Charles Herbster

Charles Herbster
Personal details
Born	Charles Wesley Herbster 1954 (age 69–70) Falls City, Nebraska, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Lorienne Smith ​ ​ (m. 1975; div. 1980)​ Judith Wagg ​ ​ (m. 1982; died 2017)​
Education	University of Nebraska–Lincoln (attended)

Charles Wesley Herbster (born 1954)

Charles Wesley Herbster was born in Falls City, Nebraska, in 1954 as the only child of Donald Eugene Herbster and Dorothy M. Herbster (nee Carico).^[2] Herbster graduated from Falls City High School. He attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln for two years but dropped out and returned home after the death of his mother.^[3]

Career

Agriculture

Herbster is a cattle producer and owns Herbster Angus Farms in Falls City.^[4] Herbster's farm in Falls City began as a homestead in 1847 owned by William McKendry Maddox, Herbster's great-great-grandfather. The ranch passed through Maddox's granddaughter, Leta Meyers Carico, who was Herbster's maternal grandmother and whom Herbster credits as his first teacher and mentor.^[5] Herbster stated his farming practice was inspired in part by champion grower Francis Childs, known for his heavy use of chemicals and deep plowing methods.^[6]

He also owns Conklin Co., a Kansas City, Missouri-based manufacturing company, which is structured as a multi-level marketing (MLM) business,^[7][8] which he purchased from Bob Conklin with his wife, Judith, in 1992.^[9][10] Conklin sells agricultural products including pesticide additives, farm fertilizers, probiotics for livestock, industrial roof coatings, and motor oils.

Herbster also owns the cattle breeding firm North American Breeders, which is located in Berryville, Virginia.^[11] Herbster bought North American Breeders in 2015.^[12] As a breeder, Herbster purchased multiple cows for over $100,000 and multiple bulls for over $600,000 from Schaff's Angus Valley. In February 2019, Herbster purchased the highest-priced bull in auction history, paying $1.5 million for a bull called SAV America (SAV stand for Schaff's Angus Valley), which would be used as breeding stock on Herbster's Virginia farm.^[13] He later bought a one-year-old Angus bull for $2.14 million at a North Dakota auction.^[12] Livestock show magazine, The Showtimes, noted Herbster Angus Farms for the adherence of its cattle to Angus breed standards and along with high value breeders, Herbster frequently purchases winning cattle at youth cattle shows as a way to support youth in the industry. This, along with Herbster's activity in high cost cattle breeding operations led to his being inducted into The Showtimes Magazine Hall of Fame in November 2017.^[5]

Political involvement

Herbster 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.^[14] 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.^[14] 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.^[14]

Herbster met Donald Trump in 2013 at Mar-a-Lago.^[14]

For six weeks, Herbster was a candidate in 2014 Nebraska gubernatorial election.^[7][14] He withdrew from the race after concerns were raised about his Nebraska residency.^[15][16] He later invested $2.7 million into then-Nebraska state senator Beau McCoy's campaign.^[7][17][18] Herbster also hinted to the Omaha World-Herald that he funded dark money ads promoting McCoy and attacking other candidates.^[19] McCoy placed third in the Republican primary.^[20]

Herbster was listed as a possible pick for

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.^[29] 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.^[23] In 2021, Herbster called Ben Sasse a "Looney Tune Senator."^[23] Herbster is opposed to the estate tax in the United States, and his opposition to critical race theory was a central part of his gubernatorial campaign.^[30]

KMTV reported in June 2021 that Herbster had almost 600 late property tax payments on his various properties in Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska. and Virginia. Herbster responded that the funds were used for payroll; however, he gave personal donations totaling millions to political campaigns during this same time period.^[31]

Donald Trump endorsed Herbster in late 2021. Herbster has shifted between supporting the idea that Trump won the

In May 2022, Herbster lost the primary election, placing second behind businessman Jim Pillen.^[36][37]

Sexual assault allegations

In April 2022, the

Slama's lawyers sought to depose Herbster before the primary election, but Herbster's lawyers successfully delayed a deposition of their client in May 2022[48]^[49][50] and continued to resist a deposition in June 2022.^[51] Slama accused Herbster of waging a "prejudicial media war" against her.^[52]

Although Donald Trump continued to support Herbster in his run for governor after the allegations were made public, in April 2022 the "former president relayed word that Herbster wasn't fighting back hard enough" to dispel the assault allegations^[53] which encouraged Herbster to release video attack ads against Slama without directly mentioning her name.^[54]

In October 2022, Herbster and Slama dropped their lawsuits against one another.^[55]

Personal life

Herbster considers himself an