2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska
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All 3 Nebraska seats to the United States House of Representatives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Nebraska |
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Government |
The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska were held on November 8, 2016, 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 2016 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. The primaries were held on May 10.
Overview
[edit]Statewide
[edit]By district
[edit]Results of the 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska by district:
District | Republican | Democratic | Others | Total | Result | ||||
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Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
District 1 | 189,771 | 69.45% | 83,467 | 30.55% | 0 | 0.00% | 273,238 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
District 2 | 141,066 | 48.93% | 137,602 | 47.73% | 9,640 | 3.34% | 288,308 | 100.0% | Republican gain |
District 3 | 226,720 | 100.0% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 226,720 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
Total | 557,557 | 70.74% | 221,069 | 28.04% | 9,640 | 1.22% | 788,266 | 100.0% |
District 1
[edit]
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The 1st district encompassed most of the eastern quarter of the state and almost completely enveloped the 2nd district. It included the state capital, Lincoln, as well as the cities of Fremont, Columbus, Norfolk, Beatrice and South Sioux City. Incumbent Republican Jeff Fortenberry, who had represented the district since 2005, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 69% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+10.
Republican primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Jeff Fortenberry, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jeff Fortenberry (incumbent) | 62,704 | 100.0 | |
Total votes | 62,704 | 100.0 |
Democratic primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Daniel Wik, physician[2]
Results
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Daniel Wik | 25,762 | 100.0 | |
Total votes | 25,762 | 100.0 |
General election
[edit]Results
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jeff Fortenberry (incumbent) | 189,771 | 69.4 | |
Democratic | Daniel Wik | 83,467 | 30.6 | |
Total votes | 273,238 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
District 2
[edit]
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The 2nd district was based in the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area and included all of Douglas County and the urbanized areas of Sarpy County. Incumbent Democrat Brad Ashford, who had represented the district since 2015, ran for re-election. He was elected with 49% of the vote in 2014, defeating Republican incumbent Lee Terry. The district had a Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI) of R+4.
Democratic primary
[edit]Scott Kleeb, a businessman who was the nominee for Nebraska's 3rd congressional district in 2006 and for the U.S. Senate in 2008, was speculated to challenge Ashford, a centrist Democrat, from the left.[4] Kleeb ultimately did not run and Ashford won the primary unopposed.
Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Brad Ashford, incumbent U.S. Representative
Declined
[edit]- Scott Kleeb, businessman, nominee for the 3rd district in 2006 and for U.S. Senate in 2008
Results
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Brad Ashford (incumbent) | 23,470 | 100.0 | |
Total votes | 23,470 | 100.0 |
Republican primary
[edit]Former state senator and Douglas County Commissioner Chip Maxwell, who considered running as an independent against Terry in 2012,[5] and retired United States Air Force brigadier general Don Bacon ran in the Republican primary.[6]
Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]Eliminated in primary
[edit]- Chip Maxwell, former state senator
Withdrawn
[edit]- Dirk Arneson, salesmen (withdrew September 3, 2015, and endorsed Bacon[citation needed])
Endorsements
[edit]U.S. Senators
- Deb Fischer, U.S. Senator (R-NE)[8]
U.S. Representatives
- Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House[9]
- Steve Russell, U.S. Representative (R-OK)[8]
- Lee Zeldin, U.S. Representative (R-NY)[8]
- Ryan Zinke, U.S. Representative (R-MT)[8]
State officials
- Kay A. Orr, former Governor of Nebraska[8]
- Rick Perry, former Governor of Texas[8]
- Pete Ricketts, Governor of Nebraska[9]
State legislators
- Dave Bloomfield, state senator[8]
- Beau McCoy, state senator[8]
Individuals
- William G. Boykin, retired Army lieutenant general and Executive Vice President of the Family Research Council[8]
Results
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Don Bacon | 32,328 | 66.0 | |
Republican | Chip Maxwell | 16,677 | 34.0 | |
Total votes | 49,005 | 100.0 |
Libertarian primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Steven Laird
Eliminated in primary
[edit]Results
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Libertarian | Steven Laird | 108 | 46.2 | |
Libertarian | Andy Shambaugh | 89 | 38.0 | |
Libertarian | Jeffrey Lynn Stein | 37 | 15.8 | |
Total votes | 234 | 100.0 |
General election
[edit]Campaign
[edit]The general election race was characterized as a tossup with the incumbent Ashford having a slight edge.[11]
Endorsements
[edit]Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Frontline" Program[12]
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce[13]
U.S. Senators
- Deb Fischer, U.S. Senator (R-NE)[8]
U.S. Representatives
- Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House[9]
