2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska

Last updated

2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska
Flag of Nebraska.svg
  2014 November 8, 2016 (2016-11-08) 2018  

All 3 Nebraska seats to the United States House of Representatives
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election21
Seats won30
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 1
Popular vote557,557221,069
Percentage70.74%28.04%
SwingIncrease2.svg 7.10%Decrease2.svg 6.55%

2016 U.S. House elections in Nebraska.svg
2016 United States House of Representatives Elections in Nebraska by county.svg

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.

Contents

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 OthersTotalResult
Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%
District 1 189,77169.45%83,46730.55%00.00%273,238100.0%Republican hold
District 2 141,06648.93%137,60247.73%9,6403.34%288,308100.0%Republican gain
District 3 226,720100.0%00.00%00.00%226,720100.0%Republican hold
Total557,55770.74%221,06928.04%9,6401.22%788,266100.0%

District 1

2016 Nebraska's 1st congressional district election
Flag of Nebraska.svg
  2014
2018  
  Jeff Fortenberry Official Portrait 115th Congress (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Jeff Fortenberry Daniel Wik
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote189,77183,467
Percentage69.4%30.6%

U.S. Representative before election

Jeff Fortenberry
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Jeff Fortenberry
Republican

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]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jeff Fortenberry (incumbent) 62,704 100.0
Total votes62,704 100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Daniel Wik, physician [2]

Results

Democratic primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Daniel Wik 25,762 100.0
Total votes25,762 100.0

General election

Results

Nebraska's 1st congressional district, 2016 [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jeff Fortenberry (incumbent) 189,771 69.4
Democratic Daniel Wik83,46730.6
Total votes273,238 100.0
Republican hold

District 2

2016 Nebraska's 2nd congressional district election
Flag of Nebraska.svg
  2014
2018  
  Donald J. Bacon (cropped).JPG Brad Ashford Congress (cropped) (cropped).jpg
Nominee Don Bacon Brad Ashford
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote141,066137,602
Percentage48.9%47.7%

U.S. Representative before election

Brad Ashford
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Don Bacon
Republican

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]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Brad Ashford (incumbent) 23,470 100.0
Total votes23,470 100.0

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
  • Dirk Arneson, salesmen (withdrew September 3, 2015, and endorsed Bacon[ citation needed ])

Endorsements

Don Bacon

U.S. Senators

U.S. Representatives

State officials

State legislators

Individuals

Results

Republican primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Don Bacon 32,328 66.0
Republican Chip Maxwell 16,67734.0
Total votes49,005 100.0

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Steven Laird
Eliminated in primary
  • Andy Shambaugh [10]
  • Jeffrey Lynn Stein [10]

Results

Libertarian primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Libertarian Steven Laird 108 46.2
Libertarian Andy Shambaugh8938.0
Libertarian Jeffrey Lynn Stein3715.8
Total votes234 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)
Don Bacon (R)

U.S. Senators

U.S. Representatives

State officials

State legislators

Organizations

Individuals

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Brad
Ashford (D)
Don
Bacon (R)
Steven
Laird (L)
Undecided
Singularis Group (R-Bacon) [15] October 26–27, 20161,482± 2.54%45%47%4%3%
North Star Opinion Research (R-CLF) [16] October 22–24, 2016400± 4.9%44%48%8%
Global Strategy Group (D–Ashford) [17] September 14–18, 2016402± 4.9%50%40%10%
Singularis Group (R-Bacon) [18] May 11–12, 20161,007± 3.08%42%44%5%8%

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [19] TossupNovember 7, 2016
Daily Kos Elections [20] TossupNovember 7, 2016
Rothenberg [21] Tilt DNovember 3, 2016
Sabato's Crystal Ball [22] Lean DNovember 7, 2016
RCP [23] TossupOctober 31, 2016

Results

Nebraska's 2nd congressional district, 2016 [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Don Bacon 141,066 48.9
Democratic Brad Ashford (incumbent)137,60247.7
Libertarian Steven Laird9,6403.4
Total votes288,308 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 3

2016 Nebraska's 3rd congressional district election
Flag of Nebraska.svg
  2014
2018  
  Adriansmith.jpg
Nominee Adrian Smith
Party Republican
Popular vote226,720
Percentage100.0%

U.S. Representative before election

Adrian Smith
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Adrian Smith
Republican

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]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Adrian Smith (incumbent) 78,154 100.0
Total votes78,154 100.0

Democratic primary

No Democrats filed.

General election

Results

Nebraska's 3rd congressional district, 2016 [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Adrian Smith (incumbent) 226,720 100.0
Total votes226,720 100.0
Republican hold

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "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. 1 2 3 "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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "ENDORSEMENTS". Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 4 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. 1 2 "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. Singularis Group (R-Bacon)
  16. North Star Opinion Research (R-CLF)
  17. Global Strategy Group (D–Ashford)
  18. Singularis Group (R-Bacon)
  19. "2016 House Race Ratings for November 7, 2016". House: Race Ratings. Cook Political Report . Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  20. "Daily Kos Elections House race ratings: Initial ratings for 2016". Daily Kos Elections . Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  21. "2016 House Ratings (November 3, 2016)". House Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report . Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  22. "2016 House". Sabato's Crystal Ball. November 7, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  23. "Battle for the House 2016". Real Clear Politics . Retrieved October 31, 2016.