Midterm Forecast2026 · Senate & House
20,000 simulated elections · Model run Oct 28, 12:50 AM ETPolls through Oct 27 · Election Nov 3
Governors / NebraskaNebraska governor 2026 · incumbent Jim Pillen running

Jim Pillen is favored to win Nebraska

Lynne Walz18%Democrat
Jim Pillen82%Republican · incumbent
Forecast marginR+5.680%: R+14.0 to D+2.0
Polling averageR+4.43 polls, adjusted
Cook ratingLean ROct 27
2024 presidentR+20.5nation R+1.5

Governor polls

Each dot is a poll after adjustment; grey ticks show where it was as published

Dot size shows the weight a poll gets. The line is the model's polling average, with its 80% band. The bar at right is the 80% range of the forecast on election day.

Range of outcomes

Democratic margin across simulations

Lynne Walz wins in 18% of simulations (about 1 in 6 for the underdog). Median margin R+6.0.

Chance of winning over time

Daily reruns of the model

Each day is a fresh run of today's model using only the polls that had finished by the day before. Daily runs since Jul 1.

How the forecast is built

Fundamentals R+10.2. Governor races follow a state's partisanship only about half as closely as federal races, and incumbents carry a much bigger edge (both fit on the 2018 and 2022 results). The fundamentals average half the state's lean plus the national environment (D+8.7) and 10 points for the incumbent with the eight published ratings.

Polls R+4.4. 3 polls, adjusted for house effects and likely-voter screens. Polls carry about 80% of the weight.

Polling errors here move with the same state's Senate race and with similar states.

What the forecasters say

Eight published ratings
CookLean R
Inside ElectionsLikely R
SabatoLikely R
DDHQLikely R
Fox NewsLikely R
NBCLikely R
RealClearPoliticsSolid R
Silver BulletinLikely R

Every poll in the model

PollsterField endSamplePublishedHouse effectAdjustedWeight
Echelon InsightsOct 23407 LVR+7.0R+1.1R+6.70.54
National Public AffairsOct 18598 LVR+6.0R+2.9R+3.70.62
National Public AffairsOct 5800 LVR+4.0R+2.9R+1.70.31