Box colors:RepublicanDemocraticIndependent (blue) / other party (gray)Nonpartisan office, or no documented partyLegislature: red/blue = publicly documented party affiliation (the Legislature is officially nonpartisan on the ballot); green = no documented affiliation. Sources
Funding tie to a DSA-affiliated committee in filings (how badges work)The DSA logo identifies the organization named in public filings. Plains Ledger is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by DSA. A badge indicates a documented funding tie only.
Funding tie to a DSA-affiliated committee in filings (how badges work)The DSA logo identifies the organization named in public filings. Plains Ledger is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by DSA. A badge indicates a documented funding tie only.Legislative District 12 (LD-12) · State Legislature (Unicameral) · committee: RIEPE FOR NEBRASKA
Total raised (NADC)
$171,348
Sum of receipts filed with NADC for 2026 (partial). Data synced 2026-10-24.
Head-to-head
⚔ Head-to-head vs CHRISTY KNORRDefault opponent: general-election opponent once nominees are set, otherwise the top-raising opposing-party candidate (nonpartisan races: top-raising other candidate).
Where the money came from
| Source type | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Organization & committee contributions (itemized ties) | $176,989 | 103.3% |
| Individuals & all other receipts | $0 | 0.0% |
Source: Nebraska Accountability & Disclosure Commission (NADC) filings, 2026 (partial).
In-state vs out-of-state
Nebraska: $131,248 (76.2%) · Out of state: $41,100 (23.8%)
Itemized receipts with an address only. Only state totals are shown; no ZIP-level figures, so no ZIP with fewer than 5 donors can be identified.
Outside spending (independent expenditures)
Supporting: $137,202 · Opposing: $62,932
| NEBRASKA CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP FUND | Support | $105,109 |
| PRESERVE THE GOOD LIFE | Oppose | $62,566 |
| NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS FUND | Support | $20,590 |
| POSITIVE NEBRASKA | Support | $7,500 |
| NEBRASKA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION PAC NHAPAC | Support | $3,035 |
Plains Ledger independent-expenditure import. Spending is counted separately for each candidate it names: one ad backing one candidate and opposing another is reported for both, and these totals are not added together.
Top organization & PAC contributors
| Organization | Type | Direct |
|---|---|---|
| NEBRASKA ASSOCIATION OF TRIAL ATTORNEYS PAC | PAC | $15,000 |
| NEBRASKA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY PAC | PAC | $10,750 |
| NEBRASKA BANKERS STATE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE | PAC | $9,661 |
| NEBRASKA REALTORS PAC | PAC | $7,000 |
| MOLINA HEALTHCARE INC | Business | $6,000 |
| NEBRASKA INSURANCE FEDERATION PAC | PAC | $6,000 |
| NEBRASKA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION PAC NHAPAC | PAC | $5,500 |
| NEBRASKA MEDICAL PAC | PAC | $4,150 |
| PACIFIC LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY | Business | $4,000 |
| NEBRASKA ACADEMY OF EYE PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS PAC | PAC | $3,200 |
| COPIC INSURANCE COMPANY | Business | $3,000 |
| GREATER OMAHA CHAMBER PAC | PAC | $2,561 |
| UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY | Business | $2,500 |
| NEXTERA ENERGY RESOURCES LLC | Business | $2,500 |
| FIRST NATIONAL OF NEBRASKA PAC | PAC | $2,500 |
| 📌NEBRASKA STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (NSEA) (union) | 501(c)(5) union | $321 |
Organizations only. Individual donors are never named, and conduits such as ActBlue and WinRed are not listed as donors. Pinned organizations are always shown.
Funding by funder type
All organization ties in filings (direct, in-kind and independent expenditures), grouped by the funder type assigned from the filer record. Click a group to see its members, amounts and filings. Individuals are never named.
