District 48 Candidates Brian Hardin, Jessica Landers Weigh In On Taxes, Spending And Representation

Two people are running to serve as District 48's next senator in the Nebraska Legislature, representing Kimball, Banner and Scotts Bluff counties.

From property taxes to government accountability, Incumbent Brian Hardin, of Gering, and Jessica Landers, of Scottsbluff, explained their positions in responses to our candidate survey issued in May.

Brian Hardin

Age: 60

Occupation: Biofuels, health data, commercial childcare, insurance industry.

Relevant experience: I served as senator for District 48 for the last four years, serving as chairman of Health and Human Services, Retirement Committee, Banking Commerce and Insurance Committee, Legislative Oversight Committee, General Affairs and Urban Affairs Committees.

Campaign information: Website, Hardin2026.com.

What skills or traits do you feel make you the best candidate for a seat in the Unicameral?

Leadership is influence. You have to be able to lead leaders or you'll get trampled here. That's not done with bravado. It's done with asking the best questions you can of the strongest experts you can find on the globe and synthesizing the answers with fellow senators and constituents. It's anticipating the strengths and weaknesses and timing of bill ideas (might be a great idea … and the worst possible time to do it). It's learning the dark art of not only how to get a bill drafted properly, but also how to shepherd that idea through committee and (the most mysterious step of all) navigate it to the floor. 600-700 bills per year. We usually pass 250-300 laws (probably too many)! Do the math. Most of the bills die on the beach. It takes someone who is comfortable juggling a running chainsaw, a rattlesnake and a kitten.

What prompted you to throw your hat in the ring for the Nebraska Legislature?

I have four years experience at it. I prayed. I talked it through with Lili. We felt encouraged to continue by constituents in Banner, Kimball and Scotts Bluff counties. I have a sense of unfinished work ahead. Here we go!

Nebraska has a nonpartisan legislature — how would you work across ideological differences?

The notion that the Unicameral is nonpartisan is pure fiction! It's as partisan as any other state legislature. In terms of working across ideological differences, I'll cite the two committee priority bills in Health and Human Services, which served as the "Christmas Trees" for several other bills. Those two bills from the committee I chair passed 49-0 each a couple of weeks ago. There were several impactful bills for the state inside them. They passed unanimously. I focus hard on the best ideas we can shape and afford — not the ideological differences.

Property taxes have been a key issue in the Nebraska Legislature for many years. How do you feel the state should balance tax relief with funding essential services? What areas of the state budget would you prioritize for increased or reduced funding?

No tax can be fully or finally repaired in isolation from all other taxes (income, corporate, sales, the "Death Tax"). It takes tax policy change — all of them need to be adjusted simultaneously — or else we have simple and ineffective tax shifting. Nebraska needs tax policy change. Yes, property taxes are the most egregious part of our tax challenges here! But the way we fix them needs to be comprehensive policy change. I have always been a proponent of a broad-based sales tax, much lower income, corporate and property taxes. That way you only pay the bulk of taxes on what you buy (consume).

Some feel that western Nebraska gets overlooked by the state. How would you be the best advocate for the Panhandle in the Nebraska Legislature and to the governor? How will you stay accessible and accountable to constituents?

We do get overlooked in certain ways. Why? Because of the one-house legislature! Other states have considered a unicameral over the years. They chose not to pursue it after some study. How come? They concluded that their rural areas would get overlooked! How did they arrive at that? By studying Nebraska!

While no state-level senate chamber retains the same kind of equity that the U.S. Senate contains (ex. Both California and Wyoming have two senators each — that's genuine equity. It puts Wyoming's influence with 600,000 people on par with California's 40 million). But still, two-house systems offer a smoothing effect … a senate that has fewer members and each represents a larger region. So what can we do? The senator from here needs to be able to both persuade and get along with at least 32 other senators and a governor or else he or she will never pass a bill that benefits people here or anywhere else across the two million people who call this state home.

You have to be good at working with teams of people. Oh, there's plenty of disagreement that goes on. It gets loud and mean at times. It's not for the timid! But you have to lead and build consensus.

As far as accessibility goes, I would do that the same way I have the last four years: 20-30 400-mile round trips per year; 250 texts or more per day, 600+ emails per day, 25 or more phone calls per day, 2-6 Zoom or Teams calls per day … 7 days per week, 12-16 hours per day. My staff members help with the emails and many more phone calls than that, but what's above is my typical day and how I stay in touch.

What is one issue where you think your party — or the legislature as a whole — is getting it wrong?

The way decisions are made on the floor is fundamentally bizarre. Well over 99% of the time, every mind is made up before we enter the chamber for "debate." Minds can be changed! I've changed my mind on some things now and then. But that happens in the offices, text messages, phone calls, discussions in the halls, at lunch, during coffee.

Newsflash! The chamber activity is mostly theater for media outlets like this one. As such, very few decisions change as a result of so-called "fair and full" debate. Thus, we waste a ridiculous amount of time on the floor. We need some effective rule changes and a Speaker who will enforce them — like not allowing "dilatory" (time-wasting) behavior. A half-page is dedicated to that in the rulebook. It happens often and has never been called out by the Speaker in the four years I have been there — despite repeated pleas to cease using appeasement as a substitute for leadership.

