Don Bacon Retires From Nebraska’s 2nd District Seat
Retiring Rep. Don Bacon has managed to keep Nebraska’s “blue dot” in Republican hands for a decade, according to the Washington Examiner. The Democrats now have their best chance to seize the Omaha-area seat thanks to his departure.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris won this district by roughly four points in 2024. Bacon, a centrist who frequently opposed President Donald Trump, secured the seat with a margin of just 6,000 votes. The race now faces a new dynamic without him.
Recent polls show Democrat Denise Powell leading Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding for the seat. Amid the president’s low approval ratings, Powell has attempted to link Harding to Trump. She says Harding would “enable” the Trump administration if elected.
To win over the same voters Bacon captured, Harding has not shied away from publicly criticizing the president. The Omaha city councilman cited an Oscar Wilde quote to explain his approach.
Harding laid out his conditions for supporting the president during a recent interview. He declared that should those standards remain unmet, he would oppose any issue and speak out loudly on the matter. This stance aims to appeal to voters who want independence from the White House.
Spending in the race has slowed significantly as parties manage resources before Election Day. GOP and Democratic super PACs pulled ad reservations earlier this week.
Republicans specifically cut more than $1.1 million in television ads from the seat. As Harding trails Powell in the polls, this spending reduction represents a significant cut. During a short phone conversation, Harding showed no signs of worry regarding the spending cut.
Harding emphasized his fiscal discipline compared to current political spending habits. He observed that the City Council maintains a balanced budget annually. The retiring representative refers to himself as a “Reagan Republican” regarding voter desires.
Bacon believes the district’s voters favor Republicans who refuse to serve as a rubber stamp, seeking instead a check and balance on Trump. The cost of living increases due to Trump’s tariff agenda remain a challenge for Harding’s bid.