Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District looms large in upcoming election

[Craig]

WITH ONE WEEK UNTIL THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, PUNDITS ARE RUNNING ALL SORTS OF SCENARIOS IN WHICH REPUBLICAN NOMINEE, FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE, VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS WIN THE NECESSARY 270 ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES.  ONE KEY BATTLEGROUND IS NEBRASKA’S SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
NEBRASKA IS ONE OF TWO STATES THAT SPLITS ITS ELECTORAL VOTES. MAINE IS THE OTHER. DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES WON THE  DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY OF OMAHA, IN 2020 AND 2008. THEY ARE HOPING THE DISTRICT GOES FOR HARRIS THIS YEAR AND SHE GARNERS ITS ONE ELECTORAL VOTE. IN FACT, THEY HAVE NOW GIVEN IT A NICK-NAME, NEBRASKA’S BLUE DOT.
ACCORDING TO A NEW YORK TIMES POLL, OUT THIS WEEK, HARRIS IS LEADING TRUMP BY 12-POINTS IN THE DISTRICT, 54% TO 42 %.  TRUMP IS AHEAD IN STATEWIDE POLLING AND IF THE NUMBERS HOLD, TRUMP WOULD WIN FOUR ELECTORAL VOTES AND HARRIS ONE.
MEANTIME, THERE IS ALSO A KEY CONGRESSIONAL RACE IN DISTRICT TWO. REPUBLICAN INCUMBENT DON BACON IS VYING FOR A FIFTH TERM. HIS DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER IS STATE SENATOR 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.
IN ORDER FOR BACON TO KEEP HIS SEAT, HE MIGHT NEED MANY VOTERS IN DISTRICT TWO TO BE TICKET-SPLITTERS, MEANING PEOPLE WHO VOTE FOR HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT, BUT THEN SWITCH TO THE REPUBLICAN BACON IN THE HOUSE RACE.
BACON ADMITS HE IS FACING STRONG POLITICAL HEADWINDS IN THE RE-MATCH WITH VARGAS, AS TRIES TO HANG-ON TO WHAT IS NOW A CRITICAL SEAT FOR BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP