Laura Ebke

{{short description|American politician (born 1962)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2011}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Laura Ebke | image = Laura Ebke by Gage Skidmore.jpg | caption = Ebke in 2018 | state_legislature = Nebraska | district = 32nd | term_start = January 7, 2015 | term_end = January 9, 2019 | predecessor = Russ Karpisek | successor = Tom Brandt | office1 = At-Large Member of the Libertarian National Committee | term_start1 = July 2020 | term_end1 = May 27, 2022<ref>https://www.facebook.com/LauraEbkeLNC/posts/pfbid0us2bN8cfGe7afySGcLziYGMfzeYcteLb497EJGGGxStkSydNhPZApdkmonmYnw71l {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=June 2022}}</ref> | birth_name = Laura Lynne Schwab | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|6|4}} | birth_place = Manhattan, Kansas, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Liberal Party USA (since 2024)<br>Libertarian (2016–2024)<br>Republican Party (before 2016) | other_party = | occupation = Adjunct college instructor<ref name=legbio/> | website = {{URL|lauraebke.com|LauraEbke.com}} }}

'''Laura Lynne Schwab Ebke''' (née '''Schwab'''; born June 4, 1962) is an American politician from the state of Nebraska. A resident of the city of Crete in the southeastern part of the state, she served a single term in the Nebraska Legislature, from 2015 to 2019.

Originally a member of the Republican Party who described herself as "a conservative libertarian",<ref name=voice/> Ebke changed her registration to the Libertarian Party in 2016; she was thought to be the first Libertarian member of the officially nonpartisan legislature. In July 2020, Ebke was elected to member-at-large of the Libertarian National Committee.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Johnston |first1=Bob |title=New LNC Elected at National Convention |url=https://www.lp.org/new-lnc-elected-at-national-convention/ |website=Libertarian Party |access-date=17 June 2021 |date=28 July 2020}}</ref>

In September 2024, Laura Ebke was nominated on a presidential ticket as the 2024 United States presidential candidate of the Liberal Party USA, running alongside party chairwoman Trisha Butler, who is also their vice presidential candidate.<ref name="independentpoliticalreport.com">{{cite web | url=https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2024/09/liberal-party-usas-laura-ebke-and-trisha-butler-confirmed-to-appear-on-new-mexico-state-ballot/ | title=Liberal Party USA's Laura Ebke and Trisha Butler Confirmed to Appear on New Mexico State Ballot | date=September 9, 2024 }}</ref>

==Early life and career==

Laura Lynne Schwab Ebke<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/memphisstateu1993unse?q=%22laura+lynne+schwab+ebke%22 | title=Memphis State University Spring Convocation of the Eighty-First Commencement, May 8, 1993 | date=1993 | publisher=Memphis State University }}</ref> was born Laura Lynne Schwab on June 4, 1962, in Manhattan, Kansas. She was raised in Fairbury, Nebraska, where her family had a history of political involvement. One of her grandfathers served as the city's mayor; the other served on the city council. Her mother, Gwen Schwab (née Junker) sat on the Fairbury School Board. Her father, Ron Schwab, was also the city's mayor and, in 2006, ran unsuccessfully against Russ Karpisek for the 32nd District seat in the Nebraska Legislature.<ref name=legbio/><ref name=meet/><ref name=choice/>

Ebke graduated from Fairbury High School in 1980. While in college, she married Russ Ebke. Russ attended medical school in Omaha; then, after his residency, had a five-year commitment to the U.S. Navy, during which the family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and then to North Carolina. During their stay in Tennessee, Ebke completed her bachelor's degree, and then in 1993 she earned a Master of Arts degree in political science at the University of Memphis. Russ completed his stint in the Navy in 1995, and the family moved to Crete. In 2005, Ebke received a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She subsequently taught part-time at several colleges, among them Southeast Community College.<ref name=meet/><ref name=cretecandidates/><ref name=kmtv-profile/>

In 2002, Ebke won election to the Crete School Board, on which she served for 12 years. In 2008, she became the chair of the newly chartered Nebraska chapter of the Republican Liberty Caucus, an organization promoting libertarian positions within the Republican Party.<ref name=meet/><ref name=cretecandidates/><ref name=about-rlcne/><ref name=face/>

==2014 Nebraska 32nd Legislative District election==

Crete and Fairbury both lay within the 32nd Legislative District, encompassing Fillmore, Jefferson, Saline, Thayer, and the southwestern corner of Lancaster counties.<ref name=cretecandidates/><ref name=announces/> In 2014, incumbent legislator Russ Karpisek, a Democrat who had defeated Ebke's father in 2006 and then run unopposed in 2010, was ineligible to run for a third consecutive term under Nebraska's term-limits law.<ref name=choice/><ref name=wire/><ref name=karpisek/> In June 2013, Ebke announced that she would run for the seat.<ref name=announces/>

In January 2014, Crete veterinarian Phil Hardenburger announced his candidacy.<ref name=sights/> Hardenburger, a registered Democrat who described himself as "more of a centrist",<ref name=choice/> stated that high property taxes were among his chief concerns; he favored relieving them by revenue-increasing adjustments in the state's corporate tax and by increasing state aid to cities and counties.<ref name=choice/><ref name=vows/> Ebke, too, expressed concern about property taxes, but favored keeping them in check via a lid on local tax levies.<ref name=choice/> Hardenburger supported the use of human embryonic stem cells in research, and abortion in cases of rape, incest, or danger to maternal health;<ref name=choice/> Ebke described herself as "unequivocally... pro-life".<ref name=life/> Hardenburger decried the Legislature's decision not to expand Medicaid under the provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act;<ref name=choice/> Ebke declared herself opposed to the expansion of Medicaid.<ref name=ljs-ebke/>

In the nonpartisan primary election, Ebke received 4,401 votes, or 55% of the total; Hardenburger, 3,576 votes, or 45%.<ref name=primary-2014/> As the only two candidates, both moved on to the general election. Hardenburger attributed his showing in the primary to a low turnout of Democratic voters.<ref name=choice/> The Democratic party hoped for a higher turnout of sympathetic voters in the general election, when a measure to increase the state's minimum wage was on the ballot;<ref name=minimum/> in the District 32 race, Hardenburger favored an increase<ref name=choice/> while Ebke opposed it.<ref name=kmtv-profile/>

Over the course of the campaign, Ebke raised $76,000 and spent $74,000. Major contributions included $6,300 from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry PAC, $5,000 from the Republican State Leadership Committee, and $2,500 from the Nebraska Realtors PAC.<ref name=money-ebke/> Hardenburger raised over $76,000 and spent all but $450 of it. Major contributions to his campaign included $25,000 from the Nebraska State Education Association PAC, $4,000 from the Lincoln chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters, $3,500 from the Associated General Contractors Highway Improvement PAC, $3,000 from the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys PAC, and $3,000 from the United Transportation Union PAC.<ref name=money-hardenburger/> The Nebraska Bankers State PAC contributed $4,000 to Ebke's campaign and $2,200 to Hardenburger's.<ref name=money-ebke/><ref name=money-hardenburger/>

In the general election, Ebke narrowly defeated Hardenburger, with 6102 votes, or 50.7% of the total, to Hardenburger's 5,941 votes, or 49.3%.<ref name=general-2014/> Hardenburger won in Saline County, where Crete is located; but Ebke won in the other four counties that lay wholly or partly in the district.<ref name=ekes/>

==Legislative tenure==

===2015 session===

In the 2015 session of the Legislature, Ebke was named to the Business and Labor Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Urban Affairs Committee.<ref name=committees/>

===Party change===

Following the 2016 legislative session, governor Pete Ricketts addressed a state Republican convention, criticizing several Republican state legislators for failing to support his position on various issues, and calling for the election of more "platform Republicans" to the legislature. Ebke was one of thirteen legislators who signed a letter criticizing Ricketts for conduct that they described as placing partisanship ahead of principle. Shortly thereafter, Ebke changed her registration from the Republican to the Libertarian Party. She was thought to be the first Libertarian member of the Nebraska legislature.<ref name=platform/><ref name=frustrated/>

===2018 election===

In 2017, Al Riskowski, a registered Republican and the former director of the conservative organization Nebraska Family Alliance announced that he had secured Ricketts's endorsement in a bid for the 32nd District seat in 2018.<ref name=riskowski/>

