U.S. House, Nebraska 1st Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Nebraska's 1st Congressional District?
Mike Flood has the strongest record in Nebraska's 1st Congressional District. Mike Flood scores 79 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Chris Backemeyer at 61, as of October 6, 2026. Mike Flood's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Chris Backemeyer's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Dan Hartong (1 of 15 criteria) and Nik Sandman (4 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Chris Backemeyer
61 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Mike Flood
79 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 90
- Performance
- 88
America First
Dan Hartong
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 1 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Libertarian
Nik Sandman
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 56
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Chris Backemeyer
- On the record2026-09
Debated Flood once in September 2026 after a public dispute over dates in which he offered October dates.
Sources: Nebraska Examiner via Yahoo News, Sept. 4, 2026, Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026
- On the record2026
Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
- On the recordbefore 2022-12
Served as special advisor in the Office of the Vice President on Middle East, international economic and climate issues.
- Credit2016 to 2025
Served as State Department deputy assistant secretary for Iranian affairs (2016 to 2017) and later coordinated over $7 billion in Middle East and North Africa assistance as a career Senior Executive Service member.
Mike Flood
- On the record2026
Held an in-person town hall in Norfolk in 2026 that the Nebraska Examiner described as rowdy.
- On the record2026-08 to 2026-09
His campaign declined a League of Women Voters debate, citing the group's political ideology, and debated Backemeyer once, on Nebraska Public Media and the World-Herald in September 2026.
Sources: Nebraska Examiner via Yahoo News, Sept. 4, 2026, Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026
- On the record1999 to present
Owns a statewide broadcasting network that he founded with one Norfolk radio station.
- Credit2025 to 2026
Sponsored the HOME Reform Act and a housing environmental review bill whose provisions GovTrack reports were incorporated into enacted legislation.
- Credit2025 to 2026
Chairs the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.
Source: GovTrack, Mike Flood
Dan Hartong
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Nik Sandman
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Chris Backemeyer. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed Aug. 8, 2026 after an extension. No FEC administrative fine or official finding found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk, candidate financial disclosure, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00925750
Mike Flood. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed Aug. 11, 2026 after an extension; his 2023 stock transaction report was filed 10 days after the sale. No House Ethics matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk, 2025 annual disclosure, House Clerk, periodic transaction report 20022861, House Ethics Committee search, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00801241
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Chris Backemeyer. No public record found.
Mike Flood. No public record found.
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Chris Backemeyer. Debated Flood in September 2026; had offered October dates before the date was set. No open town hall series documented.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026, Nebraska Examiner via Yahoo News, Sept. 4, 2026
Mike Flood. Debated Backemeyer in September 2026 in the race's only debate and held an in-person town hall in Norfolk in 2026. Declined a League of Women Voters debate.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026, Nebraska Examiner via Yahoo News, June 9, 2026, Nebraska Examiner via Yahoo News, Sept. 4, 2026
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Chris Backemeyer. About 21 years at the State Department, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, with no formal conduct finding found.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026, U.S. Department of State, Chris Backemeyer
Mike Flood. Nearly 10 years in the Legislature and four years in Congress with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026, House Ethics Committee search
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Chris Backemeyer. Served in the federal career civil service at the State Department through May 2025. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Mike Flood. Took office in July 2022, after the January 2021 electoral count, so cast no vote on electoral objections. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Chris Backemeyer. State Department deputy assistant secretary for Iranian affairs (2016 to 2017) and for Near Eastern affairs assistance coordination (2022 to 2025); served on the National Security Council and as a special advisor to the vice president.
Sources: U.S. Department of State, Chris Backemeyer, Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026
Mike Flood. In the House since 2022 (special election, then reelected in 2022 and 2024); nearly 10 years in the Nebraska Legislature, including as speaker from 2007.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026, Congressman Mike Flood, Meet Mike
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. Farmer who helped found a low-power FM Christian radio station in Lincoln. Has not held public office.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Chris Backemeyer. Published positions in the Ballotpedia survey and interviews, in general terms.
