Nebraska governor hospitalized after he is bucked off a horse

By The Associated Press

FILE - Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen speaks during the Republican election night watch party, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at the Beardmore Event Center in Bellevue, Neb. (Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald via AP, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/CHRIS MACHIAN]

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen was injured Sunday after being bucked off a horse and is expected to be hospitalized for several days.

Pillen, a first-term Republican, was with his family when he was thrown off a new horse and injured, according to the governor’s office. He was taken to a hospital in Columbus, Nebraska, and then transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

The governor’s office said Pillen is conscious and alert and has been in touch with his staff. He is expected to remain at the Omaha hospital for several days.

Pillen, 68, was elected governor in 2022. Before becoming governor, he worked as a veterinarian and owned a livestock operation.