2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska
← 2014 November 8, 2016 (2016-11-08) 2018 →
All 3 Nebraska seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election 2 1
Seats won 3 0
Seat change Increase 1 Decrease 1
Popular vote 557,557 221,069
Percentage 70.74% 28.04%
Swing Increase 7.10% Decrease 6.55%
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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

Statewide

Popular vote
Republican
 
 70.74%
Democratic
 
 28.04%
Libertarian
 
 1.22%
House seats
Republican
 
 100.0%
Democratic
 
 0%
Libertarian
 
 0%

By district

Results of the 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska by district:

District Republican Democratic Others Total Result
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

2016 Nebraska's 1st congressional district election
← 2014
2018 →
 
Nominee Jeff Fortenberry Daniel Wik
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 189,771 83,467
Percentage 69.4% 30.6%
U.S. Representative before election

Jeff Fortenberry
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Jeff Fortenberry
Republican

See also: Nebraska's 1st congressional district

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

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Republican primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jeff Fortenberry (incumbent) 62,704 100.0
Total votes 62,704 100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Daniel Wik 25,762 100.0
Total votes 25,762 100.0

General election

Results

Nebraska's 1st congressional district, 2016 [3]
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

2016 Nebraska's 2nd congressional district election
← 2014
2018 →
 
Nominee Don Bacon Brad Ashford
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 141,066 137,602
Percentage 48.9% 47.7%
U.S. Representative before election

Brad Ashford
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Don Bacon
Republican

See also: Nebraska's 2nd congressional district

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

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

Nominee
Declined

Results

Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Ashford (incumbent) 23,470 100.0
Total votes 23,470 100.0

Republican primary

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

Nominee
Eliminated in primary
Withdrawn

Endorsements

Don Bacon
U.S. Senators
U.S. Representatives
State officials
State legislators
Individuals

Results

Republican primary results[1]
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

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary

Results

Libertarian primary results[1]
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

Campaign

The general election race was characterized as a tossup with the incumbent Ashford having a slight edge.[11]

Endorsements

Brad Ashford (D)
Organizations
Don Bacon (R)
U.S. Senators
U.S. Representatives
State officials
State legislators
Organizations
Individuals

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size 		Margin of
error 		Brad
Ashford (D) 		Don
Bacon (R) 		Steven
Laird (L) 		Undecided
Singularis Group (R-Bacon) October 26–27, 2016 1,482 ± 2.54% 45% 47% 4% 3%
North Star Opinion Research (R-CLF) October 22–24, 2016 400 ± 4.9% 44% 48% — 8%
Global Strategy Group (D–Ashford) September 14–18, 2016 402 ± 4.9% 50% 40% — 10%
Singularis Group (R-Bacon) May 11–12, 2016 1,007 ± 3.08% 42% 44% 5% 8%

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[15] Tossup November 7, 2016
Daily Kos Elections[16] Tossup November 7, 2016
Rothenberg[17] Tilt D November 3, 2016
Sabato's Crystal Ball[18] Lean D November 7, 2016
RCP[19] Tossup October 31, 2016

Results

Nebraska's 2nd congressional district, 2016 [3]
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

2016 Nebraska's 3rd congressional district election
← 2014
2018 →
 
Nominee Adrian Smith
Party Republican
Popular vote 226,720
Percentage 100.0%
U.S. Representative before election

Adrian Smith
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Adrian Smith
Republican

See also: Nebraska's 3rd congressional district

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

Candidates

Nominee

Results

Republican primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Adrian Smith (incumbent) 78,154 100.0
Total votes 78,154 100.0

Democratic primary

No Democrats filed.

General election

Results

Nebraska's 3rd congressional district, 2016 [3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Adrian Smith (incumbent) 226,720 100.0
Total votes 226,720 100.0
Republican hold

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Warneke, Kent (February 23, 2016). "Norfolk physician to challenge Fortenberry for seat in Congress". Norfolk Daily News. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ Walton, Don (March 24, 2015). "Retired general bids for Ashford House seat". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ a b "Statewide Candidate List" (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "Young Gun candidates". gopyoungguns.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  15. ^ "2016 House Race Ratings for November 7, 2016". House: Race Ratings. Cook Political Report. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  16. ^ "Daily Kos Elections House race ratings: Initial ratings for 2016". Daily Kos Elections. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  17. ^ "2016 House Ratings (November 3, 2016)". House Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  18. ^ "2016 House". Sabato's Crystal Ball. November 7, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  19. ^ "Battle for the House 2016". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved October 31, 2016.

External links

(2015 ←)   2016 United States elections   (→ 2017)
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