Powell Flips Nebraska’s 2nd District for Democrats

Denise Powell won Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District on November 3, defeating Republican Brinker Harding and flipping the Omaha-area seat to the Democrats. The Associated Press put Powell at 57.7% of the vote and Harding at 40%. CBS News also projected Powell as the winner.

The seat is open because Bacon, a Republican who has represented the district, chose not to seek a sixth term. He narrowly won reelection in 2024. The district has spent most of the past three decades in Republican hands, though it has backed Democratic presidential candidates in three of the last five elections.

Powell, a political organizer, campaigned on lowering costs, economic growth and protecting democracy. She supported stopping President Donald Trump’s tariffs and expanding the Affordable Care Act. Harding, an Omaha City Council member, emphasized affordability and accountability, backing year-round E15 gasoline sales, broader access to IVF and nationwide voter ID.

The contest drew national attention and endorsements from prominent figures in both parties. Powell sought to link Harding to Trump and his policies; Harding presented himself as someone willing to work across party lines. The candidates traded sharp descriptions during the campaign, with Harding calling Powell a “coastal carpetbagger” and Powell calling him a “rubber stamp for Trump.”

The district’s electoral significance extends beyond the House race: Nebraska awards electoral votes by congressional district, putting the Omaha-area seat in focus during close presidential contests.

Powell’s Win Breaks Republican Hold on Nebraska Swing District

Denise Powell’s victory on November 3 gives Democrats a major opening in Nebraska’s competitive Omaha-area district, where Republican Don Bacon is retiring. Powell won 57.7% of the vote to Harding’s 40%, flipping a seat Republicans had held for all but two years in the past three decades.

Powell made affordability, economic growth and protecting democracy central to her campaign. She backed stopping President Donald Trump’s tariffs and expanding the Affordable Care Act, while arguing Harding’s allegiance was with Trump and his agenda. Harding, an Omaha City Council member, cast himself as a bipartisan problem-solver and emphasized affordability and accountability.

The result underscores the district’s political competitiveness: it backed Kamala Harris in 2024 and Joe Biden in 2020, although Bacon narrowly won his House race that year. With Nebraska assigning electoral votes by congressional district, the Omaha seat also carries significance in close presidential contests.

Republicans sought to keep the seat after Bacon’s departure, with Harding backed by Trump, Bacon and Nebraska’s Republican senators. Powell’s win rejects that effort and returns the district to Democratic representation. Her campaign also received backing from the political organization affiliated with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, as well as support from several Democratic House members.

Democrats Capture Omaha Seat After Bacon’s Retirement

Democrats captured Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District on November 3, as Denise Powell defeated Omaha City Council member Brinker Harding by 57.7% to 40%. The result hands Democrats a district that has been in Republican hands for all but two years over the past three decades, after Republican Don Bacon decided not to seek a sixth term.

Harding campaigned on affordability and accountability, backing year-round E15 sales, expanded affordable access to IVF, body cameras for federal immigration officers and nationwide voter ID. He also presented himself as someone prepared to work across party lines. Powell, meanwhile, promoted stopping President Donald Trump’s tariffs, expanding the Affordable Care Act and reestablishing USAID.

The outcome is a setback for Republicans seeking to hold Bacon’s seat, despite endorsements for Harding from Trump, Bacon and Nebraska’s Republican senators. Powell repeatedly tied Harding to Trump and his policy agenda; Harding criticized Powell as a “coastal carpetbagger.”

The district has supported Democratic nominees in three of the past five presidential contests, including Kamala Harris in 2024, even as Bacon narrowly won his 2024 reelection race. Nebraska’s district-based allocation of electoral votes also gives the Omaha-area seat added importance in close presidential contests.