When they’re on stage together they rarely if ever mention each other by name, but the GOP’s top two candidates for governor find other ways to continually make it clear that they don’t much like each other.

Late Friday, Jim Pillen was attacking Charles Herbster as a candidate for governor and out-of- state business owner who, “Doesn’t even believe in Nebraska.”  

Herbster’s response: “Just like a typical politician, Jim Pillen has once again gone negative in an attempt to make up for his failing candidacy.”

You see, according to Pillen, Herbster had decided to “locate his company's annual convention, like his business and his Kansas City home, outside of Nebraska.” According to Herbster’s Conklin Company website, Conklin’s 2022 National Convention was slated for February 3-5 in Branson, Missouri.

Pillen—who often touts his own Nebraska based firm, “Pillen Family Farms” in campaign stops across the state—isn’t the first to criticize Herbster’s business dealings as anti-Nebraska.

From the moment Herbster announced his campaign last year, Gov. Pete Ricketts—who is backing Pillen—complained as well, leading to this give and take between NCN, Herbster and Ricketts.

May, 2021:

NCN’s Joe Jordan: How is your relationship with Governor Ricketts?

Herbster:  I have always been a friend of Governor Ricketts from my perspective. I voted for him in both general elections.

NCN’s Joe Jordan: Governor, Mr. Herbster wants your job when you leave office. Are you going to do what you can to make sure he doesn't get it?

Gov. Ricketts: Well, I've spent my administration working to grow Nebraska by bringing companies here. And Charles Herbster has headquarters for his main company in Missouri. I think that makes it tough to tell the citizens of Nebraska that you're going to be able to create jobs in our state when he's put his headquarters in another state.

Herbster: I would disagree with that and that's his opinion versus my opinion.  Fourteen years ago when that took place I had no plan to run for governor or be an elected official in any way.

NCN’s Joe Jordan: So had you been thinking about running 14 years ago you might have landed in Nebraska?

Herbster: I'd have taken a look at it. I'd still have to say economically, for where the company was at that point, it was probably the best choice.

And in his latest response to Pillen, Herbster takes on Pillen’s business dealings. “One only has to look at (Pillen’s) ongoing legal trouble for hiring illegal immigrants, “says Herbster.

Those legal troubles—a federal lawsuit raising immigration questions for Pillen—were first reported by NCN last year. The lawsuit accuses top management and others in Pillen’s giant hog operation of hiring undocumented workers and dodging tax payments.

The Pillen campaign has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and no trial date has been set. According to court records, a pre-trial conference is scheduled for late September, well after the May 10 GOP primary.