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Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (May 12 Democratic primary)

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Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 2, 2020
Primary: May 12, 2020
General: November 3, 2020
Pre-election incumbent:
Don Bacon (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Central time zone); 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Mountain time zone)
Voting in Nebraska
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
Inside Elections: Tilt Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd
Nebraska elections, 2020
U.S. Congress elections, 2020
U.S. Senate elections, 2020
U.S. House elections, 2020

Kara Eastman defeated Ann Ashford and Gladys Harrison in the Democratic primary for Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District on May 12, 2020. Eastman received 61.8% of the vote, followed by Ashford with 31.6% and Harrison with 6.6%. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, every eligible voter received an absentee ballot application in the mail. In-person voting locations remained open as planned.

Healthcare was a distinguishing issue in the race. Eastman said a Medicare for All healthcare plan "would increase efficiencies, reduce overhead costs, allow individuals to choose their provider instead of having to stay in network, eliminate premiums and deductibles, and free employers from having to administer healthcare plans." Ashford, the wife of former Congressman Brad Ashford, criticized Eastman's healthcare policy and said it could not pass in a divided Congress. She said she would support strengthening the Affordable Care Act and offering Medicare on the market as a public option. Harrison said Medicare for All might detract from union-negotiated benefits and also supported a public Medicare option.[1][2][3]

Former Nebraska governors and U.S. senators Ben Nelson and Bob Kerrey endorsed Ashford. Nelson said she would take a "realistic approach when working for the benefit of all of us."[4] U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and groups like Justice Democrats and Democracy for America endorsed Eastman. Justice Democrats Executive Director Alexandra Rojas said Eastman was "part of a new generation of Democrats who will fight for Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, free college, and ending mass incarceration and deportation."[5] For a complete list of endorsements, click here.

In the 2018 general election, incumbent Don Bacon (R) defeated Eastman (D) 51% to 49%. In 2016, Bacon defeated then-incumbent Brad Ashford (D) 48.9% to 47.7%. The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+4, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were four percentage points more Republican than the national average.[6] Click here to learn more about what was at stake in the general election.

This page focuses on Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Nebraska modified its primary election process as follows:

  • Voting procedures: Mail-in ballots sent to all registered voters in the primary election.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.



Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Nebraska District 2

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Kara Eastman
Kara Eastman
 
62.2
 
45,953
Image of Ann Ashford
Ann Ashford
 
31.2
 
23,059
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Gladys Harrison
 
6.7
 
4,920

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 73,932
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Coronavirus

See also: Ballotpedia: Political responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020#Responses by state governments
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Voting in the May 12 election

See also: Voting in Nebraska

This information was current as of 3:30 p.m. Central Time on May 11, 2020.

What changes have been made to voting procedure as a result of the pandemic?

  • On March 26, 2020, Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) and Secretary of State Bob Evnen (R) announced that every registered voter would be mailed an absentee ballot application. Voters were still able to vote in person.[7]

When did my mail ballot need to be returned by?

  • Nebraska law requires that mail-in ballots be received by election clerks' offices by the time polls close on Election Day. This means that a ballot needed to be received by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12. Voters could have directly submitted their mail-in ballot at a dropbox rather than sending it in via mail.[8]

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[9] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.


Ann Ashford

Image of Ann Ashford

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Ashford received a bachelor's degree in government and international studies from the University of Notre Dame in 1982, and a law degree from Creighton University in 1985. As of the 2020 election cycle, she had worked as an attorney and a human resources manager.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Ashford criticized Eastman's support for a Medicare for All healthcare policy and said it could not pass in a divided Congress. Ashford said she would support strengthening the Affordable Care Act and offering Medicare on the market as a public option.

Ashford said she would work with people in both parties to pass legislation. Her campaign website described her as "a pragmatic problem solver who knows what it takes to achieve real results."

Ashford said she would support funding research into gun violence and "enact nationwide requirements for permit to purchase, mandatory waiting periods, and background checks."

Show sources

Sources: Ann Ashford 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed April 12, 2020 | Omaha Word-Herald, "Democrats vying to face Bacon in 2nd District race square off for first time," accessed April 12, 2020|; Ann Ashford 2020 campaign website, "About Ann," accessed April 12, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Nebraska District 2 in 2020.

Kara Eastman

Image of Kara Eastman

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Metropolitan Community College Board of Governors (2015-2019)

Biography:  Eastman received a bachelor's degree in sociology and English from Pitzer College and a master's in clinical social work from Loyola University. She founded the nonprofit Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance in 2006. Eastman was a board member of the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands and was an appointed member of the Mayor of Omaha's Fair Housing Advisory Board. As of the 2020 election, she was president of Kara Eastman Partners, a nonprofit consulting business.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Eastman emphasized her background in nonprofit work and on the Board of Governors of Metropolitan Community College, saying she served local communities by helping create housing for children, creating jobs, and strengthening nondiscrimination policies. 

Eastman said she was running for Congress "because our healthcare is a mess. Politicians and special interests are only making it worse."

Eastman said Bacon, along with Trump, supported tax cuts for billionaires, was too extreme, and wanted to cut Social Security and healthcare. She said Bacon received donations from drug and insurance industries and criticized him for saying "hell yes" to repealing the Affordable Care Act in 2017.

Show sources

Sources: Kara Eastman's 2020 campaign website, "Facts," accessed September 30, 2020; YouTube, "Kara Eastman, Videos," accessed September 30, 2020; Kara Eastman's 2020 campaign website, "Meet Kara," accessed September 30, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Nebraska District 2 in 2020.

Gladys Harrison

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Harrison worked at U.S. West Communications for 22 years and became a member and steward of the Communications Workers of America, Local 7400 union. In 2007, she founded a restaurant with her mother that Harrison owned and operated as of the 2020 election cycle.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Harrison said she would represent working and middle class families. Her campaign website said, "Over the last few decades, the American dream has become just that: A dream and not an achievable reality. The voice of working-class and middle-class Americans have been drowned out by lobbyists and special interest groups."

Harrison said that a Medicare for All healthcare plan might detract from union negotiated benefits. She supported a public Medicare option. 

Harrison said, "Jobs are really important to me, and this coronavirus has proven to all of us that we need to raise the minimum wage."

Show sources

Sources: Gladys Harrison 2020 campaign website, "Home," accessed April 12, 2020 | Omaha Word-Herald, "Democrats vying to face Bacon in 2nd District race square off for first time," accessed April 12, 2020 | YouTube, "Gladys Harrison for Congress 3/20," accessed April 12, 2020|; Gladys Harrison 2020 campaign website, "About Gladys," accessed April 12, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Nebraska District 2 in 2020.


Endorsements

This section lists endorsements issued in this election. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Click on the links below to explore each candidate's full list of endorsements on their campaign websites:

Democratic primary endorsements
Endorsement Ashford Eastman Harrison
Elected officials
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren[10] ✔
Congressman John Delaney[4] ✔
Congressman Ro Khanna[10] ✔
Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester[10] ✔
State Senator Steve Lathrop[4] ✔
State Senator Megan Hunt[10] ✔
State Senator Justin Wayne[10] ✔
Omaha Councilwoman Brenda Council[10] ✔
Omaha Councilman Ben Gray[10] ✔
Omaha Councilman Chris Jerram[4] ✔
Omaha Public School Board President Marque Snow[10] ✔
Omaha Public School Board Member Amanda Ryan[10] ✔
Ralston School Board Member Jay Irwin[10] ✔
Metro Community College Board Chair Maureen Monahan[4] ✔
Metro Community College Board Member Roger Garcia[10] ✔
Metro Community College Board Member Michael Young[10] ✔
Metro Utilities Board of Directors Member Gwen Howard[4] ✔
Metro Utilities Board of Directors Member Jim Begley[4] ✔
Douglas County Commissioner Mike Boyle[10] ✔
Ralston School Board Member Jay Irwin[10] ✔
Westside School Board Treasurer Doug Krenzer[4] ✔
Millard Public School Board Treasurer Amanda McGill Johnson[4] ✔
Nebraska State Education Commissioner Roger Breed[4] ✔
Individuals
Former U.S. Senator Ben Nelson[4] ✔
Former U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey[4] ✔
Former Congressman John Cavanaugh[4] ✔
Former Congressman Brad Ashford[4] ✔
Former Lt. Gov. Kim Robak[4] ✔
Former State Senator Bob Krist[4] ✔
Former State Senator Burke Harr[4] ✔
Former State Senator Tanya Cook[10] ✔
Former Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle[10] ✔
Former Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey[10] ✔
Former Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler[4] ✔
Former Omaha School Board Member Marian Fey[10] ✔
Organizations
National Organization for Women (NOW) PAC[10] ✔
Nebraska Association of Public Employees AFSCME Local 61[10] ✔
SMART Union[10] ✔
Leadership Now Project[10] ✔
Sierra Club[10] ✔
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Local 88[10] ✔
U.S. Congressional Progressive Caucus[10] ✔
Medicare for All PAC[10] ✔
Blue America[10] ✔
#VoteProChoice[10] ✔
Justice Democrats[10] ✔
Democracy for America[10] ✔
Progressive Change Campaign Committee[10] ✔
The Six PAC[10] ✔
Courage to Change PAC[10] ✔
Demand Universal Health Care[10] ✔
Progressive Democrats of America[10] ✔
Food and Water Action PAC[10] ✔
Blue Majority PAC[10] ✔
Defend our Parks PAC[10] ✔
Women for Justice[10] ✔
Brand New Congress[10] ✔
90 For 90[10] ✔
Peace Action[10] ✔
People for the American Way[10] ✔
Nebraska Local SEIU 226[4] ✔
UA Steamfitters & Plumbers Local Union 464[4] ✔

Campaign themes

The following campaign themes and policy positions were listed on the candidates' campaign websites in April 2020, if available.

Ann Ashford

“

Healthcare

  • Strengthen the Affordable Care Act
  • Offer Medicare on the market as a public option; i.e., individuals can choose to be covered by Medicare or a commercial product
  • Limit direct to consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies
  • Pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies

Education and Student Debt

  • Provide the ten-year loan forgiveness now available to some public sector service jobs to all jobs, and reduce repayment terms in exchange for volunteerism
  • Provide employers with tax advantaged solutions for providing employees with a student debt repayment benefit, without negative tax consequences to the employee
  • Provide for student loan debt discharge under bankruptcy laws
  • Develop partnerships among educational entities, including trade schools/programs, private employers, and government to develop training and education programs for new economy jobs
  • Fund universal pre-kindergarten
  • Develop incentives for post-secondary educational institutions and training programs that demonstrate a high placement of students in employment in their chosen fields
  • Consider making community college free for two years after high school provided the student is engaged as a full-time student or in a job training or apprentice program
  • Sponsor legislation to make the salaries of teaching staff in K-12 schools exempt from federal taxation

Gun Violence

  • Authorize and fund research in gun violence, its causes and potential remedies
  • Enact nationwide requirements for permit to purchase, mandatory waiting periods, and background checks
  • Enact “No Fly, No Buy” – if on the no-fly list, a person is not permitted to purchase a firearm
  • Restrict large capacity magazines and suppressors
  • Authorize a commission of law enforcement and health care professionals to recommend what weapons should be considered assault weapons and therefore be banned
  • Ensure red flag laws are in place throughout the U.S.

Infrastructure

  • Address technology deserts in the rural and low-income urban areas to ensure greater affordable access to high-speed internet and related technology services
  • Invest in 21st century expertise and training in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors to increase U.S. competitiveness around the world and bring high paying jobs to U.S. workers
  • Prioritize infrastructure investment in roads, bridges, and transportation in the budget with public-private partnerships evaluated as a vehicle to address the funding needs
  • Address the impact of flooding and irregular weather patterns with modern infrastructure solutions

International Relations

  • Adopt Authorization for Use of Military Force legislation to establish time limits and review of military actions
  • Restore our global leadership in the world by supporting our allies, and not our adversaries
  • Encourage multilateral trade agreements that reflect our values as a nation

Women’s Issues

  • Title X needs to be funded and applied to Planned Parenthood and similarly situated clinics
  • Fund access to birth control, prevention and education to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies
  • Equal pay for equal work needs to be part of every piece of legislation covering workers and the workplace

