Nebraska

Vargas leads Bacon in campaign cash after Q2 in U.S. House race • Nebraska Examiner

Published

2 years ago

July 17, 2024

Vargas leads Bacon in campaign cash after Q2 in U.S. House race • Nebraska Examiner

OMAHA — Democratic donors in and beyond Nebraska’s borders are focusing more money and attention this year on the Omaha-area rematch race for the U.S. House.

From April 1 to June 30, Democratic challenger State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha outraised the four-term Republican incumbent, U.S. Rep. Don Bacon of Papillion.

Vargas reported raising $1.36 million in the second quarter, with $2.5 million in cash on hand. That’s more than double his cash on hand at this point in 2022, campaign finance filings show.

Bacon raised $970,000 for his campaign, plus another $80,000 for his Bacon PAC, the filings show. He listed $2.2 million in cash on hand, more than double his campaign’s tally in July 2022.

Contrast that with the second quarter of 2022, when Bacon raised $409,000 and listed $1.2 million in cash on hand and Vargas raised $550,000 and listed $533,000 in cash on hand.

Vargas outpacing 2022 tallies

Vargas appears to have held onto his local Democratic donors and expanded his reach with national donors, with much of his money coming to his campaign through online donations portal ActBlue.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said recently it would steer donors to spend more money on a smaller number of races this year, including Nebraska’s 2nd District.

The Vargas campaign has said donors also see that Bacon is coming off a primary in which nearly 40% of Republican voters chose another candidate, Dan Frei, who raised and spent very little.

“Nebraskans across all political parties are making it clear they’re fed up with Don Bacon hurting middle class families and siding with his party bosses, just to protect his political career,” Vargas said in a statement. “That’s why my campaign is seeing more grassroots support and momentum than ever before.”

Bacon ahead of schedule, too

Bacon, like most long-term incumbents, raised much of his money from groups and people with business before Congress. He also appears to have maintained his support with local GOP donors.

To date, Bacon has raised and spent the most on this election cycle, because he was fending off a primary challenger, which forced him to spend funds earlier on advertising and door-knocking.

In all, Bacon has raised $4.3 million this cycle and spent $2.1 million, according to OpenSecrets.org, which tracks congressional campaign spending. Vargas has raised $3.5 million and spent $1.1 million. Vargas did not face a primary challenger.

The National Republican Congressional Committee has been ramping up its support for Bacon and other targeted GOP incumbents. It has pledged that Bacon will have all the support he needs.

Bacon, in a statement, thanked his supporters for “putting our campaign in its strongest-ever position to win this fall.” He has said his voting record matches the district and its values better than Vargas.

“We had a competitive primary. Tony Vargas didn’t,” said Matthew Zacher, Bacon’s campaign manager, who pointed out that the district retains a slight GOP lean. “We have been outraised three of four election cycles and won each time.”

Looking ahead to November

Bacon beat Vargas by about 3 percentage points in 2022.

Polling touted by both campaigns has shown the race within the surveys’ margin of error, with each side highlighting a result that shows their candidate leading.

Many political observers expect the race to take on a harder edge than in 2022. That year, more than $18 million was spent on the race, including more than $11 million from outside groups.

Other House races

Nebraska voters in the state’s 1st Congressional District, top row, will see a faceoff between two former colleagues: (top row) Democratic State Sen. Carol Blood and U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb. For Nebraska’s 3rd Congressional District, Dan Ebers, a Democrat (lower left), will face U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb. (lower right). (Photos courtesy of the candidates; Capitol photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

In eastern Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., raised $283,000 and listed $501,000 in cash on hand, federal campaign finance records show.

His Democratic opponent, State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue, raised $23,000 and listed $20,000 in cash on hand.

In Nebraska’s PAC-MAN-shaped, largely rural 3rd District, one of the most conservative districts nationally, Republican U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith continues to outraise Democratic opponents.

Smith raised $296,000 and listed $1.1 million in cash on hand at the end of June. His Democratic opponent, Daniel Ebers, had not filed a campaign finance form with the Federal Election Commission. Candidates must file if they raise $5,000 or more.

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Nebraska

Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Pick 3 on March 2, 2026

Published

6 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Monday, March 2, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 2.

Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing

02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 2 drawing

21-28-58-65-67, Powerball: 25

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing

7-5-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing

03-08-09-17-25

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from March 2 drawing

Red Balls: 14-26, White Balls: 17-18

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning MyDay numbers from March 2 drawing

Month: 05, Day: 03, Year: 23

Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 2 drawing

28-41-42-50-55, Bonus: 02

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

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.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

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.

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Nebraska

NioCorp to start work on its minerals mine in southeast Nebraska

Published

18 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

NioCorp to start work on its minerals mine in southeast Nebraska

NioCorp announced Monday that it plans to start work on its critical minerals mine in southeast Nebraska.

The project, which the company is calling its mine portal project, will involve building a main entrance to the Elk Creek underground mine and will serve as the primary access point for personnel, equipment, and materials for the underground mining operations. It also will include excavating bedrock, drilling and blasting to establish the twin mine ramps, on-site access road construction, and construction of on-site supporting infrastructure.

The project, which will cost nearly $45 million, is set to get underway before the end of the month. It marks the first time Colorado-based NioCorp will actually start any significant work on the main mine, from which the company hopes to extract niobium, scandium, titanium and other minerals.

“Given the size of this excavation work, the portal project really marks the beginning of a major pre-construction activity at the Elk Creek Project site and is an important step toward preparing for underground development,” Scott Honan, the company’s president and chief operating officer, said in a release.

Mark A. Smith, Niocorp’s chairman and CEO, called the project, “a significant milestone.”

Niocorp has spent more than 15 years trying to develop the mine on land in Johnson County, about 65 miles southeast of Lincoln.

The company still needs to raise a significant amount of money to make the $1.2 billion mine a reality, though. In December, NioCorp said it had raised about $360 million, or a little more than a quarter of the total cost. It is still waiting for approval of a $780 million debt financing application from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

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Nebraska

Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 5 on March 1, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 1.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 1 drawing

7-6-5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 1 drawing

04-20-28-30-39

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from March 1 drawing

Red Balls: 02-10, White Balls: 25-26

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning MyDay numbers from March 1 drawing

Month: 11, Day: 28, Year: 38

Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 1 drawing

10-11-12-35-56, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

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.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

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.

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