Denise Powell wins Democratic primary for top House battleground district in Nebraska

Political organizer Denise Powell won the Democratic nomination in Nebraska’s 2nd District, NBC News projects, emerging from a tough primary fight into one of her party’s best opportunities to flip seats this year.

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Powell narrowly beat state Sen. John Cavanaugh in a race that featured five other Democratic candidates on the ballot. Powell had 39% to Cavanaugh’s 37% in the primary, with about 90% of the expected votes counted.

She will advance to a general election matchup against Omaha City Council member Brinker Harding, who ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Several large outside groups intervened in the primary. Powell, who was considered the more moderate candidate, was supported by EMILY’s List, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus BOLD PAC and Elect Democratic Women. Cavanaugh, a progressive, was endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, the Nebraska AFL-CIO and nearly a dozen other local unions.

Nebraska’s 2nd District has been a top target for Democrats for several election cycles, but Republican Rep. Don Bacon’s decision to retire at the end of his term has renewed enthusiasm among Democrats hoping to win his seat.

Bacon served five terms in the Omaha district, winning its elections by 1 to 5 percentage points each time, including when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won it in the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections. It is one of three House districts won by a Republican in 2024 that Harris also won.

In an interview Friday before the primaries, Powell dismissed concerns that a bruising ad campaign against her — including one from Cavanaugh and his allies calling her “dark money Denise” — would hurt her chances in the general election.

“I’m pretty confident that whatever happens Tuesday night, for the most part, I think Nebraska Democrats see that this is a tremendous opportunity,” she said.

Democratic candidates and their allies spent more than $5 million on television ads ahead of the primaries, according to AdImpact.

Powell added that local party leaders have asked candidates in the Democratic primary to unite behind the eventual nominee, regardless of who wins.

“I think ultimately we all want to overturn this seat,” she said.

Democrats need to win at least three seats to overturn the House majority in November. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report, with Amy Walter, calls the 2nd District race a “Lean Democrat.”