Charles Herbster
Charles W. Herbster is an American agribusiness executive and politician. He is a cattle producer and Republican political donor. In 2019, Herbster was chairman of Donald Trump's agriculture and rural advisory committee and an agriculture advisor during the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign. He was a Republican candidate in the 2014 Nebraska gubernatorial election and is running again in 2022.
Career
Herbster is a cattle producer and owns Herbster Angus Farms in Falls City, Nebraska.[1] He owns Conklin Co., a Kansas City, Missouri-based manufacturing company.[2] In 2015, Herbster bought North American Breeders in Berryville, Virginia.[3]
Herbster is a conservative evangelical Christian and a Republican political donor.[4] He donated $500 to the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2004 and $2,300 to a Republican candidate in the 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana.[4] In 2012, Herbster donated $91,600 to a PAC supporting the Mitt Romney 2012 presidential campaign, $10,000 towards the Nebraska Republican Party, and $2,500 for Deb Fischer's campaign.[4] From 2013 to 2015, Herbster contributed nearly $100,000 towards the Republican National Committee and $10,000 to Robert Aderholt. In 2014, Herbster created the Republican-leaning Ag American super-PAC and contributed $100,000 between 2014 and 2015.[4]
Herbster met Donald Trump in 2013 at Mar-a-Lago.[4]
For six weeks, Herbster was a candidate in 2014 Nebraska gubernatorial election.[2][4] He later invested $860,000 into his friend and business partner, Beau McCoy's campaign.[2][5]
In 2017, the Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska and 13 other trade groups requested that U.S. president Donald Trump select Herbster as the United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.[6] In 2019, Herbster served as the chairman of Donald Trump's agriculture and rural advisory committee.[1] He bought a one-year-old Angus bull for $2.14 million at a North Dakota auction.[1] Herbster also bought another Bull for $1.5 million in a different auction.[3] He served as an agricultural adviser in the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign.[7]
Herbster was attended Trump's speech on January 6, 2021 and left the area before the United States Capitol attack.[7]
In November 2020, Herbster established a campaign committee in preparation for a second gubernatorial race. He selected Omaha City Councilwoman, Aimee Melton as his campaign treasurer.[8] On April 26, 2021, Herbster declared his candidacy in the 2022 Nebraska gubernatorial election. Until September 2021, Corey Lewandowski served as a senior advisor before he was let go amid sexual harassment allegations.[7] In October 2021, Herbster was endorsed by Donald Trump.[7] Incumbent governor Pete Ricketts denounced the endorsement.[9] Herbster called Ben Sasse a "Looney Tune Senator."[7] Herbster is opposed to the estate tax in the United States.[4] His opposition to critical race theory is a central part of his gubernatorial campaign.[10] In April 2022, the Nebraska Examiner, a nonprofit and nonpartisan newsroom, published a story stating that Nebraska state senator Julie Slama and seven other women accused Herbster of groping or forcibly kissing them. He refutes the allegations.[11][12]
References
- ^ a b c Honan, Kim (2019-02-11). "Trump advisory chairman buys bull named America for record $2.1m". ABC News. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ a b c Tysver, Robynn (September 13, 2013). "Governor's race dropout Herbster donates $860,000 in campaign assets to Beau McCoy". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ a b Salter, Peter (2019-02-24). "Bull Market: Nebraska rancher pays record $1.5M for 'freak'". Lincoln Journal Star. pp. A1. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g Kullgren, Ian (July 27, 2016). "Trump's top ag adviser: A kingmaker from the plains". POLITICO. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ Walton, Don (2013-08-24). "McCoy enters GOP race for governor". Lincoln Journal Star. pp. A1. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ Bergin, Nicholas (March 13, 2017). "Cattle associations back Nebraska businessman for deputy ag secretary". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ a b c d e Gentzler, Sara (2021-10-29). "After Ricketts rejection, Herbster touts loyalty to Trump". Fremont Tribune. pp. A4. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ Walton, Don (2020-11-12). "Charles Herbster prepares 2022 gubernatorial bid". The Columbus Telegram. pp. B6. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ Gaarder, Nancy (2021-10-28). "Trump endorses Herbster for governor". Beatrice Daily Sun. pp. A1. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ Dunker, Chris (2021-07-16). "NU faculty say resolution violates policy". Fremont Tribune. pp. A4. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ Sanderford, Aaron (2022-04-14). "GOP state senator, seven other women say Charles Herbster groped them; he denies allegations". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ Paybarah, Azi (2022-04-14). "Nebraska State Senator Says Candidate for Governor Groped Her". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-15.