In the primary election, Riskowski came in third with 23 percent of the vote, Ebke won 33 percent, and farmer Tom Brandt won 44 percent. Brandt and Ebke advanced to the general election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/ebke-runs-second-in-district-race-where-governor-s-pick/article_3564dad1-ba43-5a01-8ec2-c9627b645c89.html|title=Ebke runs second in District 32 race where governor's pick is ousted|newspaper=Lincoln Journal Star|date=May 15, 2018|last=Young|first=JoAnne}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://netnebraska.org/article/news/1138179/surprising-dynamics-underlie-ebke-brandt-race-legislature|title=Surprising Dynamics Underlie Ebke-Brandt Race For Legislature|publisher=PBS Nebraska|date=July 25, 2018|last=Knapp|first=Fred}}</ref>

Ebke lost her bid for re-election to Brandt, receiving 43.68% of the votes to Brandt's 56.32%, in the general election held on November 6, 2018.

{{Election box open primary begin no party no change | title = 2018 Nebraska Legislature election, District 32<ref>{{cite web |author1=Nebraska Secretary of State |author1-link=Secretary of State of Nebraska |title=Official Report of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers – May 15, 2018 Primary Election |url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/sos.nebraska.gov/files/doc/elections/2018/2018-canvass-book.pdf#page=31 |access-date=23 November 2021 |page=31 |date=11 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Nebraska Secretary of State |author1-link=Secretary of State of Nebraska |title=Official Report of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers – November 6, 2018 General Election |url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/sos.nebraska.gov/files/doc/elections/2018/2018-general-election-official-results.pdf#page=21 |access-date=23 November 2021 |page=18 |date=11 December 2018}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change | candidate = Tom Brandt | votes = 3,514 | percentage = 44.45 }} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change | candidate = Laura Ebke (incumbent) | votes = 2,612 | percentage = 33.04 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Al Riskowski | votes = 1,780 | percentage = 22.51 }} {{Election box total no party no change | votes = 7,906 | percentage = 100% }} {{Election box open primary general election no party no change}} {{Election box winning candidate no party no change | candidate = Tom Brandt | votes = 8,154 | percentage = 56.42 }} {{Election box candidate no party no change | candidate = Laura Ebke (incumbent) | votes = 6,299 | percentage = 43.58 }} {{Election box total no party no change | votes = 14,453 | percentage = 100% }} {{Election box end}}

==2024 United States presidential election==

After joining the party earlier in the year, Laura Ebke was nominated on a presidential ticket in September 2024 by the Liberal Party USA as their 2024 United States presidential candidate, with their party chairwoman Trisha Butler also nominated as her running mate.<ref name="independentpoliticalreport.com"/> She had ballot access in New Mexico, as well as automatic write-in status in nine states.

==References==

<references>

<ref name=about-rlcne>[http://www.rlcne.org/about/ "About".] [http://www.rlcne.org/ Republican Liberty Caucus of Nebraska.] Retrieved February 21, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=announces>[http://cretenews.net/news/local/3840-ebke-announces-candidacy-for-legislature.html "Ebke announces candidacy for Legislature".] [http://cretenews.net/ ''Crete News''.] July 9, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=choice>Hammel, Paul. [http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/nd-legislative-district-candidates-offer-voters-a-distinct-choice/article_b4e62a7d-913d-5b70-b054-6a0494813275.html "32nd Legislative District candidates offer voters a distinct choice".] [http://www.omaha.com/ ''Omaha World-Herald''.] October 6, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=committees>[http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/pdf/committees/roster.pdf "2015 Legislative Committees".] [http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/ Nebraska Legislature.] Retrieved February 22, 2015. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150222154139/http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/pdf/committees/roster.pdf Archived February 22, 2015], at [https://archive.org/web/ Wayback Machine].</ref>

