Politics

Nebraska swing district tests national party strategies in open House race

Republican Brinker Harding and Democrat Denise Powell contest retiring Rep. Don Bacon's open seat in Omaha.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 02:15 UTC3 reports

The short version

Republican Omaha City Councilmember Brinker Harding and Democratic activist Denise Powell are running for the open House seat in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District following the retirement of Republican Rep. Don Bacon.
The Omaha-area district is one of only eight nationwide that voted for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in 2024 while also electing a Republican to the House.
Harding is campaigning on his endorsement from President Donald Trump and visits from House GOP leaders, while Powell is emphasizing affordability, Medicare, and checks and balances alongside national Democratic figures.
It remains uncertain whether Trump's high-profile national presence will mobilize conservative turnout or alienate moderate swing voters in the district.

Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District is an open race between Republican Brinker Harding and Democrat Denise Powell following the retirement of Republican Rep. Don Bacon.[ABC News · Associated Press · PBS NewsHour]
The district is one of eight across the country that backed Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election while electing a House Republican.[ABC News · Associated Press · PBS NewsHour]
While the 2nd District's presidential electoral vote has gone to Democrats three times since 2008, a Democrat has won the congressional seat only once since 1994.[ABC News · Associated Press · PBS NewsHour]
Harding holds an endorsement from President Donald Trump and has hosted campaign visits from House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise.[ABC News · Associated Press · PBS NewsHour]
Powell has campaigned alongside Pete Buttigieg and Rahm Emanuel, centering her message on affordability, Medicare cuts, and governance checks.[ABC News · Associated Press · PBS NewsHour]

Whether Donald Trump's active participation in the midterms will serve as an effective motivator for the Republican base or deter split-ticket and moderate voters in the Omaha metro area.[ABC News · Associated Press · PBS NewsHour]