# Legislature, District 2: 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-2/ 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 - [Dean Helmick](https://publictownsquare.com/nebraska/dean-helmick.md) - [Caitlin Knutson](https://publictownsquare.com/nebraska/caitlin-knutson.md) 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 | |---|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:| | Dean Helmick | yes | yes | yes | — | — | — | — | yes | yes | yes | | Caitlin Knutson | yes | — | yes | yes | — | — | yes | yes | — | yes | ## Property taxes and cost of living ### Dean Helmick Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Opposes reversing or pausing current individual income tax reductions and says Nebraskans need tax relief rather than a tax shift. > “I do not believe we should reverse course or pause any of the current individual tax reductions.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, District 2 (2026 General Election voter guide)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy *Campaign website text:* > “Nebraskans need real tax relief, not another tax shift.” Source: Helmick for Legislature, "The Helmick Plan", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Caitlin Knutson Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Wants broad-based homeowner relief by closing tax loopholes, plus a state child tax credit and no tax on overtime and tips. *Campaign website text:* > “We can and must deliver broad-based relief for all homeowners by closing special interest tax loopholes that primarily benefit the wealthy and well-connected.” Source: Knutson for Legislature, "Issues", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “I support ending the tax on overtime and tips, establishing a state-level child tax credit that has worked in other states to help middle-class parents pay for childcare and expanding the earned income tax credit to reward work and lessen taxpayer burdens for public assistance.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, District 2 (2026 General Election voter guide)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Economy, jobs and trade ### Dean Helmick Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says the best way to stabilize the state budget is to grow the economy through more jobs and new businesses. > “The best way to stabilize Nebraska’s budget is to grow our economy. That means creating more jobs, attracting new businesses and giving Nebraskans a reason to stay here.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, District 2 (2026 General Election voter guide)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Caitlin Knutson No public position found. ## Agriculture and rural Nebraska ### Dean Helmick Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Plans to reduce the property tax burden on farmland, stop tax increases on farm equipment and repairs, and cut unnecessary regulations. *Campaign website text:* > “I’ll fight to reduce the property tax burden on farmland, stop tax increases on farm equipment and repairs, and eliminate unnecessary regulations.” Source: Helmick for Legislature, "The Helmick Plan", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Caitlin Knutson Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says farmers want to grow hemp but face red tape and too few processing facilities, and supports allowing hemp for agricultural and economic growth. > “Farmers in Cass County have told me they would be open to growing hemp, but there is too much government red tape to make it viable as a crop, and there aren’t enough processing facilities. We should allow for ag and economic growth with hemp.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, District 2 (2026 General Election voter guide)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Health care ### Dean Helmick No public position found. ### Caitlin Knutson Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Supports capping medical debt and sheltering the family home from medical bills for non-elective care. *Campaign website text:* > “We should cap medical debt and shelter the family home from medical bills that pile up for non-elective care.” Source: Knutson for Legislature, "Issues", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Abortion ### Dean Helmick No public position found. ### Caitlin Knutson No public position found. ## Immigration and the border ### Dean Helmick No public position found. ### Caitlin Knutson No public position found. ## Education and school choice ### Dean Helmick No public position found. ### Caitlin Knutson Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Supports keeping public funding for public schools and a state bill setting guidelines for classroom technology use. *Campaign website text:* > “Like the majority of Nebraska voters, I strongly support keeping public funding for public schools.” Source: Knutson for Legislature, "Issues", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy *Campaign website text:* > “I propose we adopt a bill tasking our state Department of Education with crafting policies and guidelines for data-backed technological use in the classroom for each grade level.” Source: Knutson for Legislature, "Issues", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Energy, water and environment ### Dean Helmick Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says the state must protect farm ground, public power, ratepayers and water, and must not force a data center on a community. > “The state must always protect our prime farm ground, safeguard our public power system and the individual ratepayer, and preserve our most precious resource (water).” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, District 2 (2026 General Election voter guide)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “The state government can never be allowed to force a data center on a community.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, District 2 (2026 General Election voter guide)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Caitlin Knutson Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Supports a one-year moratorium on data centers, ending their tax breaks and nondisclosure agreements, and making them pay for their power. > “I support a one-year moratorium, the end of sweetheart taxpayer-funded corporate welfare for these data centers and increased transparency by strengthening our open meetings laws and ending nondisclosure agreements so citizens can understand what is happening up front, not after the fact when it’s too late.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, District 2 (2026 General Election voter guide)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy *Campaign website text:* > “I will fight to make sure data centers pay for their power and don't pass the cost onto us.” Source: Knutson for Legislature, "Issues", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Guns and public safety ### Dean Helmick Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Plans to defend Second Amendment rights, support stronger penalties for violent and repeat offenders, and oppose defunding the police. *Campaign website text:* > “In the Legislature, I’ll defend our Second Amendment rights, protect free speech and religious liberty, stand for innocent life, and oppose government overreach.” Source: Helmick for Legislature, "The Helmick Plan", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy *Campaign website text:* > “I’ll support stronger penalties for violent and repeat offenders, oppose defunding the police, and always back the blue.” Source: Helmick for Legislature, "The Helmick Plan", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Caitlin Knutson No public position found. ## Elections and government ### Dean Helmick Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Supports keeping the filibuster and the 33-vote cloture threshold, and opposes modifying ballot initiative or referendum rules. > “I believe the filibuster must remain in place with the threshold for cloture remaining at 33 votes.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, District 2 (2026 General Election voter guide)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “I do not support modifying Nebraska’s ballot initiative or referendum rules.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, District 2 (2026 General Election voter guide)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ### Caitlin Knutson Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says voter-approved ballot measures should be respected as law, and supports the current filibuster system. *Campaign website text:* > “In a democracy, when we vote on an issue, it's not a suggestion, it's the law.” Source: Knutson for Legislature, "Issues", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “I support the current system because my district includes a lot of rural areas and without strong minority rights, rural interests could be hurt.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Legislature, District 2 (2026 General Election voter guide)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy