Robert Hilkemann
| Robert Hilkemann | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Nebraska Legislature from the 4th district |
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Assumed office 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Pete Pirsch |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 23, 1947 Norfolk, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence | Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Occupation | Retired podiatrist |
Robert "Bob" Hilkemann (born November 23, 1947) is a politician from the U.S. state of Nebraska. In 2014, he was elected to the Nebraska Legislature, representing an Omaha district.
Hilkemann was born in Norfolk, Nebraska. He grew up near Randolph, and graduated from Randolph Public High School in 1965. In 1969, he obtained a B.S. in biology from Nebraska Wesleyan University. From 1969 to 1972, he worked as a high-school science teacher and football coach in Table Rock. In 1970, he married Julie Beth Bryngelson; the couple eventually produced three children.
Wishing to pursue a career in podiatry, Hilkemann attended the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine, receiving his D.P.M. in 1976. He returned to Nebraska, where he began practice in Omaha in 1977. In 1984, he founded the Foot and Ankle Center of Nebraska. He retired from practice in 2013.
Upon launching his practice in 1977, Hilkemann had found Nebraska's laws concerning medical practice "antiquated and overly restrictive". He brought three initiatives to the Legislature, where he worked with state senators on changes in the laws. In the 1980s, he served on the Nebraska State Board of Health, including two years as chairman.
Upon his retirement from practice, Hilkemann decided to run for a seat in the Legislature in District 4, located in northwest Omaha. Under Nebraska's term-limits law, incumbent Pete Pirsch, a Republican, was ineligible to run for re-election. Five candidates sought to succeed him: Hilkemann, a Republican; Matt Butler, an Omaha entrepreneur and a Republican, who had unsuccessfully run for lieutenant governor in 1998; Stacy Ryan, a Republican described as a "judicial reform activist"; Steve Howard, an Omaha attorney and a Democrat; and Nicholas Pestello, a 23-year-old independent, whose principal issue was the decriminalization of marijuana.
In the nonpartisan primary election, Hilkemann led, with 2357 of the 6133 votes cast, or 38.4% of the total. Ryan came in second, with 1513 votes, or 24.7%. Howard and Butler nearly tied for third, with 1070 and 1068 votes respectively (17.4%); and Pestello received 125 votes, or 2.0%.
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