Nebraska and West Virginia Hold Primaries for Key Congressional and Senate Races

Voters in Nebraska and West Virginia cast ballots Tuesday in primaries that will shape competitive House and Senate races ahead of the November general election. In Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, Democrats are engaged in a heated primary to replace retiring Republican Rep. Don Bacon, who has held the Omaha-area seat for five terms. The district, which President Joe Biden carried in 2020 and 2024, is seen as a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats. State Sen. John Cavanaugh and political organizer Denise Powell lead the crowded Democratic field, trading sharp attacks over campaign tactics and the potential impact on the state’s electoral vote allocation. Nebraska splits its electoral votes by congressional district, and Powell has raised concerns that if Cavanaugh wins and vacates his state Senate seat, the Republican governor could appoint a replacement who might push to change the state’s system to winner-take-all, threatening the district’s “blue dot” electoral vote. Both candidates dismissed the negative ads as distractions, with Cavanaugh noting increased name recognition and Powell emphasizing the importance of preserving the district’s Democratic electoral vote. On the Republican side, Omaha City Council member Brinker Harding runs unopposed and has endorsements from Bacon and Nebraska’s GOP senators.

Nebraska’s Senate race also features drama. GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts, who was appointed in 2023 and won a special election in 2024, is seeking his first full term and faces four primary challengers. The Nebraska Democratic Party has endorsed independent candidate Dan Osborn, a former labor leader who narrowly lost to GOP Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024. Two Democrats, Cindy Burbank and William Forbes, are on the primary ballot. Burbank accuses Forbes of being a Republican plant intended to siphon votes from Osborn, a claim Forbes denies, stating he is a lifelong Democrat. Republicans unsuccessfully sought to remove Burbank from the ballot, but the Nebraska Supreme Court allowed her to remain. Osborn has raised over $3.8 million, while Ricketts has raised more than $4.8 million. Osborn must gather enough signatures by August 3 to appear on the November ballot.

In Nebraska’s gubernatorial race, Republican Gov. Tom Pillen, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, faces five primary challengers. Two Democrats, former state Sen. Lynne Walz and Air Force veteran Larry Marvin, compete for their party’s nomination. Democrats have not won the Nebraska governor’s office since 1994.

West Virginia voters are also deciding primaries for Senate and House races. GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, seeking a third term, faces five Republican challengers, including state Sen. Tom Willis, who criticizes Capito for losing touch with conservative values. Capito has Trump’s endorsement. Five Democrats are vying for their party’s Senate nomination, led by Marine veteran Zach Shrewsbury, who has the endorsement of Rep. Ro Khanna.

In West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, GOP Rep. Carol Miller faces a primary rematch against Derrick Evans, a former state lawmaker who pleaded guilty to a felony related to the January 6 Capitol riot. Evans has spent about $1.2 million on his campaign but lost to Miller 63% to 37% in 2024.

Polls close at 7:30 p.m. ET in West Virginia and 9 p.m. ET in Nebraska, with results expected to clarify the November general election matchups in these battleground states.