Mike Flood. Chairs the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance; says he wrote housing provisions enacted in 2026. Former speaker of the Legislature.
Sources: GovTrack, Mike Flood, Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. Explained general positions on agriculture, health care and the Iran war in a Nebraska Public Media interview and Ballotpedia survey.
Source: Ballotpedia, Nik Sandman
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Chris Backemeyer. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, debated Flood and gave a Nebraska Public Media candidate interview.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Christopher Backemeyer, Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026
Mike Flood. Debated his challenger, holds in-person town halls, publishes a newsletter and issue pages on his House site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026, Nebraska Examiner via Yahoo News, June 9, 2026, Congressman Mike Flood, Meet Mike, Ballotpedia, Mike Flood
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and gave a Nebraska Public Media candidate interview.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Nik Sandman, Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Chris Backemeyer. Born and raised in Lincoln, a Lincoln East High School graduate, and moved back to Lincoln; lists Lincoln on the official candidate list. About 47 percent of itemized contributions ($170,757 of $364,456) came from Nebraska, per FEC by-state totals.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Christopher Backemeyer, Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026, Nebraska Secretary of State candidate list, FEC contribution totals by state
Mike Flood. Raised in Norfolk, which he represented in the Legislature, and lists Norfolk as his residence on the official candidate list. About 64 percent of itemized contributions ($756,532 of $1,179,252) came from Nebraska, per FEC by-state totals.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026, Nebraska Secretary of State candidate list, FEC contribution totals by state
Dan Hartong. Lists Lincoln as his residence on the official candidate list.
Nik Sandman. Grew up on a farm near Wauneta in southwest Nebraska and lives in Lincoln.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Chris Backemeyer. As a deputy assistant secretary coordinated over $7 billion in foreign assistance for the Middle East and North Africa. Campaign reports on file with $100,000 in debts and no administrative fine.
Sources: U.S. Department of State, Chris Backemeyer, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00925750
Mike Flood. Founded in 1999 and owns a statewide broadcasting network. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC with no administrative fine found.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 29, 2026, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00801241
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Chris Backemeyer. No public record found.
Mike Flood. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.767 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.194, meets expectations. Sponsor of four bills GovTrack counts as enacted, including the HOME Reform Act provisions.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking, House data file, GovTrack, Mike Flood, GovTrack, H.R. 5878 (119th)
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Chris Backemeyer. No public record found.
Mike Flood. Missed 21 of 2,166 roll call votes (1.0 percent) from July 2022 to September 2026, per GovTrack.
Source: GovTrack, Mike Flood
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Chris Backemeyer. No public record found.
Mike Flood. Keeps a Lincoln district office, offers help with federal agencies and holds in-person town halls, including one in Norfolk in 2026. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Congressman Mike Flood, Meet Mike, Nebraska Examiner via Yahoo News, June 9, 2026
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Chris Backemeyer. No public record found.
Mike Flood. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.20875 for 2023 (118th Congress), ranked 90th in the House, in the top quarter.
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Chris Backemeyer. No public record found.
Mike Flood. No public record found.
Dan Hartong. No public record found.
Nik Sandman. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Nebraska's 1st Congressional District?
Mike Flood has the strongest record in Nebraska's 1st Congressional District. Mike Flood scores 79 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Chris Backemeyer at 61, as of October 6, 2026. Mike Flood's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Chris Backemeyer's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Dan Hartong (1 of 15 criteria) and Nik Sandman (4 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Nebraska's 1st Congressional District in 2026?
Chris Backemeyer (Democratic), Mike Flood (Republican, incumbent), Dan Hartong (America First), Nik Sandman (Libertarian). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Chris Backemeyer a good candidate for Congress?
Chris Backemeyer scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Mike Flood a good candidate for Congress?
Mike Flood scores 79 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 90 of 100, performance 88 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Dan Hartong a good candidate for Congress?
Dan Hartong has public evidence on 1 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Nik Sandman a good candidate for Congress?
Nik Sandman has public evidence on 4 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Nebraska race scored, and the Nebraska 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.