Immigration

  • Pass DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) legislation that includes citizenship and provides a pathway to citizenship to DACA family members
  • Prohibit separation of families at the border
  • Establish an earned pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who have met criteria, similar to the plan passed by the Senate in 2013
  • Guest Worker programs should be modernized and reflect the needs of our economy

Border Control

  • Use 21st century solutions to secure the border, strengthening high-tech modes of border security
  • Prohibit separation of families at the border
  • Adequately fund processing of asylum seekers

Trade

  • Regulate and legislate with the goal of free and fair trade, expanding U.S. global trade. Trade wars to impact non-economic disputes is bad policy
  • Environmental and worker protections need to be included in every trade agreement negotiated by the U.S.
  • Reform the WTO processes to address unfair trade effectively and in a timely manner with imposition of sanctions where appropriate
  • Adopt a 21st century industrial policy to prepare our workers to compete in a global economy
  • Fund a robust displaced worker policy to retrain workers impacted by economic changes

Climate

  • Return the United States to the Paris Climate Agreement
  • Legislation and regulation implemented to facilitate government and private industry working together to move away from fossil fuels and develop renewable energy along with the storage and transmission for renewable sources
  • Establish both aspirational and cost-effective benchmarks to reduce pollutants
  • Adopt policies that offer tax incentives for renewable energy sources
  • Support sustainable agriculture technologies
  • Support reduction of plastic bags and bottles, and support technologies that reconstitute plastic waste
  • Support ethanol use[11]
 ”
—Ann Ashford 2020 campaign website[1]


Kara Eastman

“

The Economy:

We have a $2 trillion investment gap in infrastructure, and we must restore our global competitive advantage through public-private partnerships and large investments in infrastructure to provide well-paying jobs across our country. I fully support Davis-Bacon wages on these kinds of federal projects. We also must raise the minimum wage and continue to foster trades programs within our community college system. I support economic opportunities that combat climate change as a way to create great jobs locally and invest in energy efficient housing. We must expand lending opportunities from credit unions and lower interest rates to small businesses, especially those in blighted communities, which in turn create jobs. We must ensure that all our citizens can achieve the American dream.

Gun Safety:

As a mom, I am outraged by the lack of movement we have seen in the country on this issue. Groups like the NRA have commandeered the discussion. This is a public health menace, and the common-sense solutions are supported by 85 to 90% of Americans. Universal background checks, mandatory waiting periods, smart technology, age requirements, and a ban on the sale of weapons of war would help ensure our children are not gunned down in their schools or playgrounds.

Health Care:

I believe that healthcare is a human right and that no one in the United States should have to choose between seeking medical care and putting food on the table. Ninety-two percent of Americans favor lower prescription drug prices and over 70% favor importing medicine from Canada. The federal government is slated to spend over $34 trillion on healthcare over the next decade. Transforming our healthcare system would save the government over $2 trillion over that same period. It would increase efficiencies, reduce overhead costs, allow individuals to choose their provider instead of having to stay in network, eliminate premiums and deductibles, and free employers from having to administer healthcare plans.

Immigration:

NE-CD2 has over 100,000 immigrants who contribute to key sectors of our economy and help build the fabric of our diverse community. The current administration’s policies of separating families, imprisoning babies without access to basic needs, and rounding up hard-working immigrants is immoral and un-American. They are more concerned with scoring political points with their base than they are with border security. Now is the time for us to make significant investments in smart technology, work-force development, and foreign aid. Other solutions that transform our immigration system include hiring more immigration judges and fully staffing ports of entry. We must make law-abiding Dreamers citizens and ensure that immigrants who follow the law can earn a lawful presence in our country.

Income Inequality:

The World Bank puts our income inequality on par with some of the poorest and unequal nations in the world. This is dangerous for our economy and damaging to our collective sense of morality. The GOP Tax Plan was a clear hand-out to the very wealthy and large corporations that simply do not need welfare. It was shown to have raised taxes on the middle class and exempted those who can afford to pay their fair share - this is not fiscal responsibility. We need to ensure that all Americans have a livable wage, are not drowning in student loans and healthcare costs, have healthy, affordable housing, and have a way to care for their children while they go to work. We also need to regulate banks and Wall Street and tax financial transactions to help pay down our debt.

