State Sen. John Cavanaugh announces run for Congress in 2nd District

A second major Democratic challenger in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District has officially announced his campaign for the seat currently held by Republican Rep. Don Bacon.

State Sen. John 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.

“I have fought to protect access to reproductive health care for all women,” Cavanaugh said. “I have stopped regressive tax increases and delivered meaningful tax cuts for families and small businesses. I have always worked to make Nebraska a more equitable place for all people.”

Cavanaugh will face Denise Powell, the co-founder of Women Who Run Nebraska, a political action committee supporting campaigns for progressive women, in the Democratic primary.

“In my work across our state, I’ve heard time and time again that for too many Nebraskans, the Good Life is getting harder to come by,” Powell said. “I’ve talked to business owners, farmers, moms, and young people all across Nebraska and they’re all feeling the pinch and uncertainty for our future."

A spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee provided a statement critical of both of Bacon’s potential Democratic opponents.

“Out-of-touch Democrat John Cavanaugh has proven time and time again that he will prioritize his radical far left agenda ahead of Nebraskans,” it read. “While Denise Powell and Cavanaugh are set for a race to left, Don Bacon continues to deliver common sense results for Nebraskans."

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.