State Sen. Williams announces U. of Nebraska regent bid

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — State Sen. Matt Williams, of Gothenburg, announced Thursday that he will run for an open seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents next year.

Williams has served in the Legislature the last seven years, and is ineligible to run again because of term limits.

He's seeking to fill the seat of Regent Bob Phares, of North Platte, who has endorsed Williams and announced that he won't seek re-election in 2022.

“The strength of Nebraska's economy and the success of our rural families depend upon a strong and vibrant university system,” Williams said in a statement.

Williams said that, if elected, he'll demand transparency, push for strong public-private partnerships, support policies to retain students, and fight to keep the university's in-state tuition rates the lowest of all Big Ten institutions.