LINCOLN- Nebraska legislative candidates put twice as much money into their primary election campaigns this year as colleagues did just a decade earlier.

2020 still hold the record for spending, partially because it was a presidential election year according to experts.

Campaign spending in Nebraska legislative races has taken an upward turn since 2012, when the Nebraska Supreme Court tossed out the state’s Campaign Finance Limitation Act. The act had used incentives to encourage candidates to abide by voluntary spending limits.

That year, legislative candidates spent a combined $1.11 million for the May primary, according to the analysis. At $2.19 million, this year’s total was nearly double the amount in 2012 but well below the $2.48 million total from two years ago.

The same pattern holds for average spending. A decade ago, legislative candidates spent an average of $15,574 on the primary election. For this year, the average was $33,642, but it was $41,321 two years ago.

This year, Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte poured $159,232 into his bid to keep the seat that Gov. Pete Ricketts appointed him to fill in February. The total includes $70,000 of his own money — a $30,000 donation and $40,000 worth of loans.

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