Racial and Social Justice:

I have spent my career fighting for racial and social justice, working in blighted communities, and running nonprofit organizations that center on empowering communities of color. In Omaha, I have focused my work on jobs creation and economic and community development, specifically in North and South Omaha. In Congress, I will work to repair the systemic inequalities people of color face in our district. This includes focusing on economic inequality, access to reliable transportation, healthy, affordable housing, debt-free education, and workforce development. This will also include reforming our criminal justice system by ending the school to prison pipeline, through bail reform and by the decriminalization of marijuana.

Restoring our Democracy:

I support a government which is efficient and transparent. The current administration has too many ties to large corporations, not to mention business arrangements with some of our foreign adversaries. Similarly, my Republican opponent accepts a great deal of corporate PAC money from special interests. This is wrong, and I will not accept corporate PAC dollars. I also think “dark” money should not be allowed to corrupt our elections. Therefore, I stand against the 2010 Supreme Court decision Citizens United. Gerrymandering must be ended, and citizen commissions should draw fair, non-partisan districts. Participation in our electoral democracy must be increased through automatic voter registration and by ending voter suppression tactics. Finally, I have seen how difficult it is for candidates who do not come from wealth to raise funds and want to move toward public funding of federal election campaigns.

Veteran's Affairs:

The Department of Veterans Affairs will have to serve well over 4 million veterans in the next 20 years. One trillion dollars of the costs of our post-9/11 wars are directly tied to healthcare for vets. I support ensuring the VA provides timely, high quality healthcare, including dental care, to veterans. I also support programs that address some of the unmet needs of veterans such as education, mental health, and housing.

Women's Rights and Family:

I trust women to make decisions about their own health and about their families, and I support the ideal of reproductive justice. I believe that access to birth control is a fundamental right of privacy in the United States. Pre-K schooling must be available to all, so that parents are able to provide their children with a quality early education. I also passionately support family leave and paid sick days as well as equal pay for women. In addition, there must be public and private investments in childcare to ensure these kinds of services are accessible to all.[11]

”
—Kara Eastman 2020 campaign website[2]


Gladys Harrison

“

40 years ago, it was commonplace for people to be able to graduate from high school or college and find a good job with good benefits that allowed them to buy a home, send their children to college, save for retirement, buy a new car every few years, take a family vacation, and even leave a little money to their children to help them build for their future. Nothing extravagant; just what most people think of as the American dream.

Over the last few decades, the American dream has become just that: A dream and not an achievable reality. The voice of working-class and middle-class Americans have been drowned out by lobbyists and special interest groups. This, combined with the astronomical cost of health care, the burden of student debt, and the lack of jobs that pay a decent wage, have led many Americans to have to work two or even three jobs just to make ends meet.

Having had the experience of raising 3 children as a single parent and owning a small business, I am dealing with many of these same issues. For far too long we have not had a seat at the table, and our voices are not being heard by those we have elected to represent us. This is why I have decided to run for Congress in Nebraska’s 2nd district. I am concerned that the rhetoric coming from some politicians in Washington is trying to divide us based on superficial differences. In Congress, I will be a voice for working- and middle-class families in this district, to find solutions based on values that we all have in common: To have a good-paying job, to provide for our families, to have a nice home in a safe neighborhood, to have good schools for our children, and to have affordable, quality healthcare. My parents taught me that being of service is the most important characteristic of a leader. Serving the needs of every Nebraskan will be my top priority as your Congresswoman.[11]

”
—Gladys Harrison 2020 campaign website[3]


Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Ann Ashford

"The One Democrat Who Can Win" - Ashford campaign ad, released April 13, 2020
"Let's Make Progress on Issues that Matter to Nebraska" - Ashford campaign ad, released March 26, 2020
"Ann Ashford for Congress" - Ashford campaign ad, released June 13, 2019


Kara Eastman

"Kara Eastman for Congress" - Eastman campaign ad, released April 1, 2020
"Don't Believe Their Lies - Don Bacon and his DC Buddies" - Eastman campaign ad, released November 30, 2019
"Kara Eastman for Congress" - Eastman campaign ad, released November 30, 2019
"Kara Eastman for Congress!" - Eastman campaign ad, released August 7, 2019


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.


Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[12] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[13] The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Ann Ashford Democratic Party $511,334 $511,256 $78 As of December 31, 2020
Kara Eastman Democratic Party $4,524,583 $4,578,199 $29,232 As of December 31, 2020
Gladys Harrison Democratic Party $34,276 $34,276 $0 As of May 31, 2020

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.


Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[14][15][16]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.


Primaries in Nebraska

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. In Nebraska, participation rules for primaries vary by the office up for election. State legislative primaries use a nonpartisan top-two primary system in which any voter can participate. Congressional primaries are partisan, but any voter may vote in the congressional primary of their choice. For all other statewide offices, a state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters to vote their primary ballot.

As of September 2025, the Democratic Party held a semi-closed primary in which registered party members and unaffiliated voters could participate, and the Republican Party held a closed primary in which only registered party members could participate.


What was at stake in the general election

U.S. House elections were held on November 3, 2020, and coincided with the 2020 presidential election. All 435 House districts were up for election, and the results determined control of the U.S. House in the 117th Congress.

At the time of the election, Democrats had a 232-197 advantage over Republicans. There was one Libertarian member, and there were five vacancies. Republicans needed to gain a net 21 seats to win control of the House. Democrats needed to gain seats or lose fewer than 14 net seats to keep their majority.

In the 2018 midterm election, Democrats had a net gain of 40 seats, winning a 235-200 majority in the House. Heading into the 2018 election, Republicans had a 235-193 majority with seven vacancies.

In the 25 previous House elections that coincided with a presidential election, the president's party had gained House seats in 16 elections and lost seats in nine. In years where the president's party won districts, the average gain was 18. In years where the president's party lost districts, the average loss was 27. Click here for more information on presidential partisanship and down-ballot outcomes.


General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[17]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[18][19][20]

Race ratings: Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020
Race trackerRace ratings
November 3, 2020October 27, 2020October 20, 2020October 13, 2020
The Cook Political ReportToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesTilt DemocraticToss-upToss-upToss-up
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean RepublicanToss-upToss-upLean Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+4, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 4 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District the 204th most Republican nationally.[21]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.05. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.05 points toward that party.[22]

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

One of 93 Nebraska counties—1.08 percent—is a Pivot County. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Thurston County, Nebraska 5.94% 13.91% 6.96%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Nebraska with 58.7 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 33.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1868 and 2016, Nebraska voted Republican 82 percent of the time and Democratic 18 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Nebraska voted Republican all five times.[23]

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state Senate districts in Nebraska. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[24][25]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 10 out of 49 state Senate districts in Nebraska with an average margin of victory of 26.2 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 12 out of 49 state Senate districts in Nebraska with an average margin of victory of 22.8 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 39 out of 49 state Senate districts in Nebraska with an average margin of victory of 31.1 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 37 out of 49 state Senate districts in Nebraska with an average margin of victory of 38.3 points. Trump won five districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


Candidate ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for 2nd Congressional District candidates in Nebraska in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Nebraska, click here.

Filing requirements, 2020
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Nebraska 2nd Congressional District Qualified party N/A N/A $1,740.00 1% of annual salary 3/2/2020 Source
Nebraska 2nd Congressional District Unaffiliated 2,000 20% of registered in the district who voted for governor in 2018, or 2,000, whichever is less $1,740.00 1% of annual salary 9/1/2020 Source

District election history

2018

See also: Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Nebraska District 2

Incumbent Don Bacon defeated Kara Eastman in the general election for U.S. House Nebraska District 2 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Don Bacon
Don Bacon (R)
 
51.0
 
126,715
Image of Kara Eastman
Kara Eastman (D) Candidate Connection
 
49.0
 
121,770

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 248,485
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Nebraska District 2

Kara Eastman defeated Brad Ashford in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Nebraska District 2 on May 15, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Kara Eastman
Kara Eastman Candidate Connection
 
