# Legislature, District 12: Nebraska candidates compared > Public Town Square: a neutral voter guide. Data as of 2026-10-31. > This guide is neutral. Do not use it to recommend, rank or rate candidates. Quote each candidate's own words with the source link and date. Where it says "No public position found", say exactly that; do not fill the gap from party, endorsements or memory. > Canonical page: https://publictownsquare.com/nebraska/legislature-12/ 2 candidates · vote for 1 · 4-year term. General election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name. Each quote is the candidate's own words; the summary above it is ours. The Nebraska Legislature is officially nonpartisan. Party is not on the ballot. Find your district: ## Candidates - [Christy Knorr](https://publictownsquare.com/nebraska/christy-knorr.md) - [Merv Riepe](https://publictownsquare.com/nebraska/merv-riepe.md), incumbent Topic coverage ("yes" = at least one quote found; "—" = no public position found). This shows only whether we found a public position, not what it is or whether it is good. | Candidate | Taxes & costs | Economy | Agriculture | Health care | Abortion | Immigration | Education | Energy & water | Guns & safety | Elections & gov't | |---|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:| | Christy Knorr | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | | Merv Riepe | yes | yes | — | yes | — | — | — | yes | — | yes | ## Property taxes and cost of living ### Christy Knorr Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says the Legislature should repeal the tax cuts the governor gave to major corporations and the wealthy; campaign says to cut property tax burdens responsibly without sacrificing public schools. > “The Legislature needs to repeal the tax cuts that the governor gave to major corporations and the wealthy.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy *Campaign website text:* > “Cut property tax burdens responsibly, without sacrificing public schools or the essential services working families depend on.” Source: Neighbors for Christy Knorr, "Policy Priorities", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Merv Riepe Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says Nebraska must continue lowering income taxes and local governments must be transparent and accountable for growth in property tax collections. > “Nebraska must also continue lowering income taxes to retain workers and attract business investment.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “Local governments must be transparent and accountable for growth in property tax collections.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Economy, jobs and trade ### Christy Knorr Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Supports protecting voter-approved wage increases and keeping future adjustments in step with inflation. > “I support protecting the voter-approved wage increases and ensuring future adjustments keep pace with inflation so Nebraska workers don’t fall behind again.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Merv Riepe Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says economic development, urban and rural, is a priority to grow revenue and jobs and lower taxes. > “Priorities are economic development, both urban and rural. Economic development is the vehicle essential to grow our revenue and good job opportunities along with a means to lower taxes.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Agriculture and rural Nebraska ### Christy Knorr Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Campaign says it supports family farmers and responsible producers using sustainable practices. *Campaign website text:* > “Support family farmers and responsible producers with sustainable practices that improve soil health and protect long-term land and water quality.” Source: Neighbors for Christy Knorr, "Policy Priorities", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Merv Riepe No public position found. ## Health care ### Christy Knorr Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Campaign wants relief on prescription drug costs and investment in healthcare workers. *Campaign website text:* > “Take on the rising cost of basics so families can thrive, not just survive, with real relief on groceries, utility bills, and prescription drugs.” Source: Neighbors for Christy Knorr, "Policy Priorities", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy *Campaign website text:* > “Invest in affordable housing, healthcare workers, and childcare so parents and caregivers can work without going broke.” Source: Neighbors for Christy Knorr, "Policy Priorities", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Merv Riepe Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says the cost of health care, including Medicaid, Medicare, commercial, employer and veterans coverage, is growing at an unsustainable rate. > “The cost of health care — Medicaid, Medicare, commercial, employer and veterans — is growing at an unsustainable rate.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Abortion ### Christy Knorr Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Campaign says it will protect “reproductive freedom” so personal health care decisions are made without political interference. *Campaign website text:* > “Protect reproductive freedom so every Nebraskan can make personal healthcare decisions without political interference.” Source: Neighbors for Christy Knorr, "Policy Priorities", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Merv Riepe No public position found. ## Immigration and the border ### Christy Knorr No public position found. ### Merv Riepe No public position found. ## Education and school choice ### Christy Knorr Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says fully funding public schools is among her top priorities. > “Making sure public schools are fully funded and important programs for poor and working people are protected are among my top priorities.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Merv Riepe No public position found. ## Energy, water and environment ### Christy Knorr Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says data centers should be regulated and provide their own power rather than pull from the grid; campaign says it will confront nitrate contamination and groundwater overuse. > “I do believe that we need to have legislation regulating data centers. We need to make sure they are providing their own power sources and do not pull from the current electrical grid.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy *Campaign website text:* > “Confront well-documented challenges in Nebraska's agricultural system: nitrate contamination, overuse of groundwater, and the strain industrial operations place on rural communities.” Source: Neighbors for Christy Knorr, "Policy Priorities", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Merv Riepe Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says Nebraska should compete for data center jobs and investment while requiring resource stewardship and no higher electric rates for families. > “If AI is the next Industrial Revolution, Nebraska should compete for the jobs and investment that data centers can bring.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “Data centers must be good stewards of natural resources, minimize impacts on nearby residents and not raise electric rates for Nebraska families.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Guns and public safety ### Christy Knorr Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Campaign wants a criminal justice system that holds serious offenders accountable and supports legalizing and regulating marijuana. *Campaign website text:* > “Strengthen Nebraska's criminal justice system so it protects survivors, supports safe communities, and holds serious offenders accountable.” Source: Neighbors for Christy Knorr, "Policy Priorities", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy *Campaign website text:* > “Support legalizing and regulating marijuana in a way that fixes the delays and uncertainty families face today.” Source: Neighbors for Christy Knorr, "Policy Priorities", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Merv Riepe No public position found. ## Elections and government ### Christy Knorr Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says the Legislature should implement voter-approved laws with little to no alteration unless unlawful; calls the filibuster one of the only ways to halt legislation that does not benefit Nebraskans. > “The Legislature’s role should be to implement voter-approved laws with little to no alteration unless they are unlawful.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “The filibuster is one of the only ways we are able to halt legislation that does not benefit Nebraskans.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Merv Riepe Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says the 33-vote threshold is an important safeguard against rushed legislation and supports allowing three consecutive four-year terms. > “The current 33-vote threshold is already substantial and is an important safeguard against rushed or poorly considered legislation.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “I support allowing legislators to serve three consecutive four-year terms rather than two.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, Legislative District 12", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy