Democrat Denise Powell leads on fundraising in a crowded 2nd District House race.
The co-founder of Women Who Run Nebraska, a political action committee supporting campaigns for progressive women, raised $1.04 million in 2025, entering 2026 with $624,760 cash on hand, according to the most recent filings from the Federal Election Commission.
Lone Republican candidate Brinker Harding raised $876,929 in 2025, entering 2026 with $543,996 cash on hand.
Democrat John Cavanaugh announced his campaign in June as the second major Democratic challenger in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District. The current state senator raised $674,113 in 2025 and entered 2026 with $410,998.
In all, seven candidates will vie for the seat held by Rep. Don Bacon, six Democrats and one Republican. Republican Brett Lindstrom, a former state lawmaker, dropped out of the race last week.
Bacon has represented Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes all of Douglas and Saunders Counties and the western part of Sarpy County, since 2017. He narrowly defeated former State Sen. Tony Vargas in the 2024 election by less than two percentage points.
The 2026 race is listed as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.
Powell wrote in an op-ed published in December that she is running to rebuild trust and transparency within government.
“I’m running for Congress because I believe Nebraskans deserve someone who knows what it’s like to balance work, family, and the chaos of everyday life.” Powell wrote.
Harding, who has served on the Omaha City Council since 2017, has received endorsements from leading Republicans in the state, including Gov. Jim Pillen, Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Bacon.
His platform includes reining in government spending, hardline immigration policy and tax cuts for working families and small businesses.
Cavanaugh, who has represented a midtown Omaha district in the Nebraska Legislature since 2021, said he is running for Congress to stand up for working families, veterans and seniors and to stand up to President Donald Trump.
In the race for Nebraska governor, incumbent Jim Pillen is far ahead on fundraising. The Republican governor raised $7.8 million in the fourth quarter, bringing his campaign’s cash total to more than $10 million heading into 2026.
That is a huge advantage over Democratic candidate Lynne Walz, who announced her candidacy late last month and recorded $416,360 in fundraising in the fourth quarter.
Nebraska’s Senate race pits Independent Dan Osborn against Republican incumbent and former Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts. Osborn enters 2026 with $575,663 cash on hand and $2.12 million raised in 2025. Ricketts took in about $3.6 million in 2025 and started the new year with $557,128 on hand, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.
Republican Mike Flood leads fundraising in the race for Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District with $1.2 million on hand.
And Republican Adrian Smith leads Nebraska’s 3rd Congressional District with $1.3 million cash on hand at the start of 2026.