LINCOLN- The price of mounting a credible bid for the Nebraska Legislature continues to rise, with 2023 fundraising tallies hinting at 2024 being another big year for six-figure races. In 2023, five candidates for the $12,000-per-year job had already raised over $100,000, a number that is in line with accelerating trends in fundraising seen in recent years.

Sen. Eliot Bostar, a Democrat, leads the pack, raising $205,000 in 2023 and bringing his campaign cash on hand to $255,000. Sen. Carolyn Bosn, who was appointed by Gov. Pillen, leads the newcomers to the Nebraska Legislature with $140,000. Incumbents expected to face tough elections, like Sens. Jen Day and Ray Aguilar, both raised $113,000 and $110,000 respectively.

The final member of the six-figure fundraising club is Sen. Kathleen Kauth, who raised $101,000 in 2023. Kauth estimated that her race, when all is said and done, will likely cost between $180,000 and $220,000. "That is an astonishing number," she said. Her top Democratic opponent, Mary Ann Folchert, has raised $51,000.

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