Happy primary day to voters in Nebraska and West Virginia. Here’s what we’re watching.
Who will come out on top in Nebraska’s 2nd District?
Democrat Denise Powell and state Sen. John Cavanaugh are locked in an increasingly nasty primary to succeed retiring Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.). This district is a prime flip opportunity for Democrats. Former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the seat in 2024.
This race exposes several major fault lines in 2026 Democratic primaries: Israel-Gaza politics, mysteriously funded super PACs and the moderate-vs.-progressive divide. It even includes a debate over whether a Cavanaugh win could lead to a mid-decade redistricting and a change to the state’s winner-take-all Electoral College system.
Progressives are lining up behind Cavanaugh, a state senator who’s backed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC. Moderates are behind Powell, a small business owner who’s benefited from outside spending by groups affiliated with the New Democrat Coalition and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
More than $6 million has been spent in the primary. The Republican candidate is Omaha City Councilmember Brinker Harding.
Will an Osborn ally notch a victory in the Nebraska Senate Democratic primary?
Independent Dan Osborn, who ran a close race against Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) last cycle, is back again to challenge Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.). For Osborn to have a chance, he needs the winner of the Nebraska Senate Democratic primary to drop out.
One candidate — Cindy Burbank — has pledged to exit the race if she wins the primary. The Nebraska Democratic Party is lining up behind Osborn and wants Burbank to win the primary. The GOP tried to kick Burbank off the ballot, but she was reinstated.
Another Democratic candidate, William Forbes, is accused by Democrats of being a GOP plant who will try to siphon votes away from Osborn.
How much does Capito win by?
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) is heavily favored to win her primary. Capito, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, faces five challengers. The most serious of those opponents is state Sen. Tom Willis.
