2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska

The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the three U.S. representatives from the state of Nebraska, one from each of the state's three congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections.

Overview DistrictRepublicanDemocraticOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 189,006 59.52% 119,622 37.67% 8,938 2.81% 317,566 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 2 171,071 50.77% 155,706 46.21% 10,185 3.02% 336,962 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 3 225,157 78.51% 50,690 17.68% 10,923 3.81% 286,770 100.0% Republican holdTotal 585,234 62.17% 326,018 34.63% 30,046 3.19% 941,298 100.0%

District 1

The 1st district is located in eastern Nebraska surrounding Omaha and its suburbs, taking in Lincoln, Bellevue, Fremont, and Norfolk. The incumbent was Republican Jeff Fortenberry, who was re-elected with 60.4% of the vote in 2018.

Republican primary Candidates Declared Jeff Fortenberry, incumbent U.S. representative

Declined Nicholas Oviatt, part-time consultant

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Kate Bolz, state senator Barbara "Babs" Ramsey, security analyst

Endorsements

Results

Libertarian primary Candidates Declared Dennis B. Grace, U.S. Navy veteran

Results

General election Debate + 2020 Nebraska's 1st congressional district debate Date Host Moderator Link Republican DemocraticKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Jeff Fortenberry Kate Bolz1 Oct. 14, 2020 Nebraska Public Media Dennis KelloggYouTube

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report July 2, 2020 Inside Elections June 2, 2020 Sabato's Crystal Ball July 2, 2020PoliticoSeptember 9, 2020Daily Kos June 3, 2020RCPJune 9, 2020NiskanenJune 7, 2020

Results

District 2

The 2nd district covers the Omaha metropolitan area, including all of Douglas County, home to the city of Omaha, and suburban parts of western Sarpy County, including La Vista and Papillon. The incumbent was Republican Don Bacon, who was re-elected with 51.0% of the vote in 2018.

Kara Eastman was the Democratic nominee. She started a nonprofit consulting company in 2019, and was previously the executive director of the Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance. That organization focuses on reducing lead poisoning, and Lee Terry described it as a nonpartisan project. She is a former member of the Board of Governors of Metropolitan Community College.

President Donald Trump endorsed Bacon, and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden endorsed Eastman.

Republican primary Candidates Declared Paul Anderson, perennial candidate Don Bacon, incumbent U.S. representative

Endorsements

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Ann Ashford, attorney and wife of former U.S. Representative Brad Ashford Kara Eastman, nonprofit executive and nominee for Nebraska's 2nd congressional district in 2018 Gladys Harrison, general manager of Big Mama's Kitchen

Withdrew Morgann Freeman, part-time communications consultant and activist (endorsed Ashford) Dustin Sedoris, U.S. Marine Corps veteran (endorsed Eastman)

Declined Heath Mello, chief lobbyist for the University of Nebraska system, former state senator, and nominee for mayor of Omaha in 2017 Denise Blaya Powell, founder of Women Who Run

Endorsements

Results

Libertarian primary Candidates Declared Tyler Schaeffer

Results

General election Debate + 2020 Nebraska's 2nd congressional district debate Date Host Moderator Link Republican DemocraticKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Don Bacon Kara Eastman1 Oct. 12, 2020 Nebraska Public Media Dennis KelloggYouTube

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report July 16, 2020 Inside Elections October 28, 2020 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 2, 2020PoliticoSeptember 9, 2020Daily Kos June 3, 2020RCPJune 9, 2020NiskanenJune 7, 2020

Polling

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DonBacon (R) KaraEastman (D) TylerSchaeffer (L) Other UndecidedUNLV Lee Business SchoolUNLV Lee Business SchoolOctober 30 – November 2, 2020191 (LV)± 7%47%46% – – –Change ResearchChange ResearchOctober 29 – November 2, 2020920 (LV)± 3.5%47%48%2%0%2%Emerson CollegeEmerson CollegeOctober 29–30, 2020806 (LV)± 3.5%50%47% – 2% –FM3 Research (D)FM3 Research (D)October 1–4, 2020450 (LV)± 4.6%45%47%6% – –Siena College/NYT UpshotSiena College/NYT UpshotSeptember 25–27, 2020420 (LV)± 5.3%45%43%3%1%8%Global Strategy Group (D)Global Strategy Group (D) September 14–16, 2020400 (LV)± 4.9%45%45%4% –7%Global Strategy Group (D)July 27–29, 2020400 (LV)± 4.9%47%42%4% –7%GQR Research (D)GQR Research (D)June 30 – July 5, 2020502 (LV)± 4.37%49%50% – – –DCCC Targeting and Analytics Department (D)DCCC Targeting and Analytics Department (D) May 7–10, 2020 448 (LV) ± 4.6% 47%48% – – –GQR Research (D)GQR Research (D) September 9–12, 2019 400 (LV) ± 4.9%50% 49% – – –

with Ann Ashford Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DonBacon (R) AnnAshford (D) UndecidedGQR Research (D) September 9–12, 2019 400 (LV) ± 4.9%53% 46% –

with Gladys Harrison Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DonBacon (R) GladysHarrison (D) UndecidedGQR Research (D) September 9–12, 2019 400 (LV) ± 4.9%55% 44% –

Post-primary endorsements

Results Despite Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden winning the district by 6.5 points, Bacon defeated Eastman by 4.6 points. Eastman underperformed Biden by over 11 points.

By county County Don BaconRepublican Kara EastmanDemocratic Tyler SchaefferLibertarian Totalvotes % # % # % #Douglas 48.20% 132,23048.79%133,8273.01%8,252274,309Sarpy 61.99%38,84134.92% 21,8793.09%1,93362,653

District 3

The 3rd district covers most of the rural western part of the state, and includes Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, North Platte, Alliance, and Scottsbluff. The incumbent was Republican Adrian Smith, who was re-elected with 76.7% of the vote in 2018.

Republican primary Candidates Declared Larry Lee Scott Bolinger,Larry Lee Scott Bolinger veteran, graduate from UNO, business owner in property preservation, author of 16 books, and self-defense instructor William Elfgren, grocery worker Arron Kowalski, farmer Justin Moran, architectural draftsman, firefighter and welder Adrian Smith, incumbent U.S. representative

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Declared

Results

Libertarian primary Candidates Declared Dustin C. Hobbs, reality television show participant

Results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report July 2, 2020 Inside Elections June 2, 2020 Sabato's Crystal Ball July 2, 2020PoliticoSeptember 9, 2020Daily Kos June 3, 2020RCPJune 9, 2020NiskanenJune 7, 2020

Results

See also

2020 Nebraska elections

Notes

Partisan clients

References

External links

(state affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)

Official campaign websites for 1st district candidates Kate Bolz (D) for Congress Jeff Fortenberry (R) for Congress Dennis B. Grace (L) for Congress

Official campaign websites for 2nd district candidates Don Bacon (R) for Congress Kara Eastman (D) for Congress

Official campaign websites for 3rd district candidates Adrian Smith (R) for Congress