Denise Powell Flips Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District Seat

Democrat Denise Powell won the election for Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday, flipping the seat from Republican control. Powell defeated Republican Brinker Harding and Libertarian Eric Foreman to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Representative Don Bacon. Unofficial results placed Powell's victory at 56.4%, while Decision Desk HQ reported her leading 59 percent to 39 percent with 71 percent of the vote counted.

Powell, a Democratic activist and cofounder of Women Who Run Nebraska, becomes the first woman and first Latina to represent the district. Her campaign focused on economic growth, lowering costs, Medicaid reform, minimum wage expansion, and an overhaul of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She frequently criticized the Trump administration for rising prices, stating that Nebraska families are struggling to pay bills and rent.

Brinker Harding, the Vice President of the Omaha City Council, conceded the race after receiving endorsements from President Donald Trump and Don Bacon. Harding had based his campaign on his professional experience and the growth of Omaha. In a separate state contest, Republican incumbent Pete Ricketts secured a second term in the U.S. Senate, defeating Independent challenger Dan Osborn with 50.2% of the unofficial vote.