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Candidate

Tony Vargas

County TreasurerDemocrat

NE-Douglas County County Treasurer

Age 41·Peruvian·Executive Director of Square One (national leadership nonprofit)

Why This Race Matters

Tony Vargas is running against Christian Espinosa Torres (D).

Two Latino Democrats competing for open Douglas County Treasurer seat in rare Latino-vs-Latino primary. Vargas enters with endorsement from Mayor John Ewing, who held the position for nearly 20 years. With 8 years on the Legislature's Appropriations Committee overseeing state budgets, Vargas brings significant fiscal oversight experience to a role managing over $1 billion in annual tax collections. His two narrow losses to Don Bacon in NE-02 (2.6% in 2022, 1.9% in 2024) make this a pivotal next chapter for one of Nebraska's most prominent Latino politicians.

Democratic primary May 12, 2026 for open seat after Treasurer Tim Cavanaugh announced he will not seek re-election. Vargas entered with $50,000+ campaign war chest and significant name recognition from two congressional campaigns ($3.4M raised in 2022, $6.7M in 2024). Opponent Christian Espinosa Torres is assistant director of Omaha Human Rights and Relations Department. Vargas officially filed January 8, 2026. His father Dunixi Guereca succeeded him in the Legislature representing NE's only majority-Latino district.

Key dates to watch: Primary on May 12, 2026 and General Election on November 3, 2026.

About

Tony Vargas is a former Nebraska State Senator (2017-2025) running for Douglas County Treasurer in 2026. The son of Peruvian immigrants who came to New York City in the 1970s, he was the first Latino elected to the Nebraska Legislature in 2016. A former public school science teacher through Teach For America who received "Most Outstanding Teacher" and "Teacher of the Year" awards, he served eight years on the Legislature's Appropriations Committee. He ran for Congress in NE-02 twice, narrowly losing to Don Bacon in 2022 (48.7%-51.3%) and 2024 (49%-51%).

Family & Heritage

Born September 2, 1984 in Flushing, Queens, New York City to Peruvian immigrant parents Antonio and Lidia Vargas. His parents married as teenagers in Peru and immigrated to NYC in the 1970s seeking better opportunities. Father Antonio worked 50+ years in manual labor (factory assembly, courier, handyman, peanut vendor). Mother Lidia worked assembly lines and later at a bank. First-generation American and first-generation college graduate. Father Antonio died April 29, 2020 at age 72 from COVID-19 after 31 days on a ventilator. Older brother Gene served in the U.S. Navy. Catholic. Wife Lauren (founding Executive Director of Education Rights Counsel, J.D. from Creighton Law) and two children, Ava and Luca. The family moved to Nebraska in 2012 when Lauren was accepted to Creighton University School of Law.

Political Career

Before Politics

Public school science teacher through Teach For America (Brooklyn); AmeriCorps fellow (2 years); Received "Most Outstanding Teacher" (2008) and "Teacher of the Year" awards; Executive Director of Square One, a national nonprofit helping Democratic women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ candidates run for Congress in red districts

Education

B.A. in Biology and Psychology from University of Rochester (2007); Take Five Scholars Program post-baccalaureate fellowship in Latin American Studies; M.S. in Education from Pace University (2010)

Awards & Recognition

Presidential Leadership Scholar (Clinton-Bush fellowship, 2018); Aspen Institute Civil Society Fellow; Henry Toll Fellow, Council of State Governments; 20 Under 40 Leadership Award, Council of State Governments; ACLU of Nebraska Defender of the Bill of Rights Award; Most Outstanding Teacher Award (NYC DOE, 2008); Teacher of the Year Award; National Co-Chair, States Project America's Goals

Key Issues & Priorities

*Fiscal responsibility and transparency
*Balanced budgets through bipartisan collaboration
*Technology infrastructure modernization for tax collection
*Protecting taxpayer dollars
*Efficient and high-quality public services

Notable Legislation

LB 713 - Long-Term Fiscal Planning Act

State's first long-term fiscal forecasting law (2019)

signed into law

LB 1355 - Opioid Recovery Fund

$4M/yr for treatment, prevention, first responder training

passed

LB 741 - Rural Workforce & Affordable Housing

$50M for rural workforce and affordable housing (2021-2022)

signed into law

LB 20 - Felony Voting Rights Restoration

passed

LB 1167 - Warrant-less Arrest Due Process

passed

LB 1284 - K-12 Computer Science Expansion

passed

LB 1402 - Education Savings Accounts

passed

LB 2 - Property Tax Rate Adjustments

$117M in property tax adjustments (2024)

passed

LB 1035 - Prescription Drug Donation Program

LB 670 - Juvenile Justice Reforms

LB 241 - Meatpacking COVID-19 Protection Act

2021

Endorsements

Mayor John Ewing (former 20-year Douglas County Treasurer)
LULAC (first-ever Nebraska congressional endorsement
2024)
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska
Giffords Law Center
Democratic Majority for Israel PAC
DCCC Red to Blue Program (2022
2024)

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