| Don Stenberg | |
|---|---|
| Treasurer of Nebraska | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2011 |
|
| Governor | Dave Heineman |
| Preceded by | Shane Osborn |
| 30th Attorney General of Nebraska | |
| In office 1991–2003 |
|
| Governor | Ben Nelson Mike Johanns |
| Preceded by | Robert M. Spire |
| Succeeded by | Jon Bruning |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 30, 1948 Tekamah, Nebraska |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Sue Hoegemeyer |
| Alma mater | University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Harvard Law School, Harvard Business School |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Website | http://stenbergforsenate.com/ |
Don Stenberg is a Republican politician and attorney from Nebraska. He served as Attorney General of Nebraska from 1991 to 2003 and currently serves as State Treasurer of Nebraska to which he took office in 2011. He also served as legal counsel to Governor Charles Thone from 1979 to 1983.
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Stenberg was born and raised in Tekamah, Nebraska. To pay for college, he detasseled corn, hauled bales, mowed lawns, and life guarded at the local swimming pool. After graduating from University of Nebraska–Lincoln (1970), Harvard Law School (1974), and Harvard Business School (1974) he practiced law in Lincoln.[1]
In 1978, Stenberg ran for Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska, coming in fourth in the Republican primary with just 13% of the vote. Roland Luedtke won the primary with a plurality of 31%.[2]
In 1979, he was named as Legal Counsel to Republican Governor of Nebraska Charles Thone. Don has also served as Director of the Governor’s Policy Research Office, Assistant to the Governor, and Director of the Department of Administrative Services.[3]
He first ran for Nebraska Attorney General in 1986, but lost in the Republican primary to incumbent Robert Spire 53%-47%.[4]
In 1990, he ran for Attorney General again. In the Republican primary, he won with a plurality of 38%.[5] In the general election, he defeated Democrat Gene Crump 54%-46%.[6] He won re-election in 1994 (67%) and 1998 (68%).
Stenberg was the named defendant in the noted Supreme Court abortion case, Stenberg v. Carhart 530 U.S. 914 (2000).[7]
Stenberg first ran for the U.S. Senate in 1996 to succeed retiring Democratic U.S. Senator J. James Exon. Initially seen as the frontrunner, he was defeated by business executive Chuck Hagel 62%-38%.[8] Hagel went on to win an upset against Democratic Governor Ben Nelson.
After being re-elected Attorney General in 1998, Stenberg again ran for the U.S. Senate in 2000 to succeed retiring Democrat U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey. He won the six candidate primary with 50% of the vote.[9] In one of the closest elections in Nebraska history, Nelson defeated Stenberg 51%-49%[10], even as Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush won the state with 62%.
Stenberg left office as Attorney General in 2003 and returned to work in the private sector as of counsel at Erickson and Sederstrom, the same firm where his former boss, Charles Thone, is a partner.
In 2006, Stenberg launched his third bid for the U.S. Senate. Once again, an early frontrunner, he was defeated by former Ameritrade chief operating officer Pete Ricketts 48%-38%.[11] Ricketts went on to lose to incumbent U.S. Senator Nelson.
In 2010, Stenberg ran for Nebraska State Treasurer to succeed retiring Shane Osborn. He won the primary over state Senator Tony Fulton 52%-28%[12] and won the general election with 73% of the vote.[13]
Stenberg has drawn criticism over the years for his use of outside counsel while serving as Nebraska's Attorney General. During his tenure as Nebraska's chief legal officer, the state spent tens of millions of dollars on outside counsel for river and nuclear waste lawsuits. Stenberg has also been questioned for recusing himself from a case involving low level nuclear waste for political reasons. The case cost Nebraska taxpayers $21 million in legal fees.
In 2011, he announced his intention to run for the U.S. Senate a fourth time for the right to challenge incumbent Ben Nelson.
He is married to Sue Hoegemeyer of Hooper, Nebraska. They have been married 39 years and have four children.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Shane Osborn |
Nebraska State Treasurer 2011–present |
Incumbent |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Robert M. Spire |
Nebraska Attorney General 1991 - 2003 |
Succeeded by Jon Bruning |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Jan Stoney |
Republican Party nominee for United States Senator from Nebraska (Class 1) 2000 |
Succeeded by Pete Ricketts |
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