Trending Now - Denise Powell Emerges Victorious in Nebraska's Democratic Primary
WHO:
CBS News - Denise Powell, a political organizer, won the Democratic primary in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District.
CBS News - Brinker Harding, a member of the Omaha City Council, will be Powell's opponent in the general election.
CBS News - Don Bacon, the current Republican representative, is retiring after a decade in Congress.
CBS News - John Cavanaugh, a state senator, was a leading hopeful in the Democratic primary.
WHAT:
NPR - Denise Powell defeated State Sen. John Cavanaugh by about 2 percentage points in the Democratic primary, with 89 percent of votes counted.
NPR - The Democratic primary attracted more than $5.6 million in outside ad spending, according to a review of Federal Election Commission filings by Nebraska Public Media.
CBS News - Denise Powell warned that if John Cavanaugh had won the primary, Republicans could attempt to change the electoral system or redraw the congressional map.
CBS News - Powell stated, "We cannot afford a candidate whose campaign hands Republicans the votes to gerrymander us into oblivion."
CBS News - Cavanaugh's campaign website claimed he would not resign until January, allowing new senators to be elected before any potential vacancy.
CBS News - Denise Powell was projected to win the competitive Democratic primary.
CBS News - The Omaha-area district has been held by Republicans for all but two years in the last three decades.
CBS News - The district has voted Democrat in three of the last five presidential elections.
CBS News - Nebraska allocates its Electoral College votes by congressional district, allowing Democrats a chance to secure at least one electoral vote.
CBS News - In 2024, President Trump and his allies pressured Nebraska Republicans to change the allocation to winner-take-all.
CBS News - Kamala Harris won the district in 2024.
WHERE:
CBS News - Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, also referred to as the "blue dot."
WHY:
NPR - Some Democrats worried that losing a seat in a reliable district would have helped the GOP change how the state awards its electoral votes for president.
CBS News - Powell accused Cavanaugh of jeopardizing the district's "blue dot" status for "his own political ambitions."
CBS News - Powell expressed concerns that if Cavanaugh won, Republicans could attempt to change the electoral system or redraw the congressional map.
CBS News - Powell accused Cavanaugh of jeopardizing the district's "blue dot" status for his own political ambitions.
HOW:
CBS News - Powell stated that sending Cavanaugh to Congress could lead to losing the district in November and for the foreseeable future.
CBS News - Cavanaugh's campaign website claimed he would not resign until January, allowing new senators to be elected before any potential vacancy.
(UPDATED May 14, 2026 07:51 UTC)
Denise Powell has narrowly defeated State Senator John Cavanaugh by approximately two percentage points in the Democratic primary, with 89 percent of the votes counted. This primary saw over $5.6 million in outside ad spending, as reported by Nebraska Public Media, highlighting the intense competition. Some Democrats expressed concern that losing a seat in this reliable district could potentially aid the GOP in altering how Nebraska awards its electoral votes in presidential elections.
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(UPDATED May 14, 2026 04:18 UTC)
Denise Powell has raised concerns that if John Cavanaugh had won the primary, Republicans might try to alter the electoral system or redraw the congressional map. She emphasized the stakes, stating, "We cannot afford a candidate whose campaign hands Republicans the votes to gerrymander us into oblivion," while accusing Cavanaugh of jeopardizing the district's "blue dot" status for his own political ambitions. Meanwhile, Cavanaugh's campaign website indicated he would not resign until January, allowing for the election of new senators before any potential vacancy.
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(UPDATED May 14, 2026 01:37 UTC)
Denise Powell has won the Democratic primary in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, setting the stage for a general election showdown against Omaha City Council member Brinker Harding. The current Republican representative, Don Bacon, is retiring after a decade in Congress, and Powell has raised concerns that if state senator John Cavanaugh had won the primary, it could jeopardize the district's Democratic leanings. Powell emphasized that sending Cavanaugh to Congress might threaten the district's "blue dot" status, which has been crucial for Democrats in securing electoral votes.