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LEADER KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN AT FIVE. WHO WILL BE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR NEBRASKA’S CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT TWO IS STILL TOO CLOSE TO CALL. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I’M BILL SCHAMMERT. I’M QUANECIA FRASER. THE LATEST VOTE COUNTS HAVE DENISE POWELL LEADING THE RACE OVER JOHN KAVANAUGH, BUT OFFICIALS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COUNTING 9000 MORE VOTES. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S MADDIE AUGUSTINE JOINS US LIVE WITH A BREAKDOWN OF WHERE THE RACE CURRENTLY SITS. MATT. WHAT DO YOU SEE ON THE BILL? NO MATTER WHAT, VOTERS WILL HAVE A NEW PERSON REPRESENTING THEM AFTER NOVEMBER BECAUSE INCUMBENT CONGRESSMAN DON BACON IS NOT RUNNING FOR REELECTION. AND WE DO KNOW ONE HALF OF THE TICKET. OMAHA CITY COUNCILMAN BRINKER HARDING WILL BE THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT TWO. HE RAN UNOPPOSED IN THIS PRIMARY. FOR DEMOCRATS, IT COULD STILL BE POWELL OR KAVANAUGH CLAIMING THE NOMINATION. A RACE WITH EYES ALL ACROSS THE NATION ON IT COMES DOWN TO THE WIRE. EVERY VOTE COUNTS IN OUR DEMOCRACY, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT LESS THAN 1100 VOTES CURRENTLY SEPARATE DENISE POWELL AND JOHN KAVANAUGH IN THE FIGHT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR NEBRASKA’S CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT TWO, POWELL TOOK THE LEAD LATE ON PRIMARY NIGHT, OBVIOUSLY WAITING FOR DEMOCRACY TO TAKE ITS COURSE. BUT WE JUST FEEL SO GOOD ABOUT THE RESULTS THAT WE SAW LAST NIGHT. DOUGLAS COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER DANIELLE JENSEN SAYS 9600 TO 9800 VOTES STILL NEED TO BE COUNTED. IT COULD TAKE UNTIL FRIDAY FOR US TO KNOW THE FINAL OUTCOME ON SOME OF THOSE RACES. POWELL SAYS SHE FEELS OPTIMISTIC SHE WILL MAINTAIN THE LEAD. NEBRASKANS ARE REALLY THEY’RE THOUGHTFUL VOTERS. THEY WERE DOING THEIR HOMEWORK. THEY WERE DOING THEIR RESEARCH. I’M THRILLED THAT PEOPLE GAVE ME A SHOT. DURING AN INTERVIEW ON PRIMARY NIGHT, CAVANAUGH SAYS. THEY KNEW IT WOULD BE CLOSE, AND THEY’VE WORKED FOR EVERY VOTE. PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND IT MATTERS AND THAT WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO PUSH BACK ON THE CORRUPTION IN WASHINGTON AND THE DARK MONEY IN OUR POLITICS, POWELL SAYS. THIS RACE IS FILLED WITH FANTASTIC CANDIDATES, AND NO MATTER THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME, IT’S TIME TO RALLY TOGETHER. THIS IS A MOMENT TO JUST DECIDE HOW WE WANT TO REPRESENT THE STATE, WHAT WE WANT FOR THE PEOPLE, THE FAMILIES, THE FARMERS, THE SENIORS, THE VETERANS OF THIS STATE. AND I THINK MOST NEBRASKANS ARE GOING TO AGREE ON THE DIRECTION THAT WE NEED TO GO. JOHN KAVANAUGH’S CAMPAIGN TEAM TOLD ME THAT HE WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR AN INTERVIEW TODAY. THEY SAY THEY ARE LETTING THIS PROCESS PLAY ITSELF OUT AND ALL OF THE VOTES TO BE COUNTED. WE DO EXPECT TO HAVE THE RESULTS FROM ALL OF THE REMAINING VOTES BY FRIDAY. AGAIN, EITHER POWELL OR KAVANAUGH WILL BE FACING REPUBLICAN BRINKER HARDI
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Congressional District 2 race still too close to call for Democratic nominee
One-half of the ticket is secured. Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding will be the Republican nominee after running unopposed in the primary, but the Democratic nominee is still too close to call.
