Nebraska's 2nd congressional district

History

While the rest of the state's electorate tends to be solidly Republican, the 2nd district is much more closely divided between the Republican and Democratic parties. In the 2010s, the district became known as a swing district; it was one of two districts with a margin of less than 5% in all elections held after the 2010 census. Since 2000, it has backed the electoral winner of the presidential election with the exceptions of 2012 and 2024.

Since 1992, Nebraska is one of only two states in the United States that distributes their electoral votes for president by both congressional district and statewide popular vote (the other being Maine). In the 2008 United States presidential election, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama targeted the district as a strategy of breaking a potential electoral-vote tie. He won the district's electoral vote by a margin of 3,325 votes over Republican John McCain, who won the state's other four electoral votes. Obama's victory in the 2nd district meant that Nebraska's electoral delegation was split for the first time ever, and the first Nebraskan electoral vote for a Democrat since 1964. In 2014, longtime Representative Lee Terry, a Republican, was ousted by Democratic challenger Brad Ashford, one of only two Republican incumbents that cycle to lose their seat.

In 2016, Republican Donald Trump won only a plurality of the 2nd district over Democrat Hillary Clinton; he won only 2% over Clinton, a sharp reduction of Romney's seven-point advantage over Obama. Republican Don Bacon also bested one-term Democrat Brad Ashford to win the seat and has held the seat since. In 2020, Trump notably targeted the district in a fashion similar to Obama as Democrat Joe Biden polled at an advantage in the district. Trump's campaigning in the district drew criticism after rally attendees were left stranded in freezing temperatures due to transportation issues. Biden ultimately won in the district over Trump by six points, nearly matching Romney's margin over Obama. Precious McKesson cast the electoral vote, making her the first woman of color in the state to cast an Electoral college ballot. On August 17, 2024, Nebraska native and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz campaigned in the district to win it over once again. Democrats have nicknamed the district the 'blue dot' from its depiction on electoral maps surrounded by red states.

Demographics

According to the APM Research Lab's Voter Profile Tools (featuring the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey), the district contained about 473,000 potential voters (citizens, age 18+). Of these, 80% are White, 9% Black, and 6% Latino. Immigrants make up 5% of the district's potential voters. The median income among households (with one or more potential voters) in the district is about $73,400, while 8% of households live below the poverty line. As for the educational attainment of potential voters in the district, 40% hold a bachelor's or higher degree.

Redistricting controversies

During redistricting in 2011, state lawmakers removed the city of Bellevue — an area with a large minority population — and Offutt Air Force Base from the district, and moved them to a district including Omaha's Republican-heavy suburbs in western Sarpy County. The move was criticized by Democrats as a gerrymander meant to dilute the urban vote due to its support of Obama in 2008.

Following its support of Joe Biden in the 2020 election, State Senator Lou Ann Linehan proposed a new map that would again dilute the Democratic vote by splitting the city of Omaha into two separate districts, and adding heavily Republican-leaning Sarpy and Saunders Counties. State Senator Justin Wayne proposed an alternative map that would restore the map to its pre-2011 movement by adding Bellevue back to the district and remove areas that lean Republican. Linehan's congressional redistricting plan passed the committee 5–4 on a party-line vote, but failed a cloture vote following a filibuster; both maps received bipartisan criticism for splitting Douglas and/or Sarpy counties. The legislature ultimately passed a map that kept Douglas County intact, while retaining rural parts in western Sarpy County and adding the rural Saunders County. The resulting maps have again been criticized as gerrymanders, and both Linehan's and the final maps have again been characterized as diluting urban voters.

Recent election results from statewide races

Composition

Nebraska's 2nd district includes the entirety of the following counties with the exception of Sarpy, which it shares with the 1st. Sarpy County communities within the 2nd include Beacon View, Gretna, Linoma Beach, Melia, Richfield, Springfield, and parts of Papillion.

Cities and CDPs with 10,000 or more people

• Omaha – 483,335
• Papillion (shared with 1st) – 23,791

2,500 – 10,000 people

• Gretna – 9,054
• Ralston – 6,401
• Wahoo – 4,987
• Ashland – 3,367
• Valley – 3,236

List of members representing the district

Election history

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2024

References

• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present

References

1. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District".
2. (April 3, 2025). "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)".
3. (14 December 2024). "Trump's victory sets up fight for the House on his turf in 2026". [[NBC News]].
4. Sanderford, Aaron. (November 15, 2022). "In Nebraska's Sea of Red, few felt splash from 'Republican wave'".
5. Curry, Tom. (2008-11-02). "Is Obama-Terry the winning ticket in Omaha?". NBC News.
6. Staff reporter. (2008-11-14). "Obama wins 1 of Nebraska's electoral votes". NBC News.
7. Walton, Don. (2012-11-07). "Romney wins 2nd District electoral vote". Lincoln Journal Star.
8. (November 5, 2014). "Lee Terry concedes 2nd Dist. to Brad Ashford".
9. (October 27, 2020). "The Latest: Trump heaping attention on 1 Nebraska district".
10. Zeleny, Jeff. (October 28, 2020). "Hundreds stranded in the cold waiting for buses in chaotic post-Trump rally scene".
11. (November 4, 2020). "Joe Biden wins one electoral vote from Nebraska's District 2".
12. (November 29, 2020). "The Elector: Precious McKesson will cast Nebraska's 2nd District electoral vote for Biden". Omaha World-Herald.
13. (December 15, 2020). "First woman of color elector in Nebraska casts Electoral College vote for Joe Biden". USA Today.
14. (August 17, 2024). "Nebraskan Tim Walz gives Republican ticket the business in La Vista". Nebraska Examiner.
15. (21 September 2024). "How One Man's Vote in Nebraska Could Change the Presidential Election". The New York Times.
16. "Representing US: 2020 Voter Profiles".
17. Schulte, Grant. (May 27, 2011). "Nebraska Redistricting Maps Approved". AP.
18. "Nebraska redistricting panel hits impasse, turns to public". Sandhills Express.
19. (September 17, 2021). "First-round debate begins on congressional redistricting plan".
20. Kipper, Jon. (January 28, 2022). "Nebraska's redistricting maps finalized for now, but Unicameral's methods still questioned".
21. "Dra 2020".
22. "Results".
23. "Official Results".
24. [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST24/CD118_MD01.pdf https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST31/CD118_NE02.pdf]
25. (8 November 2022). "2022 General Canvass Book". Nebraska Secretary of State.
26. "Official Results".