With three Republican House members, two Republican senators, a Republican governor and a nominally nonpartisan legislature dominated by conservatives, Nebraska is about as red as it gets. Yet despite its steady partisanship over the better part of the last two decades, the Cornhusker State never shies from being a hotspot for election drama.
Former President Donald Trump divided state Republicans in late fall of 2021 by endorsing a candidate for governor whom outgoing Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts openly detested. By late spring, Ricketts’ pick, Jim Pillen, had defeated the Trump-endorsed candidate in the primary. Meanwhile, the 1st District hosted a surprisingly close summer special election prompted by Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s conviction on three federal felonies, offering one of the first data points that the end of Roe v. Wade could boost Democrats in the midterms. And in the sprawling 3rd District, nine-term Republican Rep. Adrian Smith has faced at least one primary challenger every election since Trump took office.
In 2024, the drama is likely to be centered on the 2nd District, where an electoral vote is up for grabs
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