Voters will have a new person representing them after November in Congressional District 2, but who will be the Democratic nominee on the ballot is still too close to call. It’s a race with national attention as the fight for CD-2 continues. One-half of the ticket is secured. Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding will be the Republican nominee after running unopposed in the primary. READ MORE: Primary election results: Race for Democratic nominee in District 2 race too close to callAs of Tuesday evening, Denise Powell currently leads over John Cavanaugh in the battle for the Democratic nomination. “Every vote counts in our democracy, and we have work to do to make sure that people understand that,” Cavanaugh said. Powell took the lead late on primary night. “Obviously, waiting for democracy to take its course, but we just feel so good about the results that we saw last night,” Powell said. ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: 2026 primary election results: Voters deciding nominees for Nebraska’s congressional districtsOn Tuesday evening, Douglas County Election Commissioner Danielle Jensen said 9,600-9,800 votes still needed to be counted, and said close races like this could take several days to complete.”It could take until Friday for us to know the final outcome on some of those races,” Jensen said. In an interview with Omaha’s News Leader on Wednesday, Powell said she feels optimistic she will maintain the lead. “Nebraskans are really, they’re thoughtful voters. They were doing their homework. They were doing their research,” Powell said. “I’m thrilled that people gave me a shot.”Cavanaugh’s campaign team said he was unavailable for an interview Wednesday. They told KETV they are letting all votes be counted and the process to play out. However, during his election watch party Tuesday night, Cavanaugh said they knew it would be close and they’ve worked for every vote. “Participation in elections is really important,” Cavanaugh said. “And it matters, and that we need to come together to push back on the corruption in Washington and the dark money in our politics.”Powell said the race is filled with “fantastic candidates” and no matter the ultimate outcome, it’s time to rally together. “It’s time to get together and do what we know we need to do for the people of our state. And it’s not just about Democrats, either. You know, we don’t win the seat without independents, without Republicans,” Powell said. “This is a moment to just decide how we want to represent the state, what we want for the people, the families, the farmers, the seniors, the veterans of this state. And I think most Nebraskans are going to agree on the direction that we need to go, no matter what.”The results of the remaining votes are expected to be released by Friday. Either Powell or Cavanaugh will face Harding in November in the battle for Congressional District 2. FULL RESULTS | U.S. SENATE | CONGRESS | GOVERNOR | STATE RACES | LEGISLATURE | DOUGLAS COUNTY | SARPY COUNTY | CASS COUNTY, NEBRASKA | WASHINGTON COUNTY | DODGE COUNTY | SAUNDERS COUNTY |Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Voters will have a new person representing them after November in Congressional District 2, but who will be the Democratic nominee on the ballot is still too close to call.
It’s a race with national attention as the fight for CD-2 continues.
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One-half of the ticket is secured. Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding will be the Republican nominee after running unopposed in the primary.
READ MORE: Primary election results: Race for Democratic nominee in District 2 race too close to call
As of Tuesday evening, Denise Powell currently leads over John Cavanaugh in the battle for the Democratic nomination.
“Every vote counts in our democracy, and we have work to do to make sure that people understand that,” Cavanaugh said.
Powell took the lead late on primary night.
“Obviously, waiting for democracy to take its course, but we just feel so good about the results that we saw last night,” Powell said.
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: 2026 primary election results: Voters deciding nominees for Nebraska’s congressional districts
On Tuesday evening, Douglas County Election Commissioner Danielle Jensen said 9,600-9,800 votes still needed to be counted, and said close races like this could take several days to complete.
“It could take until Friday for us to know the final outcome on some of those races,” Jensen said.
In an interview with Omaha’s News Leader on Wednesday, Powell said she feels optimistic she will maintain the lead.
“Nebraskans are really, they’re thoughtful voters. They were doing their homework. They were doing their research,” Powell said. “I’m thrilled that people gave me a shot.”
Cavanaugh’s campaign team said he was unavailable for an interview Wednesday. They told KETV they are letting all votes be counted and the process to play out. However, during his election watch party Tuesday night, Cavanaugh said they knew it would be close and they’ve worked for every vote.
“Participation in elections is really important,” Cavanaugh said. “And it matters, and that we need to come together to push back on the corruption in Washington and the dark money in our politics.”
Powell said the race is filled with “fantastic candidates” and no matter the ultimate outcome, it’s time to rally together.
“It’s time to get together and do what we know we need to do for the people of our state. And it’s not just about Democrats, either. You know, we don’t win the seat without independents, without Republicans,” Powell said. “This is a moment to just decide how we want to represent the state, what we want for the people, the families, the farmers, the seniors, the veterans of this state. And I think most Nebraskans are going to agree on the direction that we need to go, no matter what.”
The results of the remaining votes are expected to be released by Friday. Either Powell or Cavanaugh will face Harding in November in the battle for Congressional District 2.
FULL RESULTS | U.S. SENATE | CONGRESS | GOVERNOR | STATE RACES | LEGISLATURE | DOUGLAS COUNTY | SARPY COUNTY | CASS COUNTY, NEBRASKA | WASHINGTON COUNTY | DODGE COUNTY | SAUNDERS COUNTY |
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
