Rep. Bacon, Eastman In Tight Race in Nebraska

In a race that last week drew the BBC to Omaha, Nebraska for a report, Nebraska-2 (Omaha) is a genuine toss-up. Just-completed polls for freshman Republican Rep. Don Bacon and Democratic challenger Kara Eastman pretty much agree on that.

 A Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll of likely voters conducted for Eastman showed Bacon narrowly leading her by 49 to 45 percent and 6 percent undecided. The margin of error was 4.9 percent.

These results are not that different from a Meeting Street Research Poll conducted for Bacon and showing the congressman leading Eastman by 49 to 40 percent, with 9 percent undecided. The margin of error also was 4.9 percent.

Two years ago, retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Bacon made headlines as one of three Republicans to unseat incumbent Democratic House Members. 

Widespread expectations of a rematch between Bacon and former Rep. Brad Ashford were dashed this year when Ashford lost the Democratic primary to Bernie Sanders Democrat Eastman.

“Kara Eastman has clearly defined herself as a hard left progressive socialist-- right in line with Bernie,” former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub, who was the 2nd District’s Republican House Member from 1980-88, “She’s with him--from repeal of the tax bill and  Medicare for all, to support for sanctuary cities to amnesty for all illegal entrants.”

Daub noted that “Omaha is a bit more blue than four years ago which explains most of all why she bested Brad Ashford in the primary. She also worked harder and was better organized.  But I still say Don wins and by 8-to-10 points.”