- Steve Russell, U.S. Representative (R-OK)[8]
- Lee Zeldin, U.S. Representative (R-NY)[8]
- Ryan Zinke, U.S. Representative (R-MT)[8]
State officials
- Kay A. Orr, former Governor of Nebraska[8]
- Rick Perry, former Governor of Texas[8]
- Pete Ricketts, Governor of Nebraska[9]
State legislators
- Dave Bloomfield, state senator[8]
- Beau McCoy, state senator[8]
Organizations
- National Republican Congressional Committee "Young Guns" Program[14]
Individuals
- William G. Boykin, retired Army lieutenant general and Executive Vice President of the Family Research Council[8]
Polling
[edit]Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Brad Ashford (D) |
Don Bacon (R) |
Steven Laird (L) |
Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Singularis Group (R-Bacon)[15] | October 26–27, 2016 | 1,482 | ± 2.54% | 45% | 47% | 4% | 3% |
North Star Opinion Research (R-CLF)[16] | October 22–24, 2016 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 44% | 48% | — | 8% |
Global Strategy Group (D–Ashford)[17] | September 14–18, 2016 | 402 | ± 4.9% | 50% | 40% | — | 10% |
Singularis Group (R-Bacon)[18] | May 11–12, 2016 | 1,007 | ± 3.08% | 42% | 44% | 5% | 8% |
Predictions
[edit]Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report[19] | Tossup | November 7, 2016 |
Daily Kos Elections[20] | Tossup | November 7, 2016 |
Rothenberg[21] | Tilt D | November 3, 2016 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[22] | Lean D | November 7, 2016 |
RCP[23] | Tossup | October 31, 2016 |
Results
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Don Bacon | 141,066 | 48.9 | |
Democratic | Brad Ashford (incumbent) | 137,602 | 47.7 | |
Libertarian | Steven Laird | 9,640 | 3.4 | |
Total votes | 288,308 | 100.0 | ||
Republican gain from Democratic |
District 3
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The 3rd district encompassed the western three-fourths of the state; it was one of the largest non-at-large Congressional districts in the country, covering nearly 65,000 square miles (170,000 km2), two time zones and 68.5 counties. It was mostly sparsely populated but included the cities of Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, North Platte and Scottsbluff. Incumbent Republican Adrian Smith, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 75% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+23.
Republican primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Adrian Smith, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Adrian Smith (incumbent) | 78,154 | 100.0 | |
Total votes | 78,154 | 100.0 |
Democratic primary
[edit]No Democrats filed.
General election
[edit]Results
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Adrian Smith (incumbent) | 226,720 | 100.0 | |
Total votes | 226,720 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Official 2016 Primary Election Results" (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 20, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
- ^ Warneke, Kent (February 23, 2016). "Norfolk physician to challenge Fortenberry for seat in Congress". Norfolk Daily News. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers" (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
- ^ Jordan, Joe (January 15, 2015). "Brad Ashford to get challenge from fellow Democrat? It's a 'possibility'". Nebraska Watchdog. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
- ^ Jordan, Joe (November 5, 2014). "Move over 2014, 2016 Omaha House race is off and running". Nebraska Watchdog. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
- ^ Walton, Don (March 24, 2015). "Retired general bids for Ashford House seat". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
- ^ Tysver, Robynn (March 25, 2015). "Citing military and foreign policy as priorities, retired Brig. Gen. Don Bacon announces bid for Congress". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "ENDORSEMENTS". Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Robynn Tysver (April 29, 2016). "Don Bacon picks up Ricketts' endorsement in 2nd District race". omaha.com. Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on November 18, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- ^ a b "Statewide Candidate List" (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
- ^ Loizzo, Mike (September 26, 2016). "Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District Race Remains a Toss-Up". Nebraska Radio Network. Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
- ^ Ben Ray Lujan (February 12, 2015). "FRONTLINE DEMOCRATS 2015-2016". dccc.org/. DCCC. Archived from the original on October 24, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorses Brad Ashford over Don Bacon in 2nd District House race". omaha.com. Omaha World-Herald. June 20, 2016. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- ^ "Young Gun candidates". gopyoungguns.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ^ Singularis Group (R-Bacon)
- ^ North Star Opinion Research (R-CLF)
- ^ Global Strategy Group (D–Ashford)
- ^ Singularis Group (R-Bacon)
- ^ "2016 House Race Ratings for November 7, 2016". House: Race Ratings. Cook Political Report. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
- ^ "Daily Kos Elections House race ratings: Initial ratings for 2016". Daily Kos Elections. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
- ^ "2016 House Ratings (November 3, 2016)". House Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ^ "2016 House". Sabato's Crystal Ball. November 7, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
- ^ "Battle for the House 2016". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved October 31, 2016.