Dan Watermeier
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Dan Watermeier
|office = Member of the Nebraska Public Service Commission from the 1st district
|term_start = January 9, 2019
|predecessor = Frank E. Landis
|state_legislature1= Nebraska
|district1 = 1st
|term_start1 = January 9, 2013
|term_end1 = January 9, 2019
|predecessor1 = Lavon Heidemann
|successor1 = Julie Slama
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|5|29}}
|birth_place = Lincoln, Nebraska
|party = Republican
|spouse = Jean Anne Laessle
|children = Leslie, Rachel, Kaitlyn
|residence = Syracuse, Nebraska
|education = University of Nebraska, Lincoln (BS)
|website = {{URL|danwatermeier.com|Official website}}
}}
Dan Watermeier (born May 29, 1961) is an American politician currently serving as a member of the Nebraska Public Service Commission from the 1st district. He was elected in 2018 and began his term in 2019, succeeding Frank E. Landis. Prior to his election to the Public Service Commission, Watermeier served in the Nebraska Legislature, representing District 1 from 2013 to 2019.
Early career
Watermeier graduated from Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca High School in 1979 and attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, graduating with his bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1983.{{cite web |title=Biography: Sen. Dan Watermeier |url=http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist01/biography/ |website=Nebraska Legislature |publisher=Nebraska Legislature |date= |access-date=February 14, 2025|archive-date=October 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020132012/http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist01/biography/ |url-status=live}} He later owned and operated a farm in Syracuse.{{cite news|last1=Duggan|first1=Joe|date=October 26, 2012|title=Both in District 1 claim conservative mantle|work=Omaha World-Herald|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/896923833/|access-date=February 14, 2025}} Watermeier was elected as a Nemaha Natural Resources District Director from Subdistrict Two in 2006{{cite book|last1=Gale|first1=John A.|title=Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, General Election, November 7, 2006|date=2006|url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/2006%20General.pdf}} and 2010,{{cite book|last1=Gale|first1=John A.|title=Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, General Election, November 2, 2010|date=2010|url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2010/2010%20Gen%20Canvass%20Book%2011-30-Final.pdf}} winning both times unopposed.
State legislature
In 2012, when incumbent Senator Lavon Heidemann was unable to seek re-election due to term limits, Watermeier ran to succeed him in the 1st District, which included Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, and Richardson counties in southeastern Nebraska. Watermeier faced college administrator and Stella Mayor Jerry Joy in the nonpartisan primary election, along with Douglas Bohling, Bruce Bernadt, Alvin Guenther, and Neal Schatz. Watermeier received 32.7% of the vote, placing first and advancing to the general election against Joy, who received 27.4% of the vote.{{cite book|last1=Gale|first1=John A.|title=Official Report of the State Board of Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, Primary Election, May 15, 2012|date=2012|url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2012/canvass-report-2012-primary.pdf}} Both candidates campaigned in the general election as conservatives, though Watermeier was a Republican and Joy a Democrat, with both supporting capital punishment and opposing abortion rights. Watermeier was endorsed by business groups like the Nebraska Farm Bureau and Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, while Joy was supported by the Nebraska State Education Association and local unions. Ultimately, Watermeier defeated Joy, winning 56% of the vote.{{cite book|last1=Gale|first1=John A.|title=Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, General Election, November 6, 2012|date=2012|url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2012/2012-general-canvass.pdf}} Watermeier was re-elected without opposition in 2016.{{cite book|last1=Gale|first1=John A.|title=Revised Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers, General Election, November 8, 2016|date=2016|url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2016/2016-canvass-book.pdf}}
Public Service Commission
In 2018, long-time Public Service Commissioner Frank E. Landis, who was first elected in 1988, declined to seek re-election, and Watermeier ran to succeed him in the 1st District, which overlapped with most of his legislative district.{{cite news|last1=Olberding|first1=Matt|date=October 17, 2018|title=Two seats up for grabs in PSC race|work=Beatrice Daily Sun|page=A3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/496631401/|access-date=February 14, 2025}} He faced Ron Nolte, a retired pilot and farmer, and Scott Smathers, the executive director of the Nebraska Sportsmen's Foundation, in the Republican primary.{{Cite news |last=Hammel |first=Paul |title=Five candidates vie for open seat representing southeast Nebraska |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166340386/ |access-date=February 21, 2025|date=March 31, 2018 |page=3B |work=Omaha World-Herald}} Watermeier won the primary by a wide margin, winning 59% of the vote to Nolte's 24% and Smathers's 17%.{{cite book|last1=Gale|first1=John A.|title=Official Report of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers, Primary Election, May 15, 2018|date=2018|url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2018/2018-canvass-book.pdf}}
In the general election, Watermeier faced Democratic nominee Christa Yoakum, a community organizer. The race was fought in part over the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, with Watermeier in support of it and Yoakum opposed.{{cite news|last1=Hammel|first1=Paul|date=September 29, 2018|title=Keystone XL divides four who are vying for two seats|work=Omaha World-Herald|pages=1, 2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/897744434/|access-date=February 14, 2025}} Ultimately, Watermeier narrowly defeated Yoakum, winning 51.1% to her 48.9%.{{cite book|last1=Gale|first1=John A.|title=Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers, General Election, November 6, 2018|date=2018|url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2018/2018-general-election-official-results.pdf}} Watermeier won his second term unopposed in 2024.{{cite book|last1=Evnen|first1=Robert B.|title=The Nebraska Board of State Canvassers, Official Report, General Election, November 5, 2024|date=2024|url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2024/2024%20General%20Canvass%20Book.pdf}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://psc.nebraska.gov/administration/dan-watermeier Nebraska Public Service Commission - Dan Watermeier]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20181020132012/http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist01/biography/ Nebraska Legislature - Sen. Dan Watermeier]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watermeier, Dan}}
Category:Republican Party Nebraska state senators
Category:People from Syracuse, Nebraska
Category:Politicians from Lincoln, Nebraska