dailyloe.com – In Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary, results posted late Tuesday night revealed a tight race between John Cavanaugh and Denise Powell. As of the latest updates, Powell led with 19,516 votes to Cavanaugh’s 18,647, a margin of 869 votes. This close outcome raised the possibility of an automatic recount, as state law mandates recounts for margins of 1% or less.
Both candidates held gatherings around 10 p.m. Powell thanked her supporters and remarked, “Let’s get this done, shall we?” Meanwhile, Cavanaugh addressed his supporters, reiterating his commitment to counteract President Trump’s influence. The initial results showed Cavanaugh slightly ahead in earlier updates, but Powell took the lead in subsequent counts.
The Douglas County Election Commission provided updates at 9:45 p.m. and 10:45 p.m., with the results remaining unofficial until certified by the Secretary of State. Nebraska’s primary elections on May 12 will narrow the candidate field ahead of the general election on November 3.
Other notable results included Governor Jim Pillen securing his spot against Democratic challenger Lynne Walz in the General Election, and Senator Pete Ricketts also winning a place on the November ballot. In the Democratic primary for Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District, Chris Backemeyer won and will challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, who faced no opposition in the Republican primary.
Cindy Burbank won the Democratic primary but intends to withdraw to support Independent Dan Osborn against Ricketts. The latest updates from the Douglas County Election Commission were posted at 8 p.m., with additional updates following the close of polls.
