Overview
- The Omaha-based Democratic primary in Nebraska’s 2nd District, which awards its own presidential electoral vote, arrives Tuesday and will set the nominee to face Republican Brinker Harding.
- More than $7 million in campaign and outside spending has flooded the race, with most of it boosting Denise Powell, who has outraised state Sen. John Cavanaugh.
- Powell’s backers warn that if Cavanaugh moves to Congress, the governor could appoint a Republican to his state senate seat and clear a path to end the district’s separate electoral vote, which went to Democrats in 2020 and 2024.
- Cavanaugh calls the warning misleading, noting Republicans already hold a legislative supermajority and failed in 2024 to force a winner-take-all change after one GOP senator broke ranks.
- Pro-Israel group DMFI reserved a $750,000 anti-Cavanaugh ad then canceled it, while New Democrat-aligned and GOP-linked PACs have since run anti-Cavanaugh spots as the race highlights a progressive versus moderate split.