Denise Powell projected to win Democratic primary in key Nebraska district

Denise Powell, a governmental organizer, won the competitory Democratic superior successful Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, CBS News projected, amid concerns that different starring hopeful successful the contention risked harming the enactment successful statesmanlike politics. 

Powell volition look Republican Brinker Harding, a subordinate of the Omaha City Council, successful the wide election. Harding did not person a challenger successful the superior to regenerate GOP Rep. Don Bacon, who is retiring aft a decennary successful Congress. 

Though the Omaha-area territory has been successful GOP hands for each but 2 years successful the past 3 decades, the territory has voted Democrat successful 3 of the past 5 statesmanlike elections. 

Nebraska, a solidly Republican state, allocates its Electoral College votes by legislature district, alternatively of winner-take-all, giving Democrats a accidental to contradict Republicans of astatine slightest 1 electoral ballot successful the statesmanlike election. The ballot could instrumentality connected greater value successful a adjacent contention for the White House. 

In 2024, President Trump and his allies unsuccessfully pressured Nebraska Republicans to alteration the allocation to winner-take-all for the state. Kamala Harris won the territory — known arsenic the "blue dot" — that year. Barack Obama won the territory successful 2008, followed by Mitt Romney successful 2012, Mr. Trump successful 2016 and Joe Biden successful 2020. 

The state's electoral strategy was a cardinal contented successful the Democratic primary. 

Powell warned that if authorities Sen. John Cavanaugh had won the contention and went connected to flip the House spot successful November, Republicans could beryllium emboldened to effort again to alteration the electoral strategy to winner-take-all oregon redraw the legislature representation due to the fact that Cavanaugh would person to resign his seat. 

Republican Gov. Jim Pillen would person past appointed Cavanaugh's replacement, perchance giving the enactment much enactment successful opposing the existent electoral strategy of splitting votes. The 2024 effort fell abbreviated aft a azygous Republican authorities legislator announced his opposition. 

Powell accused Cavanaugh of jeopardizing the "blue dot" for "for his ain governmental ambitions." 

"We cannot spend a campaigner whose run hands Republicans the votes to gerrymander america into oblivion," Powell said successful a connection Friday. "Sending John Cavanaugh retired of the Unicameral and into a legislature spot helium can't support is precisely however we suffer NE-02 — not conscionable successful November, but for the foreseeable future." 

Cavanaugh had a conception of his run website pushing backmost connected the attacks that his candidacy harms the district's "blue dot" status. 

"John would not resign until January, meaning by the clip helium resigns, caller senators volition beryllium elected. Half the Legislature is up for predetermination this year, and elected Democrats successful Nebraska are assured that they volition prime up much than capable seats successful November to offset John's vote," his website says.