If elected, what would be the first priority issue that you see yourself bringing before the Nebraska Legislature?

Affordability! It's expensive to live here. Why? Three main things take a bite out of people's budgets: 1) Property taxes — discussed above; bring tax policy change 2) The highest homeowners insurance in the U.S. (pray for those Acts of God to subside!) 3) Health insurance (or the lack of it) is as expensive as a mortgage! The only way to improve healthcare costs is via real time health data. We don't have any in the U.S.! As a country, we spend billions on national defense but we spend trillions on healthcare! And we don't have the best health outcomes. Put those three together and you have very little paycheck left here. If elected, I'll go after this three-headed affordability issue.

Jessica Landers

Many of you know me as Jessica Laughlin. I got married to Sam Landers in November 2025.

Occupation: I was a police officer in Kimball, 2007-2012 (Officer Price, then later Officer Laughlin). I was a deputy county attorney in Scotts Bluff County from 2016 to 2021. I have been in private practice since 2021, criminal defense and family law litigation.

Relevant experience: As a lawyer, I am familiar with the laws in the State of Nebraska, how to draft legislation, and how to communicate with state agencies about their regulations and rules. I would bring my legal experience to the position. My greatest experience comes from my time in public service.

What skills or traits do you feel make you the best candidate for a seat in the Unicameral?

Again, I'm going to focus on my legal experience, and the time I have spent working in the law gives me a unique perspective on how laws are written, how they should be crafted, and which pitfalls to watch for as bills make their way through the legislature.

I'm kind yet decisive. I know that the Panhandle needs a strong voice in Lincoln; someone who can ensure the rest of the state listens to us. I can be heard, and I can bring your voice to Lincoln.

What prompted you to throw your hat in the ring for the Nebraska Legislature?

I have been frustrated with the level of representation we've had at the state level for some time. I have stayed engaged with the unicameral over the last four years through corresponding with our current representative. My emails and phone calls have landed on deaf ears. It's time we sent someone to Lincoln who has a strong connection to the Panhandle and is willing to listen to the constituents.

Nebraska has a nonpartisan legislature — how would you work across ideological differences?

I'm a moderate Republican who believes that fiscal conservative values need to be upheld and the government needs to prioritize individual liberties. I'm somebody who likes to talk about politics but rarely gets in fights about it. I don't see this position as one where I am going to Lincoln to fight for my values. I'm going to fight for the values of the people of the Panhandle. Most of the people I have spoken with, regardless of their political affiliation, agree that spending is out of control and that government overreach is at an all-time high. I believe that with open communication and dialogue with fellow members of the legislature, we can find common ground on what really matters to Nebraskans.

Property taxes have been a key issue in the Nebraska Legislature for many years. How do you feel the state should balance tax relief with funding essential services? What areas of the state budget would you prioritize for increased or reduced funding?

I am really concerned about the level of spending occurring within government agencies. This term, I have focused my attention on the Department of Health and Human Services' child welfare division because, as an attorney who works with parents of children who are in the State's custody, I see the waste firsthand. Each agency needs a thorough audit, and the ombudsman should offer guidance to the Legislature, based on annual reports, on which agency should be audited each year.

I want to make sure the money is spent in a way that aligns with what my constituents agree is a priority. No line item on the state budget should ever be rubber-stamped.

Some feel that western Nebraska gets overlooked by the state. How would you be the best advocate for the Panhandle in the Nebraska Legislature and to the governor? How will you stay accessible and accountable to constituents?

This is something I have given a lot of thought to over the past year or two because it is one of the main reasons I chose to run for office. I was really upset with the lack of communication between the constituents and our current representative. A weekly 7 a.m. Zoom meeting that only a handful of people bother to join is not sufficient contact.

My husband and I are both committed to the people of District 48. He and I are both running for the same seat because we want to make sure that the people have the best possible representation. This means we chose to let the voters decide who was better suited for this job, but it also means that one of us will stay back and be a local contact for anyone who wants to let us know what they think about the current situation. We will do an in-person town hall before and after each legislative session. Lastly, we are both approachable; we are in the communities a lot and talk to people regularly (even before we decided to run for office). My personal cell phone number is 541-201-0805. Feel free to text me.

If any candidate does not hold to their promises, vote them out!

What is one issue where you think your party — or the legislature as a whole — is getting it wrong?

There are so many places where we are getting it wrong. I don't even know where to start with this question. A politician was never meant to be a career; money was never supposed to buy votes. We fight over talking points instead of real issues that affect us. I imagine many readers find today's political landscape disgusting.

If elected, what would be the first priority issue that you see yourself bringing before the Nebraska Legislature?

I have a priority bill that I've already typed up. It's called JP's Law for short. The purpose of the bill would be to fill gaps in the traffic code that fail to address reckless drivers who cause serious bodily injury. As a prosecutor, I worked on several cases involving children who were seriously injured by reckless drivers, and I saw the need for this bill.

Another priority for me, going to Lincoln, would be to shine a light on DHHS spending in the department's child welfare division, as well as other instances of spending waste.

Lastly, I want to hear from the constituents; your priority is my priority!

Distributed by Newsbank, inc.

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