Dennis Powell Wins Democratic Primary for Nebraska House Seat
Political activist Dennis Powell emerged victorious in the Nebraska Democratic primary on Wednesday, defeating retiring Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebraska) in a closely watched contest for the U.S. House seat.
The race, primarily between Powell and state Sen. John Kavanaugh, was declared a tight one about a day after polling closed, according to reports from the Associated Press.
The 2nd Congressional District, often referred to as the “Blue Dot,” was previously won by former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election. It remains one of the very few districts in Congress currently held by Republicans, making it a significant target for Democrats in the upcoming 2026 midterms.
Powell led the pack of six candidates, securing around 39% of the vote.
This district is classified as “Lean Democratic” by the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan analysis group.
Over $6 million was invested by outside groups, mainly to bolster Powell’s argument that if Kavanaugh were to leave his state Senate position, Republicans would gain a crucial vote in a district that leans Democratic.
Kavanaugh alleged that “dark money” from Republican groups was backing Powell in an attempt to alter voter perceptions. The ads implied that if Kavanaugh won and vacated his current post, it would allow Gov. Jim Pillen to gain a supermajority, potentially leading to restrictive measures on abortion and cuts to public school funding.
“While Mr. Kavanaugh is a good senator, Nebraska can’t afford a MAGA supermajority,” one advertisement stated.
In contrast, another ad combined images of Kavanaugh with President Trump, which some described as an effort to mislead voters.
Kavanaugh has argued that Republican interests support Powell because he is perceived as a weaker candidate for the general election.
“Republicans know that when we win the May 12 primary, we’ll turn this seat blue in November and help take back the House,” he stated.
Powell countered that Kavanaugh was spreading misinformation to distract from what might occur if he were to leave Congress.
“With the White House and Supreme Court attacking our voting and reproductive rights, we need to draw a line at both levels of government to protect Nebraska families,” Powell emphasized, urging Kavanaugh to remain engaged with his constituents.
Kavanaugh enjoys support from numerous progressive organizations and labor unions, as well as notable progressive lawmakers like Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.).
In a twist, Powell will face Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding in the general election. Harding, an independent running with Republican backing, was recently endorsed by former President Trump.
Trump stated that once in office, Harding would tirelessly advocate for farmers and ranchers, stimulate the economy, reduce regulations, and secure the borders, among other priorities.
Harding expressed enthusiasm over collaborating with Trump to enhance affordability and government accountability.
Bacon, a centrist who has had frequent disagreements with Trump, is also supporting Harding.
In the 2024 election, Bacon narrowly secured his fifth term, defeating Democrat Tony Vargas by merely 1.8 percentage points, with fewer than 6,000 votes separating them out of over 314,000 ballots cast.