<ref name=cretecandidates>Lampila, Jenn. [http://cretenews.net/news/local/4659-crete-candidates-campaign-for-district-32-seat.html "Crete candidates campaign for District 32 seat".] [http://cretenews.net/ ''Crete News''.] May 8, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=ekes>[http://journalstar.com/legislature/ebke-ekes-out-win-in-district/article_58a95665-5584-56b7-a33b-a0702440f2cd.html "Ebke ekes out win in District 32".] [http://journalstar.com/ ''Lincoln Journal Star''.] November 5, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=face>Ebke, Laura. [https://www.facebook.com/LauraEbkeForRlcNationalSecretary/posts/315592838566762 "Why I'm Running for RLC National Secretary".] Post at [https://www.facebook.com/LauraEbkeForRlcNationalSecretary "Laura Ebke, RLC National Secretary" Facebook page.] April 1, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=frustrated>Duggan, Joe. [http://www.omaha.com/news/legislature/frustrated-state-sen-laura-ebke-switches-from-republican-to-libertarian/article_4bce0112-4914-58fb-abd1-efb9f3acd6e7.html {{"'}}Frustrated' State Sen. Laura Ebke switches from Republican to Libertarian".] [http://www.omaha.com/ ''Omaha World-Herald''.] June 1, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2016.</ref>

<ref name=general-2014>[http://www.sos.ne.gov/elec/2014/results/2014-General-Canvass-Recount-Final.pdf "Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska: General Election, November 4, 2014"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108223535/http://www.sos.ne.gov/elec/2014/results/2014-General-Canvass-Recount-Final.pdf |date=January 8, 2015 }}, p. 21. [http://www.sos.ne.gov/elec/prev_elec/index.html Nebraska Secretary of State.] Retrieved February 22, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=karpisek>[http://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/voter-s-guide-russ-karpisek-legislature-district/article_94bbdcec-d61f-11df-8220-001cc4c002e0.html "Voter's Guide: Russ Karpisek, Legislature, District 32".] [http://journalstar.com/ ''Lincoln Journal Star''.] October 13, 2010. Retrieved June 4, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=kmtv-profile>Sturgeon, Marjorie. [http://www.jrn.com/kmtv/news/politics/Candidate-profile-Laura-Ebke-277942661.html "Candidate profile: Laura Ebke".] [http://www.jrn.com/kmtv KMTV.] October 2, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=legbio>[http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist32/biography-2/ "Sen. Laura Ebke—Biography".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424113444/http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist32/biography-2/ |date=April 24, 2015 }} [http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/ Nebraska Legislature.] Retrieved May 27, 2015. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150424113444/http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist32/biography-2/ Archived April 24, 2015], at [https://web.archive.org/web/ Wayback Machine].</ref>

<ref name=life>Ebke, Laura. [http://lauraebke.com/issues/protecting-life#.VOnnad-c290 "Protecting Life".] [http://lauraebke.com/ Laura Ebke for Legislature.] Retrieved February 22, 2015. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150214224903/http://lauraebke.com/issues/protecting-life#.VOnoDN-c290 February 14, 2015], at [https://archive.org/ Wayback Machine].</ref>

<ref name=ljs-ebke>Laukaitis, Algis. [http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/laura-ebke/article_82c2b368-a749-5ce6-b31e-5c413cd34991.html "Laura Ebke".] [http://journalstar.com/ ''Lincoln Journal Star''.] October 3, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=meet>[http://lauraebke.com/about/meet-laura#.VOk3xt-c290 "Meet Laura".] [http://lauraebke.com/ Laura Ebke for Legislature.] Retrieved February 21, 2015. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150214212702/http://lauraebke.com/about/meet-laura#.VOk4GN-c290 Archived February 14, 2015], at [https://web.archive.org/web/ Wayback Machine].</ref>

<ref name=minimum>Wynn, Matt, and Cody Winchester. [http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/democrats-expect-voter-turnout-for-minimum-wage-initiative-to-give/article_4fabdaad-adfd-5c1e-9f16-93b4f16733bb.html "Democrats expect voter turnout for minimum wage initiative to give candidates a boost".] [http://www.omaha.com/ ''Omaha World-Herald''.] September 8, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=money-ebke>[http://www.nadc.nebraska.gov/ccdb/search.cgi?page=formb1&IDNO=13CAC01827&OFFREC=01/14/2015&REPORT_ID=27540 "Ebke for Legislature"], general statement 10/21/2014–12/31/2014. [http://www.nadc.nebraska.gov/ Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission.] Retrieved June 4, 2015. See "Financial Summary" tab for overall numbers; "Schedule A" for contributions by individuals; "Schedule B" for contributions by businesses and organizations.</ref>

