Denise Powell wins Democratic primary in Nebraska’s ‘blue dot’ 2nd District
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Denise Powell won the Democratic primary for Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, a key battleground known as a "blue dot" in presidential elections, where Democrats have won three of the last five contests since 2008.
- Powell narrowly defeated state Sen. John Cavanaugh by 2.1 percentage points and will face Republican Brinker Harding, an Omaha City Council member endorsed by former President Donald Trump, in the general election.
- The 2nd District is highly competitive and significant nationally, as Nebraska splits its electoral votes, and Democrats aim to flip the seat currently held by retiring Republican Rep. Don Bacon.
- Powell, a Latina political activist with strong progressive support, has never held elected office but is backed by groups like EMILY’s List and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, appealing to a large independent and third-party voter base.
- Nebraska Republicans are mobilizing to defend the seat against what they call a “radical left” effort to flip the district, emphasizing the high stakes of the race ahead of the midterm elections.