Lou Ann Linehan

Lou Ann Linehan was born on September 16, 1955, in Beatrice, Nebraska, as Lou Ann Lovitt. She was raised in rural Johnson County in Southeast Nebraska on a dairy farm. She is a Republican who represented Nebraska's 39th legislative district in the Nebraska Legislature from 2017 to 2025.

Linehan is married to Kevin and has four children: Patrick, Katie, Meghan, and Shannon. She is a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church.

Education

Linehan graduated from Lewiston High School in 1973 as part of Lewiston Consolidated Schools and later attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Political Experience

Linehan was first elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020. She served as chairwoman of the Revenue Committee and held membership on the Education Committee, Health and Human Services Committee, Planning Committee, and Performance Audit Committee.

Prior to her legislative service, Linehan was active in Republican politics and managed Chuck Hagel's successful 1996 United States Senate campaign, which made Hagel the first elected Republican U.S. Senator from Nebraska in 25 years. She also served as chief of staff to U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel at the Department of State.

Throughout her career, Linehan worked on legislation addressing educational funding for disabled Americans, immigration reform, tax policy, Social Security and Medicare reform, climate change, trade policy, and international affairs. She sponsored charter school legislation and supported scholarships to enable families to send students to schools of their choice.

Her honors and awards include the Distinguished Honoree from the Women's Center for Advancement, U.S. Department of State Superior Honor Awards , a Meritorious Award , the Chairman's Award for Douglas County Republican Party , and induction into the Lewiston Consolidated Schools Hall of Fame .