<ref name=money-hardenburger>[http://www.nadc.nebraska.gov/ccdb/search.cgi?page=formb1&IDNO=14CAC01868&OFFREC=01/12/2015&REPORT_ID=27390 "Hardenburger for Legislature"], general statement 10/21/2014–12/31/2014. [http://www.nadc.nebraska.gov/ Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission.] Retrieved June 4, 2015. See "Financial Summary" tab for overall numbers; "Schedule A" for contributions by individuals; "Schedule B" for contributions by businesses and organizations.</ref>

<ref name=platform>Szalewski, Susan. [http://www.omaha.com/news/legislature/responding-to-ricketts-platform-republicans-comment-nebraska-lawmakers-call-for/article_cb639d05-3bb6-557e-8112-7734457c9cea.html "Responding to Ricketts' 'platform Republicans' comment, 13 Nebraska lawmakers call for nonpartisanship".] [http://www.omaha.com/ ''Omaha World-Herald''.] June 1, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2016.</ref>

<ref name=primary-2014>[http://www.sos.ne.gov/elec/2014/pdf/2014-Final-Canvas-PR14-After-6-11-14-Recount.pdf "Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska: Primary Election, May 13, 2014"], p. 36. [http://www.sos.ne.gov/elec/prev_elec/index.html Nebraska Secretary of State.] Retrieved February 22, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=riskowski>Duggan, Joe. [http://www.omaha.com/news/legislature/ex-director-of-conservative-policy-group-nebraska-family-alliance-running/article_cd87ec77-bb0d-5140-b24f-7b6479b87078.html "Ex-director of conservative policy group Nebraska Family Alliance running for Legislature".] [http://www.omaha.com/ ''Omaha World-Herald''.] September 20, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.</ref>

<ref name=sights>Stoddard, Martha. [http://www.omaha.com/news/crete-neb-veterinarian-phil-hardenburger-sets-his-sights-on-legislative/article_bb663e41-9e03-5dca-9b25-ecc1dd1517f9.html "Crete, Neb., veterinarian Phil Hardenburger sets his sights on legislative seat".] [http://www.omaha.com/ ''Omaha World-Herald''.] January 21, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=voice>Walton, Don. [http://journalstar.com/legislature/laura-ebke-a-libertarian-voice-in-legislature/article_67877cbd-4ed5-5f1e-a103-d6876100985c.html "Laura Ebke a libertarian voice in Legislature".] [http://journalstar.com/ ''Lincoln Journal Star''.] February 6, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=vows>Laukaitis, Algis. [http://journalstar.com/legislature/hardenburger-vows-to-work-hard-on-tax-and-water-issues/article_b69fc84e-66bc-5c4f-95ea-545027e61c70.html "Hardenburger vows to work hard on tax and water issues".] [http://journalstar.com/ ''Lincoln Journal Star''.] October 23, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2015.</ref>

<ref name=wire>Young, Joanne. [http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/lincoln-area-legislative-races-go-down-to-wire/article_1c9a7226-e6cf-11df-9065-001cc4c002e0.html "Lincoln-area legislative races go down to wire".] [http://journalstar.com/ ''Lincoln Journal Star''.] November 2, 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2015.</ref>

</references>

==External links== * [http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist32/ Ebke's Nebraska Legislature website] * [http://lauraebke.com/ Laura Ebke for Legislature] (2014 campaign website). [https://web.archive.org/web/20141031230432/http://lauraebke.com/#.VWXmMd-c290 Archived 2014-10-31] at [https://web.archive.org/web/ Wayback Machine].

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ebke, Laura}} Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Female candidates for President of the United States Category:Libertarian Party (United States) officeholders Category:Members of the Libertarian National Committee Category:Nebraska Libertarians Category:Nebraska state senators Category:People from Crete, Nebraska Category:People from Fairbury, Nebraska Category:People from Manhattan, Kansas Category:School board members in Nebraska Category:University of Memphis alumni Category:University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni Category:Women state legislators in Nebraska Category:21st-century members of the Nebraska Legislature