Labor / unions · 2 · $3,000
| OMAHA POLICE OFFICERS ASSN/OMAHA POLICE UNION 101 · 501(c)(5) union · Direct | $1,500 | filings ↗ |
| BNSF RAILWAY COMPANY · 501(c)(5) union · Direct | $1,500 | filings ↗ |
Business & trade · 31 · $136,056
Ideological / issue PACs & groups · 7 · $184,375
| NEBRASKA CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP FUND · PAC · IE Support | $105,109 | filings ↗ |
| PRESERVE THE GOOD LIFE · PAC · IE Oppose | $62,566 | filings ↗ |
| POSITIVE NEBRASKA · PAC · IE Support | $7,500 | filings ↗ |
| NEBRASKA ACADEMY OF EYE PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS PAC · PAC · Direct | $3,200 | filings ↗ |
| FIRST NATIONAL OF NEBRASKA PAC · PAC · Direct | $2,500 | filings ↗ |
| NEBRASKA COOPERATIVE COUNCIL - POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE · PAC · Direct | $2,000 | filings ↗ |
| COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PAC (COPS PAC) · PAC · Direct | $1,500 | filings ↗ |
Small PACs & organizations (under $1,000 each) · 1 · $321
| NEBRASKA STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (NSEA) · 501(c)(5) union · Direct | $321 | filings ↗ |
Filings & sources
Payments to vendors
Top payee organizations this candidate's committee reported paying in this period (FEC/NADC expenditure filings, as of 2026-10-27). Lawful, itemized disclosures; not an indication of wrongdoing. Payments to individuals are aggregated. All vendors · rules
| Vendor | Payments | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Individuals (aggregated) | 24 | $67,228 |
| USPS | 10 | $10,799 |
| PETERSEN PRINTING | 8 | $9,723 |
| VELARA WINS | 1 | $8,500 |
| PAYEES WHO WERE PAID, EACH $250 OR LESS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD | 8 | $2,599 |
| DESIGN 4 (AKA DESIGN FOUR INC., DESIGN4) | 4 | $1,729 |
| STATE OF NEBRASKA - ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISCLOSURE COMMISSION (NADC) | 2 | $1,600 |
| BILLY'S RESTAURANT | 24 | $1,452 |
| PETERSON PRINTING | 1 | $1,430 |
| THE WALL STREET JOURNAL | 2 | $1,165 |
Stances on key issues (2026 ballot)
Neutral summaries and short verbatim quotes from each candidate's own words: campaign websites, news interviews and the Nebraska Examiner voter-guide questionnaire. Every item links its source. Positions are never inferred from party, donors or endorsements, and no grades are given. The same issue list is used for every candidate. Methodology
Export stances · Verified public filings (14 rows ready)
Merv Riepe
Legislature (nonpartisan ballot) · Legislative District 12 (LD-12)
Party: R (state party roster) source ↗As of 2026-10-27
State issues
Property taxes & state budget
Examiner questionnaire (Budget): “Nebraska must resolve its current deficit to stabilize the 2026 budget and responsibly build the 2027-28 biennial budget. We need a clear understanding of state spending, including which costs are fixed, which can be adjusted and which priorities are essential.”
Examiner questionnaire (Spending): “Given my long-standing health care administrator background at Bergan Mercy and Children’s hospitals, I have a keen interest in controlling the rapid expansion of Medicaid. We must work to promote Medicaid for those most ill and without adequate resources.”
K-12 education / school choice
No position found in sources checked
Abortion
No position found in sources checked
Sports betting/gaming & 2026 ballot measures (440/441/442)
Examiner questionnaire (2026 Ballot Questions): “Online sports betting: I am not a fan of online sports betting, but I could support it only with strong consumer protections and safeguards against problem gambling. Online sports betting has already found its way into Nebraska through cross-border systems.”
Guns
No position found in sources checked
Immigration
No position found in sources checked
Healthcare / Medicaid
No position found in sources checked
Agriculture, water & energy (OPPD/NPPD/NRDs)
Examiner questionnaire (Natural Resources/Data Centers): “The Legislature must protect Nebraska’s land and water while remaining open to responsible economic growth. We should use sound planning, effective water management and clear expectations for large users of natural resources.”
Elections / voting
Examiner questionnaire (Ballot Measures): “We need to promote voters’ understanding of the implications and consequences of ballot initiatives. We must use caution in voting in added taxes as a result of programs and projects without orderly debate and financial pro formas.”
Labor / right-to-work
No position found in sources checked
Crime / public safety
No position found in sources checked
Housing
No position found in sources checked
Coverage: 78 of 92 2026 general-election candidates have at least one sourced position; 6 have hand-researched campaign-site/interview items. Built 2026-10-27.