Charles W. Herbster is an American agribusiness executive, cattle producer, political donor, and politician. He was an agriculture advisor and chairman of Donald Trump’s agriculture and rural advisory committee during the Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. Herbster also ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Governor of Nebraska in 2014 and 2022.
Profile Summary
| Name | Charles W. Herbster |
| Birthday | born 1954 or 1955 |
| Age | 68 or 69 years |
| Gender | Male |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | American agribusiness executive, cattle producer, political donor, and politician. |
| Spouse | Lorienne Gayle Smith |
Early Life And Education of Charles Herbster
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). 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.
Career Paths of Charles Herbster
Agriculture
Herbster is a cattle producer and owns Herbster Angus Farms in Falls City. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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. Herbster met Donald Trump in 2013 at Mar-a-Lago.
For six weeks, Herbster was a candidate in 2014 Nebraska gubernatorial election. He withdrew from the race after concerns were raised about his Nebraska residency. He later invested $2.7 million into then-Nebraska state senator Beau McCoy’s campaign. Herbster also hinted to the Omaha World-Herald that he funded dark money ads promoting McCoy and attacking other candidates. McCoy placed third in the Republican primary.
Marital Life of Charles Herbster
Herbster considers himself an evangelical Christian. While a student at the University of Nebraska, Herbster married fellow student Lorienne Gayle Smith in 1975. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1980. In 1982, he married Judith Ann Wagg, whom he met through his work at Conklin Company. It was reported that Judith Herbster died on May 2, 2017.
Conclusion
In April 2022, the Nebraska Examiner published a story stating that Nebraska state senator Julie Slama and seven other women accused Herbster of groping or forcibly kissing them. The allegations were supported by witnesses. He denies the allegations. Two weeks later, a former legislative assistant to State Senator Dave Murman publicly accused Herbster of groping her at the same event in which Slama accused Herbster of groping her.
Herbster filed a defamation lawsuit against Slama in the Johnson County District Court. Three days later, Slama filed a countersuit against Herbster alleging that Herbster had committed sexual battery. Her lawyer called Herbster’s lawsuit “a frivolous and bad faith attempt to bully a sexual assault victim into silence”. In court papers, Slama gave specific and graphic details on how Herbster assaulted her in public and requested a jury trial.
