Without Don Bacon, can Republicans win Nebraska’s ‘blue dot’?

Published October 9, 2026 6:00am ET



Retiring Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) has managed to keep Nebraska’s “blue dot” in Republican hands for a decade despite its leftward shift, but now, his retirement is giving Democrats their clearest opening yet to flip the Omaha-area seat.

Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District has been dubbed the state’s “blue dot,” with former Vice President Kamala Harris having won the district by roughly 4 points in 2024. Bacon, a centrist who hasn’t been afraid to break with President Donald Trump, managed to win it at the same time by just 6,000 votes.

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