Nebraska Education Commissioner Brian Maher of Lincoln talks to reporters after the first meeting of the School Financing Review Commission. Aug. 12, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN — Nebraska Education Commissioner Brian Maher says he will no longer mount a 2026 campaign for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

Maher, 63, announced his decision Thursday, citing family and professional obligations. He had announced his campaign July 10. But this week, he said now is not the right time for him to pursue an elected office. He said running was pulling him away from his role in the Nebraska Department of Education and that time away from family is “non-negotiable.”

“I am not a politician — I’m a lifelong educator who wants to make a difference,” Maher said in a state

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