# NE-02 — 2026 U.S. House Race %% midterms-pin:start — remove or reword after the election cycle wraps %% > [!danger] 🔴 Live now: the 2026 Midterms Election Results War Room > **Democrats will control both the House and the Senate**, NBC News and Decision Desk HQ project. Race calls, every seat that has flipped, and every court ruling, federal action and polling-place problem around the vote and the count, newest first, with a source on every entry: **[[2026 Midterms Live - Election Results War Room]]** > > **Background on every race:** [[2026 Midterms Hub]] · [[2026 Senate Races Hub]] · [[2026 House Races Hub]] · [[2026 Governor Races Hub]] · [[2026 Ballot Measures Hub]] · [[How a Ballot Is Counted]] · [[How a Midterm Election Is Certified]] %% midterms-pin:end %% > [!note] Stub > This is a short entry that hasn't been fully written yet. Nebraska's 2nd District covers the Omaha area, a competitive "blue dot" in a Republican state and one of Democrats' top House targets in 2026. The seat opened when five-term Republican Rep. [[Don Bacon]] retired. Democrat **[[Denise Powell]]**, a communications consultant and health-care advocate, ran on lowering costs, protecting health-care access, education and reproductive rights. Republican **Brinker Harding**, an Omaha City Council member endorsed by [[Donald Trump]], ran on economic growth, border security and expanded E-15 fuel use (Rural Radio Network). ## Result > [!success] Called: Denise Powell (D) wins, a Democratic pickup > The Associated Press projected on election night, November 3, 2026, that Democrat [[Denise Powell]] defeated Republican Brinker Harding, flipping the seat Republican [[Don Bacon]] held. Harding conceded. Rural Radio Network reported that Powell is the first woman elected to represent the district. Vote totals are unofficial until Nebraska certifies the result. Sources: [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/live/midterm-election-2026#000001a1-a4eb-df42-a1bf-efff07d40000) · [Nebraska.tv](https://nebraska.tv/news/local/denise-powell-flips-second-congressional-district) · [Rural Radio Network](https://ruralradio.com/maxcountry/news/democrats-flip-nebraskas-omaha-based-congressional-seat/). Live coverage: [[2026 Midterms Live - Election Results War Room]]. ## Sources - [Associated Press — NE-02 race call](https://apnews.com/live/midterm-election-2026#000001a1-a4eb-df42-a1bf-efff07d40000) - [Nebraska.tv — Denise Powell flips Second Congressional District](https://nebraska.tv/news/local/denise-powell-flips-second-congressional-district) - [Rural Radio Network — Democrats flip Nebraska's Omaha-based congressional seat](https://ruralradio.com/maxcountry/news/democrats-flip-nebraskas-omaha-based-congressional-seat/) - [The Hill — Democrat Denise Powell projected to flip Nebraska's 2nd District](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/6183175-democrat-denise-powell-nebraska-2nd-district/) ## Connections - [[Don Bacon]] — the retiring Republican who held the seat - [[2026 House Races Hub]] - [[2026 Midterms Live - Election Results War Room]]