Word of Bacon’s decision has caused national shockwaves, in one of the most competitive congressional districts nationally
By: Juan Salinas II
Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — Nebraska Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon appears poised to leave Congress in early 2027.
One House Republican strategist who works on campaigns across the country said Bacon was not running for reelection and that he had already telegraphed what he was going to do. He spoke to the Examiner Friday on the condition that he not be named publicly, because he was not authorized to share the decision.
“Don’t get me wrong,” the consultant said. “This seat is tougher without Bacon, but he’s not special. It can be done.”
Five other local Republican sources familiar with Bacon’s choice confirmed that he had decided to skip the 2026 race. They echoed Friday evening reports from Washington, D.C., including from Punchbowl News.
No immediate comment
Bacon’s campaign had no immediate comment on the reports. But people who know politics in Nebraska’s Omaha-based 2nd District had been buzzing for days about the possibility of Bacon making a decision as soon as next week. Bacon had planned to meet with local reporters early next week.
Part of the buzz came from a group of Nebraska Republicans waiting on Bacon’s decision, a list that local conservatives have said includes former State Sen. Brett Lindstrom and Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding, and might also include Bacon’s 2024 GOP primary challenger, Dan Frei.
Bacon, in recent interviews with the Nebraska Examiner and other publications, had been hinting that he might step away, with the retired Air Force brigadier saying that he had to speak with his family and decide. Bacon’s decision would cause national political shockwaves, as Bacon represents one of a handful of true swing districts left nationally, one that is Nebraska’s most political divided and diverse.
Diverse swing district
The 2nd District includes all of Douglas and Saunders Counties and a significant slice of western suburban and rural Sarpy County. The district includes the state’s largest concentration of Democrats and was redistricted to include a larger swath of Republican-leaning rural voters in Wahoo and surrounding areas.
Neither the Nebraska Republican Party nor the National Republican Congressional Committee had any immediate comment.
“The writing has been on the wall for months,” said Madison Andrus, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the campaign arm of congressional Democrats.
Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, tweeted after Punchbowl News’ Jake Sherman tweeted the news that local Democrats have been ready.
“Don Bacon and all the Republicans who give Trump cover see the writing on the wall–voters actually want politicians to focus on issues that impact our pocket books not made up culture wars,” she said.
Candidates lining up
She touted the Democrats who have already announced, including political action committee co-founder and business owner Denise Powell and State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha. Before word of Bacon’s future broke on Friday, a third major Democrat confirmed she is considering a bid, Douglas County District Court Clerk Crystal Rhoades.
Powell, in a statement, thanks Bacon for his service in the military and in Congress and said it “takes courage to recognize when a fresh perspective is warranted.”
“This district is clearly ready for — and deserves — change,” Powell said.
Cavanaugh, in a statement, thanked Bacon “for his decades of service to his country” and wished him well.
“The people of Nebraska’s 2nd District know it’s time for a change,” Cavanaugh said.
Rhoades, in a statement, said Bacon had “finally realized what has been obvious to all of us: Republicans can’t defend their record this year.”
“Costs are going up, they’re cutting healthcare, but they’re giving tax breaks to billionaires,” Rhoades said.
Bacon has been able to fend off multiple Democratic challengers in recent years, thanks in part to the district’s slight GOP tilt. Now, it could be a mad dash for both parties toward an open seat.
National attention
The retired Air Force brigadier general gained national attention for being one of the few Republicans to criticize President Donald Trump, though, despite Bacon’s criticism, he often ended up siding with his party as a reliable GOP vote. He survived pointed criticism from Trump and multiple attempts to recruit a GOP challenger from the president and his political team.
Bacon most recently defeated former State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha in back-to-back elections. Before that, he defeated Omaha progressive Kara Eastman in two successive contests. And he won election in 2016 by defeating the last Democrat to hold the “blue dot” seat, the late-U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford, D-Neb.
Besides the two highest-profile Democratic candidates in the race, Mark Johnston and Evangelos Argyrakis have confirmed they are running.
Whoever emerges from the 2026 Democratic primary will have to tangle with a former gubernatorial candidate in Lindstrom, a longtime City Council member in Harding or perhaps a state officeholder on the Republican side.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report just shifted the Omaha-based House to lean Democrat from lean Republican.
Examiner Editor-in-chief Aaron Sanderford contributed to this report.