Dan Watermeier, a member of the
Nebraska Legislature from the 1st district, was elected to the Nebraska Public Service Commission in 2018, and vacated his seat. Slama applied for the position and was appointed to the seat by Ricketts.[5][3] She was the youngest member of the legislature's 2019 session and the third-youngest person to serve in the state legislature.[6][7]
Slama announced her campaign for the
2020 election on July 10, 2019, and placed first in the primary against Janet Palmtag and Dennis Schaardt. She defeated Palmtag, who had the endorsement of former Governor
Dave Heineman and U.S. Representative
Jeff Fortenberry.[8][9][10] Jessica Flanagain was her campaign manager.[11] She defeated Palmtag in the general election.[12]
Tenure
During Slama's tenure in the state legislature she has served on the Judiciary,[13] Natural Resources, Reference, and Executive Board committees.[1] In 2021, she sought the position of vice-chair of the Executive Board committee, but lost to Senator
Tony Vargas.[14]
Slama was named legislator of the year by the
Young Republicans and placed on the
Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2019.[15][16] In 2022, Slama accused
Charles Herbster of reaching up into her skirt at an event hosted by the
Douglas County Republican Party in 2019.[17] Both filed lawsuits against each other, but later dropped them.[18]
Slama opposes
abortion in all cases, including when the life of the mother is at risk.[25] She proposed a
heartbeat bill in 2022.[26] She proposed a motion to censure Senator
Machaela Cavanaugh for stating that legislation prohibiting gender-affirming care for transgender children was akin to genocide, but Speaker
John Arch declined to have it go forward.[27]
Slama proposed a constitutional amendment to require
voter ID in order to vote.[28] She proposed legislation to alter Nebraska's selection of
presidential electors by switching to having them selected through winner-take-all.[29] She proposed a constitutional amendment to make the state legislature partisan.[30]
Personal life
Slama converted to
Catholicism.[31] Her twin sister, Emily, was appointed by Ricketts to the
Sarpy County Election Commission in October 2021.[32] She married former state senator
Andrew La Grone on December 18, 2021.[1] Slama and La Grone have a son.[33]
Electoral history
2020 Nebraska Legislature 1st district primary[10]