the tour include conservative and religious groups such as Turning Point USA, Moms for Liberty and the Heritage Foundation.
Thank you to Waverly Public Schools for helping kick off our day with @EDSecMcMahon here in Nebraska.#GoodLifeGreatStudents pic.twitter.com/uFCOH7JJti
— Governor Jim Pillen (@TeamPillen) April 9, 2026
Nebraskan Eric Mentzer also replied to the Governor: “I believe we Nebraskans voted overwhelmingly NO on the private education coupon issue. I believe that our elected representatives work for us, not lobbyists. To say that our representatives are ‘for’ it when we voted ‘against’ it is not democracy.”