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Jayden Speed
From Ballotpedia
Jayden Speed is running for election to the Nebraska State Senate to represent District 2. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.
Speed completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
As of August 2025, Speed was enrolled at The George Washington University, working toward a bachelor’s degree in political science and public policy.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2026
Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for Nebraska State Senate District 2
Jayden Speed is running in the general election for Nebraska State Senate District 2 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Jayden Speed (Nonpartisan)  | |
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Endorsements
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Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jayden Speed completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Speed's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Jayden Speed is a 5th-generation Nebraskan and a fighter for the working class. He resides at his family’s acreage in Nehawka. He graduated from Conestoga Jr/Sr High School and is finishing a Bachelor of Arts at The George Washington University in Political Science and Public Policy. His grandfather is a Navy veteran and worked in the same factory outside of Lincoln for 40 years. His grandmother was a small-business owner and community leader. They bought the farm they had always dreamed of and were able to achieve the good life. But Jayden’s family also struggled. He grew up poor in rural Nebraska, attended Head Start as a child, and relied on Medicaid for his health insurance. Jayden has been shaped by his lived experiences and is committed to fighting for all Nebraska families to be able to achieve the Good Life. When a school board member tried to ban books in Plattsmouth Community Schools, Jayden stood with students, parents, and community members to defend public education from political attacks. He has seven years of legislative experience working for Nebraskans. He is a devoted Christian and believes that faith is a call to action to love thy neighbor, serve with humility, and lead with compassion. He will always put people first and bring a balanced and more thoughtful voice to the Legislature.
- The top issue Nebraskans have cited for 30 years is the property tax crisis, which is squeezing farmers, ranchers, and working Nebraska families. Despite 30 years of promises, politicians have failed to make substantial changes. Jayden will work to reduce the property tax burden on working Nebraskans, farmers, ranchers, and small businesses. He will fight to transform the tax system to make the wealthiest pay their fair share and end high property taxes once and for all.
- Public schools are the centerpiece of small towns in rural Nebraska. The State of Nebraska must take on a larger responsibility for funding public education and ultimately reduce local schools’ reliance on property tax levies to stay afloat. A quality education is essential to our children and the future of Nebraska communities.
- Family farming and small businesses are the backbone of the rural economy and our local communities. Government policy should support and protect family farms as opposed to big agriculture monopolies. Jayden supports farmers and ranchers’ right to repair. He knows incentives for small businesses and reliable rural broadband are crucial to revitalize Main Streets and keep our rural way of life alive. Government should work for working Nebraskans. As a State Senator, Jayden will always fight to ensure working people are given a fair shot at the good life. He will work to ensure that both government and big business can’t take advantage of working Nebraskans.
Economic security for workers and their families is the key public policy area that I am personally passionate about. As a kid who grew up in a household that faced economic insecurity, I have always sought policies to improve the ability for everyday folks to achieve the American Dream, or as Nebraskans call it: "The Good Life." Economic security encompasses a wide array of issues that working families grapple with on a daily basis, including job security, wages, paid sick leave, healthcare access, education access, affordable housing, childcare, retirement, and many more.
I was raised on an acreage in rural Nebraska and learned the value of hard work early on. As a kid, I picked sweet corn in the summer and went door to door selling it. At the time, we sold sweet corn for $3 a dozen and always included extra ears of corn in case any of it was bad. For most of my childhood, this was my spending money for the year, and I learned to manage it. In high school, I got a job at the local grocery store to continue working and saving money ahead of college. These experiences taught me about hard work, honesty, budgeting, and so much more. They helped shape me and set me on a path of social mobility. I am now the first in my family to earn a college degree. These lived experiences shape my approach to politics as I seek to support others with the opportunities and tools to achieve the good life.
Far too often, Nebraska State Senators are more concerned with furthering the agenda of the Governor or their party and not necessarily what they personally believe is right or what the voters in their district want. This problem has worsened over the past several years and degraded the power of the Unicameral as an equal branch of government. This problem has coincided with an increase in partisanship in the formally nonpartisan body, a decrease in civility, a move towards more extreme policies, and numerous subversions of the people's will.
I believe these problems are related, and the solution is to elect new legislators with a differing approach to state politics. As a State Senator, I welcome the opportunity to work with the Governor on policies that I genuinely believe will help Nebraskans. I believe in maintaining a professional and collaborative relationship between these two branches of government. However, I will not be afraid to vote as I believe is best and as the people of my district urge me to, even if it conflicts with the position of the Governor. That is the duty of an equal branch of government.
I believe these problems are related, and the solution is to elect new legislators with a differing approach to state politics. As a State Senator, I welcome the opportunity to work with the Governor on policies that I genuinely believe will help Nebraskans. I believe in maintaining a professional and collaborative relationship between these two branches of government. However, I will not be afraid to vote as I believe is best and as the people of my district urge me to, even if it conflicts with the position of the Governor. That is the duty of an equal branch of government.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Candidate Nebraska State Senate District 2 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 17, 2025
Current members of the Nebraska State Senate
Leadership
Senate President:John Arch
Senators
District 1
Robert Hallstrom (R)
District 2
Robert Clements (R)
District 3
Victor Rountree (N)
District 4
R. von Gillern (R)
District 5
Margo Juarez (D)
District 6
District 7
Dunixi Guereca (D)
District 8
Megan Hunt (N)
District 9
John Cavanaugh (D)
District 10
Wendy DeBoer (D)
District 11
Terrell McKinney (D)
District 12
Merv Riepe (R)
District 13
Ashlei Spivey (D)
District 14
John Arch (R)
District 15
Dave Wordekemper (R)
District 16
Ben Hansen (R)
District 17
Glen Meyer (R)
District 18
District 19
Rob Dover (R)
District 20
John Fredrickson (D)
District 21
Beau Ballard (R)
District 22
Mike Moser (R)
District 23
Jared Storm (R)
District 24
Jana Hughes (R)
District 25
Carolyn Bosn (R)
District 26
George Dungan (D)
District 27
Jason Prokop (D)
District 28
Jane Raybould (D)
District 29
Eliot Bostar (D)
District 30
Myron Dorn (R)
District 31
Kathleen Kauth (R)
District 32
Tom Brandt (R)
District 33
Dan Lonowski (R)
District 34
Loren Lippincott (R)
District 35
Dan Quick (D)
District 36
Rick Holdcroft (R)
District 37
Stanley Clouse (R)
District 38
Dave Murman (R)
District 39
Tony Sorrentino (R)
District 40
Barry DeKay (R)
District 41
Daniel McKeon (R)
District 42
Michael Jacobson (R)
District 43
Tanya Storer (R)
District 44
Teresa Ibach (R)
District 45
Rita Sanders (R)
District 46
Danielle Conrad (D)
District 47
Paul Strommen (R)
District 48
Brian Hardin (R)
District 49
Bob Andersen (R)
Republican Party (33)
Democratic Party (14)
Nonpartisan (2)
