Nebraska Attorney General Race: Mike Hilgers vs. Jocelyn Brasher

Nebraska Attorney General Race: Mike Hilgers vs. Jocelyn Brasher

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“I told you what I was going to do four years ago, and I did exactly what I said I was going to do,” Republican incumbent Mike Hilgers told First Alert 6. It is a confident pitch for a second term as Nebraska prepares to head to the polls on November 3 to decide who will serve as the state’s attorney general.

The race pits Hilgers against Democrat Jocelyn Brasher, a former deputy Dawson County attorney with a background in the Consumer Protection Bureau. While both candidates are Nebraska natives, they are offering fundamentally different visions of how the state’s top legal officer should interact with the will of the voters and the power of the federal government, WOWT reported.

The Battle Over Medical Marijuana and Voter Will

Nothing highlights the divide between the two candidates more than the fallout from the 2024 legalization of medical marijuana. After voters approved the measure, Hilgers launched a series of legal challenges alleging fraud in the petition process. He argued that the entire initiative should be thrown out, a fight he took all the way to the Nebraska Supreme Court.

Jocelyn Brasher challenges Mike Hilgers in Nebraska Attorney General race

The court eventually ruled against him. While Hilgers called that outcome a “sad day” for election integrity, he maintains his actions were necessary to prosecute voter fraud, noting that two individuals were prosecuted for violating criminal laws relating to elections.

Brasher sees it differently. She argues that Hilgers has effectively used taxpayer dollars to fight against a result supported by 71% of the electorate. According to Brasher, this isn’t about election integrity—it’s about a political official bringing personal opinions into a non-partisan legal office to overturn the will of the people.

Minimum Wage and the Limits of Local Power

The friction extends beyond marijuana to the pockets of Nebraska’s workers. In 2022, voters approved a move to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. However, the state Legislature later carved out exceptions allowing some teen workers to be paid $13.50. When the city councils of Omaha and Lincoln passed their own ordinances to mandate the full $15, Hilgers stepped in to block them in court.

Hilgers justifies this by pointing to the Constitution and the power of the Legislature to modify petitions with 33 votes. He argues that home-rule charters in Omaha and Lincoln do not give cities the authority to override state law. Brasher cites this as further evidence that Hilgers ignores the wishes of the voters in favor of legislative maneuvering.

Attorney general candidates fill
Photo: nebraskapublicmedia.org

Competing Priorities for the State’s Legal Office

If re-elected, Hilgers intends to double down on his “pound-for-pound” legal team, which he claims is the best in the U.S. His record includes challenging the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness program—a victory he describes as “enormously consequential” to prevent future administrations from spending billions without congressional authorization. Looking forward, he is prioritizing lawsuits against social media giants TikTok and Roblox, which he describes as critical battles for parents and children.

Brasher’s platform shifts the focus inward toward the Nebraska consumer. She is prioritizing public safety, affordability, and the fight against corporate corruption.

Extended Interview: Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Candidate Jocelyn Basher

“Businesses should have the opportunity to succeed in the state. But when they go too far and illegally take advantage of the system, they need to be held accountable for that,” Brasher told First Alert 6.

The Stakes of the Nov. 3 Decision

The contrast in their records is stark. Hilgers views himself as a defender of the republic against unaccountable external forces. Brasher views herself as a protector of the individual against “corporate predators.”

While Hilgers emphasizes the importance of the Constitution and legislative power, Brasher emphasizes the direct mandate of the voter.

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