Denise Powell Wins Democratic Primary in Nebraska’s 2nd District

Denise Powell, a political organizer, has won the Democratic primary in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, NBC News and CBS News projected, setting up a general election contest against Republican Brinker Harding. Powell narrowly defeated state Sen. John Cavanaugh in a competitive race that included five other Democratic candidates. With about 90% of the expected vote tallied, Powell secured 39% of the vote to Cavanaugh’s 37%. Harding, a member of the Omaha City Council, ran unopposed for the Republican nomination to replace GOP Rep. Don Bacon, who is retiring after five terms.

Nebraska’s 2nd District, centered around Omaha, has been a key battleground in recent elections. Although the district has been held by Republicans for most of the last three decades, it has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in three of the last five elections. The district’s unique allocation of Electoral College votes by congressional district rather than winner-take-all has made it a focal point in presidential politics. In 2024, Kamala Harris won the district, known as the “blue dot,” despite the state’s overall Republican lean.

The Democratic primary featured significant outside spending, with over $5 million spent on TV ads. Powell, viewed as the more moderate candidate, received backing from EMILY’s List, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus BOLD PAC, and Elect Democratic Women. Cavanaugh, a progressive, was endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, the Nebraska AFL-CIO, and numerous local unions.

Powell warned that if Cavanaugh won and flipped the House seat, it could jeopardize the district’s “blue dot” status. She argued that Cavanaugh would have to resign his state Senate seat, allowing Republican Governor Jim Pillen to appoint a replacement who might support efforts to change Nebraska’s electoral vote allocation to winner-take-all or to redraw the congressional map. “We cannot afford a candidate whose campaign hands Republicans the votes to gerrymander us into oblivion,” Powell said. Cavanaugh’s campaign countered that he would not resign until January, by which time new senators would be elected, and Democrats expected to gain enough seats to offset any Republican appointments.

Powell expressed confidence that Nebraska Democrats recognize the opportunity to flip the seat. “I think at the end of the day, we all want to flip this seat,” she said. The Cook Political Report rates the 2nd District race as “Lean Democrat,” highlighting its importance in the broader battle for control of the House, where Democrats need to gain at least three seats to secure a majority.