OMAHA — Nebraska’s 2nd District Republican primary U.S. House race, with challenger Dan Frei running to Rep. Don Bacon’s right, appears to be opening left-leaning wallets, too.
National Democrats increasingly see division among some Omaha-area Republicans as boosting State Sen. Tony Vargas’ chances of flipping Nebraska’s most competitive House district their way. State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha speaks on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
This week, a key funder for Democrats trying to wrest the House from GOP control, House Majority PAC, announced reserving $2 million in digital and TV advertising in the Omaha ad market for this fall.
That is up from about $660,000 in 2022, when House Republicans were in a stronger financial position headed into a mid-term cycle with a Democratic president in office. They spent $900,000 in 2020, the last presidential election cycle.
Advertisement
“House Majority PAC will do whatever it takes to ensure NE-02 flips from red to blue come November,” said Dora Pekec, a spokeswoman for House Majority PAC. “Don Bacon’s anti-choice, extremist record makes it abundantly clear Bacon stands with Donald Trump and his MAGA agenda, not the people of NE-02.”
Nationally, the GOP equivalent Congressional Leadership Fund has lagged Democratic efforts in fundraising for a 2024 general election likely to be dominated by a presidential rematch.
The House Majority PAC and its related super PAC outraised the Congressional Leadership Fund and its super PAC by $7 million in the first quarter of 2024, $37 million to $30 million.
Part of national donor trend
Part of this is a broader national trend, with the Democratic National Committee and its aligned groups outraising the Republican National Committee and its allies. U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., speaks about the importance of protecting the unborn to a Walk for Life crowd. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)
The Republican group has not yet announced its ad reservations for the fall but said they have “incredibly strong” incumbents and a political environment that likely favors them.
Sources within the GOP-aligned group say the House Majority PAC often overstates how much it plans to spend, but that they are taking seriously the threat of more money being spent.
Advertisement
“Cycle after cycle, Democrats spend millions hoping to knock out Don Bacon, yet he keeps winning because he’s one of the most effective Members of Congress and is a true fighter for Nebraskans in Washington,” said Courtney Parella, a spokeswoman for the leadership fund. “This cycle won’t be any different.”
Traditional fundraising is also up for Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha, who reported raising $770,000 in the first quarter of 2024 and having $1.6 million in cash on hand.
That is roughly doubling what he had by this point in his 2022 race with Bacon.
Bacon still flush with campaign cash
Bacon has stepped up his fundraising, too. His campaign reported raising $709,000 in the first quarter. GOP congressional candidate Dan Frei talks to voters outside a rally organized by Charlie Kirk in Omaha. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)
Bacon’s cash on hand climbed to $1.9 million from his 2022 total at this point in the race of $1.1 million, but he may have to spend some of that money on Frei and the GOP primary. His campaign said it will have enough to “defend his strong conservative record.”
Frei’s first meaningful fundraising tallies since launching his campaign in January had him raising nearly $80,000 with about $54,000 in cash on hand, his campaign said. He was endorsed by the Nebraska Republican Party.
Advertisement
Most local political observers expect Bacon to survive the Frei challenge. But they say he needs to consolidate conservative support without alienating swing voters in a swing district.
And which party controls the House could hinge on the 2nd District vote. With Republicans losing another seat to a retirement next week, their advantage will shrink to 217-213, at least until special elections and regular elections can be held.
No. 3 seed Texas A&M stunned the college volleyball world Sunday in Lincoln, Neb. with a 3-2 victory (25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 35-37, 15-13) over No. 1 overall seed and previously undefeated Nebraska in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
The win puts the Aggies (27-4) into the Final Four for the first time in program history. They will face No. 1 seed Pittsburgh in the national semifinals on Thursday.
Kyndal Stowers and Logan Lednicky led the way for Texas A&M with 25 and 24 kills, respectively. Their performances helped the Aggies to a slight attacking edge, with A&M having 75 kills to Nebraska’s 73. The Aggies thrived at the net though, out blocking the Cornhuskers 30-16. Middle Blocker Morgan Perkins led the way in that respect with eight block assists and one block solo.
Texas A&M survived a comeback attempt from Nebraska (33-1) after winning the first two sets. The Cornhuskers rallied to win the third set and then fought off three Aggie match points in a marathon fourth set to force a decider. In the end, Texas A&M overcame Nebraska’s best effort to win the final set and the match on the Huskers’ home court.
Advertisement
Sports Roundup
Get the latest D-FW sports news, analysis and opinion delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, Kevin Sherrington’s A La Carte.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The huge win comes after the Aggies needed a reverse sweep to beat No. 2 seed Louisville in the Sweet Sixteen.
See full game highlights here:
Advertisement
Texas A&M routs Jacksonville at home as six Aggies score in double figures
Rylan Griffen scored a season-high 19 points and was hot from deep, making 5 of 6 from 3-point range.
Texas A&M leads college football in alcohol revenue, per report
Texas A&M topped the list with $4,740,922 in revenue generated by 277,156 alcohol units sold.
Find more Texas A&M coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
No. 22 Nebraska basketball upset No. 13 Illinois on the road, 83-80, on Saturday afternoon. Jamarques Lawrence had a game-winning three-pointer as time expired.
Nebraska improved to 11-0 on the season, the best start to a season in school history. The Huskers also won its 15th straight game, breaking the school record of 14 consecutive wins.
Pryce Sandfort had an incredible game, scoring a career-high 32 points. It was the former Iowa Hawkeye’s fifth 20-point game of the season and sixth of his career.
The victory improved Nebraska’s record in Big Ten play to 2-0. It’s the first 2-0 in conference play for the Huskers since 2016-17.
Advertisement
Fans were overjoyed about the victory on social media, and we picked some of the best information and reactions.
Cornhusker crusher
He hit it
Celebrate
Nebraska may be a basketball school
Nebraska football alums are weighing in…
The success of Nebraska Basketball is baffling many….
The national respect continues to grow….
Fans are excited about the program
Great win
What a week
Dream season
Courtside
Legit
Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.
The Nebraska Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Lottery players in Nebraska can choose from popular national games like the Powerball and Mega Millions, which are available in the vast majority of states. Other games include Lotto America, Lucky For Life, Pick 3, Pick 5, MyDaY and 2 by 2.
Big lottery wins around the U.S. include a lucky lottery ticketholder in California who won a $1.27 billion Mega Millions jackpot in December 2024. See more big winners here. And if you do end up cashing a jackpot, here’s what experts say to do first.
Here’s a look at Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 results for each game:
Advertisement
Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 13 drawing
01-28-31-57-58, Powerball: 16, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Dec. 13 drawing
07-11-20-52-60, Powerball: 24
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 13 drawing
1-1-6
Advertisement
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from Dec. 13 drawing
01-07-18-31-32
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning 2 By 2 numbers from Dec. 13 drawing
Red Balls: 19-22, White Balls: 07-12
Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Advertisement
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 13 drawing
12-18-19-24-35, Lucky Ball: 17
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning MyDay numbers from Dec. 13 drawing
Month: 05, Day: 30, Year: 81
Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Advertisement
When are the Nebraska Lottery drawings held?
Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, 5: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
Lucky For Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
2 By 2: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
MyDaY: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
