One week until the presidential election and pundits are running all sorts of scenarios in which former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris win the necessary 270 electoral college votes. One key battleground is Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District.
Nebraska is one of two states that splits its electoral votes. Democratic presidential candidates won the district, which includes the city of Omaha, in 2008 and 2020. Democrats are hoping the district goes for Harris this year and she garners its one electoral vote. They have also given the district a nickname: Nebraska’s Blue Dot.
A New York Times poll, out this week, has Harris leading Trump by 12 points in the district, 54% to 42%. Trump is ahead statewide and if the numbers hold, Trump would win four electoral votes and Harris one.
There is also a key congressional race in the 2nd District. Republican incumbent Don Bacon is vying for a fifth term. His Democratic challenger is State Sen. Tony Vargas, who narrowly lost to Bacon in 2022.
Democrats need to pick up just four seats in the upcoming election to take control of the House of Representatives.
For Bacon to keep his seat, he might need many voters in the 2nd District to be ticket-splitters, which means voting for Harris for president but then switching to Bacon in the congressional race.
Bacon admits he is facing strong political headwinds this time around.