2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska

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.

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 1 1 Popular vote 557,557 221,069 Percentage 70.74% 28.04% Swing 7.10% 6.55%
District results County results Republican   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90%   >90% Democratic   50–60%

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 69.5% 30.5%

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

• Jeff Fortenberry, incumbent U.S. Representative

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

• Daniel Wik, physician^[2]

Results

Democratic primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Daniel Wik	25,762	100.0
Total votes			25,762	100.0

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[3]	Safe R	November 7, 2016
Daily Kos Elections[4]	Safe R	November 7, 2016
Rothenberg[5]	Safe R	November 3, 2016
Sabato's Crystal Ball[6]	Safe R	November 7, 2016
RCP[7]	Safe R	October 31, 2016

Results

Nebraska's 1st congressional district, 2016 ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jeff Fortenberry (incumbent)	189,771	69.5
	Democratic	Daniel Wik	83,467	30.5
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.^[9] Kleeb ultimately did not run and Ashford won the primary unopposed.

Candidates

Nominee

• Brad Ashford, incumbent U.S. Representative

Declined

• Scott Kleeb, businessman, nominee for the 3rd district in 2006 and for U.S. Senate in 2008

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,^[10] and retired United States Air Force brigadier general Don Bacon ran in the Republican primary.^[11]

Candidates

Nominee

• Don Bacon, retired United States Air Force Brigadier General^[12]

Eliminated in primary

• Chip Maxwell, former state senator

Withdrawn

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

Endorsements

Don Bacon

U.S. Senators

• Deb Fischer, U.S. Senator (R-NE)^[13]

U.S. Representatives

• Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House^[14]
• Steve Russell, U.S. Representative (R-OK)^[13]
• Lee Zeldin, U.S. Representative (R-NY)^[13]
• Ryan Zinke, U.S. Representative (R-MT)^[13]

State officials

• Kay A. Orr, former Governor of Nebraska^[13]
• Rick Perry, former Governor of Texas^[13]
• Pete Ricketts, Governor of Nebraska^[14]

State legislators

• Dave Bloomfield, state senator^[13]
• Beau McCoy, state senator^[13]

Individuals

• William G. Boykin, retired Army lieutenant general and Executive Vice President of the Family Research Council^[13]

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

• Steven Laird

Eliminated in primary

• Andy Shambaugh^[15]
• Jeffrey Lynn Stein^[15]

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.^[16]

Endorsements

Brad Ashford (D)

Organizations

• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Frontline" Program^[17]
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce^[18]

Don Bacon (R)

U.S. Senators

• Deb Fischer, U.S. Senator (R-NE)^[13]

U.S. Representatives

• Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House^[14]
• Steve Russell, U.S. Representative (R-OK)^[13]
• Lee Zeldin, U.S. Representative (R-NY)^[13]
• Ryan Zinke, U.S. Representative (R-MT)^[13]

State officials

• Kay A. Orr, former Governor of Nebraska^[13]
• Rick Perry, former Governor of Texas^[13]
• Pete Ricketts, Governor of Nebraska^[14]

State legislators

• Dave Bloomfield, state senator^[13]
• Beau McCoy, state senator^[13]

Organizations

• National Republican Congressional Committee "Young Guns" Program^[19]

Individuals

• William G. Boykin, retired Army lieutenant general and Executive Vice President of the Family Research Council^[13]

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)[20]	October 26–27, 2016	1,482	± 2.54%	45%	47%	4%	3%
North Star Opinion Research (R-CLF)[21]	October 22–24, 2016	400	± 4.9%	44%	48%	—	8%
Global Strategy Group (D–Ashford)[22]	September 14–18, 2016	402	± 4.9%	50%	40%	—	10%
Singularis Group (R-Bacon)[23]	May 11–12, 2016	1,007	± 3.08%	42%	44%	5%	8%

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[3]	Tossup	November 7, 2016
Daily Kos Elections[4]	Tossup	November 7, 2016
Rothenberg[5]	Tilt D	November 3, 2016
Sabato's Crystal Ball[6]	Lean D	November 7, 2016
RCP[7]	Tossup	October 31, 2016

Results

Nebraska's 2nd congressional district, 2016 ^[8]

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

• Adrian Smith, incumbent U.S. Representative

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

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[3]	Safe R	November 7, 2016
Daily Kos Elections[4]	Safe R	November 7, 2016
Rothenberg[5]	Safe R	November 3, 2016
Sabato's Crystal Ball[6]	Safe R	November 7, 2016
RCP[7]	Safe R	October 31, 2016

Results

Nebraska's 3rd congressional district, 2016 ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Adrian Smith (incumbent)	226,720	100.0
Total votes			226,720	100.0
	Republican hold