51.6
 
21,357
Image of Brad Ashford
Brad Ashford
 
48.4
 
19,998

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 41,355
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Nebraska District 2

Incumbent Don Bacon advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Nebraska District 2 on May 15, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Don Bacon
Don Bacon
 
100.0
 
33,852

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 33,852
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District election, 2016

Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District was a battleground district in 2016. Don Bacon (R) defeated Democratic incumbent Brad Ashford and Steven Laird (L) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Bacon defeated Chip Maxwell to win the Republican primary, while Laird defeated Andy Shambaugh and Jeffrey Lynn Stein to win the Libertarian nomination. The primary elections took place on May 10, 2016.[26][27]

U.S. House, Nebraska District 2 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDon Bacon 48.9% 141,066
     Democratic Brad Ashford Incumbent 47.7% 137,602
     Libertarian Steven Laird 3.3% 9,640
Total Votes 288,308
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State


U.S. House, Nebraska District 2 Republican Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngDon Bacon 66% 32,328
Chip Maxwell 34% 16,677
Total Votes 49,005
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State
U.S. House, Nebraska District 2 Libertarian Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngSteven Laird 46.2% 108
Andy Shambaugh 38% 89
Jeffrey Lynn Stein 15.8% 37
Total Votes 234
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State

State profile

See also: Nebraska and Nebraska elections, 2019
USA Nebraska location map.svg

Partisan data

The information in this section was current as of May 7, 2019

Presidential voting pattern

  • Nebraska voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Congressional delegation

State executives

  • Democrats held one and Republicans held 10 of Nebraska's 21 state executive offices. Elections for the other offices are nonpartisan.
  • Nebraska's governor was Republican Pete Ricketts.

State legislature

  • Republicans controlled the Nebraska State Senate with a 30-18 majority, although senators are technically nonpartisan.

Nebraska Party Control: 1992-2024
Seven years of Democratic trifectas  •  Twenty-seven years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nebraska quick stats
  • Became a state in 1867
  • 37th state admitted to the United States
  • Nebraska is the only triply landlocked state in the country.
  • Members of the Nebraska State Senate: 49
  • U.S. senators: 2
  • U.S. representatives: 3
More Nebraska coverage on Ballotpedia:


Demographic data for Nebraska
 NebraskaU.S.
Total population:1,893,765316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):76,8243,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:88.1%73.6%
Black/African American:4.7%12.6%
Asian:2%5.1%
Native American:0.9%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:2.2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:10%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:90.7%86.7%
College graduation rate:29.3%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$52,997$53,889
Persons below poverty level:14.6%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Nebraska.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ann Ashford 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed April 9, 2020
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kara Eastman 2020 campaign website, "ON THE ISSUES," accessed April 9, 2020
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Gladys Harrison 2020 campaign website, "WHY I'M RUNNING," accessed April 9, 2020
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 Facebook, "Ann Ashford 2020 campaign," accessed April 12, 2020
  5. ↑ The Hill, "Justice Democrats endorses two progressives challenging Democratic incumbents," accessed April 21, 2020
  6. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  7. ↑ Lincoln Journal Star, "All Nebraska primary voters will be invited to vote by mail if they wish," March 26, 2020
  8. ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "What will look different at the polls on Nebraska's pandemic Election Day," May 11, 2020
  9. ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16 10.17 10.18 10.19 10.20 10.21 10.22 10.23 10.24 10.25 10.26 10.27 10.28 10.29 10.30 10.31 10.32 10.33 10.34 10.35 10.36 10.37 10.38 10.39 10.40 10.41 10.42 Kara Eastman 2020 Campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 10, 2020
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  12. ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
  13. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
  14. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
  15. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
  16. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
  17. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  18. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  19. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  20. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  21. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  22. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  23. ↑ 270towin.com, "Nebraska," accessed July 30, 2017
  24. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  25. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  26. ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Statewide Candidate List," March 2, 2016
  27. ↑ The New York Times, "Nebraska Primary Results," May 10, 2016
  28. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013


Nebraska's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Deb Fischer (R)
Pete Ricketts (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
Don Bacon (R)
District 3
Republican Party (5)


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