Robert Hilkemann

Robert Hilkemann
Member of the Nebraska Legislature
from the 4th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
2015
Preceded by Pete Pirsch
Personal details
Born November 23, 1947
Political party Republican
Residence Omaha, Nebraska

Robert "Bob" Hilkemann (born November 23, 1947) is a politician from the U.S. state of Nebraska. In 2014, he was elected to the Nebraska Legislature, representing an Omaha district.

Early life and professional career

Hilkemann was born November 23, 1947, in Norfolk, Nebraska. He grew up near Randolph, and graduated from Randolph Public High School in 1965. In 1969, he obtained a B.S. in biology from Nebraska Wesleyan University. From 1969 to 1972, he worked as a high-school science teacher and football coach in Table Rock. In 1970, he married Julie Beth Bryngelson; the couple eventually produced three children.[1][2][3]

Wishing to pursue a career in podiatry, Hilkemann attended the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine, receiving his D.P.M. in 1976. He returned to Nebraska, where he began practice in Omaha in 1977. In 1984, he founded the Foot and Ankle Center of Nebraska. He retired from practice in 2013.[1][2][3][4]

Legislature

Upon launching his practice in 1977, Hilkemann had found Nebraska's laws concerning medical practice "antiquated and overly restrictive".[5] He brought three initiatives to the Legislature, where he worked with state senators on changes in the laws. In the 1980s, he served on the Nebraska State Board of Health, including two years as chairman.[5][6]

Upon his retirement from practice, Hilkemann decided to run for a seat in the Legislature in District 4, located in northwest Omaha.[2][5][7] Under Nebraska's term-limits law, incumbent Pete Pirsch, a Republican, was ineligible to run for re-election.[4] Five candidates sought to succeed him: Hilkemann, a Republican; Matt Butler, an Omaha entrepreneur and a Republican, who had unsuccessfully run for lieutenant governor in 1998; Stacy Ryan, a Republican described as a "judicial reform activist"; Steve Howard, an Omaha attorney and a Democrat; and Nicholas Pestello, a 23-year-old independent, whose principal issue was the decriminalization of marijuana.[5]

In the nonpartisan primary election, Hilkemann led, with 2357 votes, or 38.4% of the total. Ryan came in second, with 1513 votes, or 24.7%. Howard and Butler nearly tied for third, with 1070 and 1068 votes respectively (17.4%); and Pestello received 125 votes, or 2.0%.[8] Turnout in the general election was nearly twice as high as in the primary; Hilkemann won, with 6698 votes to Ryan's 4983 (57.3%–42.7%).[9]

In the 2015 session of the Legislature, Hilkemann was appointed to the post of vice-chairman of the Appropriations Committee.[10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Biography: Sen. Robert Hilkemann". Nebraska Legislature. Retrieved 2015-03-02. Archived 2015-03-02 at Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Hilkemann puts his best foot forward". Unicameral Update. 2015-02-20. Retrieved 2015-03-02. Archived 2015-03-02 at Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Member of the Legislature— District 4". Voter Information Project. Retrieved 2015-03-02. Archived 2015-03-02 at Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Nitcher, Emily. "Retired Omaha podiatrist Bob Hilkemann will run for Legislature". Omaha World-Herald. 2014-03-25. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Burbach, Christopher. "No strangers to political process in Legislative District 4 race". Omaha World-Herald. 2014-06-11. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  6. ↑ Sources differ on the dates of Hilkemann's tenure on the State Board of Health. His biography at the Nebraska Legislature website (archived 2015-03-02 at Wayback Machine) gives dates of 1984–1988. An Omaha World-Herald article, "Retired Omaha podiatrist Bob Hilkemann will run for Legislature", gives dates of 1983–1988.
  7. ↑ "Legislative District 4 LB 703 - (2011)". Nebraska Legislature. Retrieved 2015-03-02. Archived 2015-02-05 at Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑ "Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska: Primary Election, May 13, 2014", p. 34. Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  9. ↑ "Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska: General Election, November 4, 2014", p. 19. Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  10. ↑ "2015 Legislative Committees". Nebraska Legislature. Retrieved 2015-03-02. Archived 2015-02-22 at Wayback Machine.