Denise Powell leads in Democratic primary for crucial Nebraska 'blue dot' seat

Daniela Altimari, CQ-Roll Call on May 13, 2026

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WASHINGTON — Political activist Denise Powell clung to a narrow lead in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for Nebraska’s open 2nd District after a contentious campaign that brought an influx of outside money and a blitz of increasingly negative attack ads to one of the nation’s most competitive House battlegrounds.

With more than 51,000 votes counted, Powell was leading her chief competitor, state Sen. John Cavanaugh, 39% to 37% – a difference of around 1,080 votes – shortly after 12:01 a.m. Central time on Wednesday with The Associated Press saying the race was “too early to call.” Douglas County District Court Clerk Crystal Rhoades and Navy veteran Kishla Askins trailed with 14% and 6% respectively.

The Democratic winner will face Republican Brinker Harding, an Omaha City Council member who did not have a primary opponent.

The district, which is centered on Omaha, is closely divided, and both parties say the November contest will be crucial to determining control of the House. Kamala Harris won the 2nd District by 5 points in 2024, yet voters here have repeatedly sent Republican Don Bacon to Congress. (Bacon won a fifth term by less than 2 points in 2024 before announcing his retirement last year.)

The race between Powell and Cavanaugh reflected the current rifts dividing the Democratic Party. Powell, the daughter of Chilean and Cuban immigrants, had the backing of EMILY’s List and the political arms of the center-left New Democrat Coalition and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Cavanaugh, the scion of a well-known political family whose father once held the 2nd District seat, drew support from the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin and several labor unions and environmental groups.

But he downplayed the ideological contours of the campaign, saying in an interview last month, “For me, the goal has always been to pursue policy that actually improves people’s lives.’’

The 2nd District’s status as Nebraska’s “blue dot” became an issue in the campaign. While the Cornhusker State is deeply red, it partly awards presidential electoral votes by congressional district, and Democratic presidential nominees have claimed an electoral vote by carrying the seat in the past two elections.

Powell and her allies said a victory by Cavanaugh would put that in jeopardy. State Republicans have tried to change Nebraska’s system of awarding electoral votes to the winner-take-all method followed by most other states. GOP Gov. Jim Pillen would be empowered to appoint Cavanaugh’s replacement in the state’s unicameral legislature, potentially handing Nebraska Republicans a key vote in their push.

Cavanaugh had dismissed such concerns, saying Nebraska Democrats will pick up more than enough legislative seats in November to offset the potential loss of his vote.

Outside groups and super PACS spent heavily in the run-up to the primary, a majority of it on Powell’s behalf. One Cavanaugh ad labeled his opponent “Dark Money Denise,” alleging that she built a career as a political operative “orchestrating secret donations from special interests and billionaires.”

Ricketts gets his opponent … or not?

Nebraska also played host Tuesday to a Senate Democratic primary layered with political gamesmanship that featured anti-abortion pastor William Forbes and retired pharmacy technician Cindy Burbank.

Burbank won the contest in a rout – she was leading Forbes 89% to 11% with 92% of votes in, according to the AP – but she has suggested she’s unlikely to participate in the November election against Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts.

Burbank is an outspoken supporter of independent Dan Osborn, a former union leader who Democrats believe holds the best chance of defeating Ricketts. Osborn is making his second Senate bid after losing to GOP Sen. Deb Fischer by 7 points in 2024, when the Democrats did not field a candidate.

Burbank has framed her run as an effort to block Forbes, a self-described Trump voter whom Democrats say was a Republican plant to siphon votes away from Osborn. Forbes has denied the accusation. Burbank has also pledged to drop out of the race once Osborn turns in enough signatures to make the November ballot, so her primary victory appears to clear the way for a Ricketts-Osborn matchup.

Ricketts, a former governor seeking his first full Senate term, prevailed in the Republican primary over four underfunded challengers.

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