U.S. House, Nebraska 2nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District?
Brinker Harding has the strongest record in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Brinker Harding scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Denise Powell at 50, as of October 6, 2026. Brinker Harding's highest marks are roots in the constituency and relevant experience. Eric Foreman (5 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Libertarian
Eric Foreman
On the ballot as Eric Michael Foreman
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 5 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 56
- Performance
- NR
Republican
Strongest record
Brinker Harding
58 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
Democratic
Denise Powell
50 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- 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.
Eric Foreman
- On the record2026
Says that if elected he would regularly wear a body camera and publish a vlog of his daily activities.
Brinker Harding
- On the record2026-09
Ran a campaign ad showing Warren Buffett after Buffett's daughter asked that it be taken down because her father had not given permission; the campaign moved up a replacement ad.
Source: Roll Call, Sept. 10, 2026
- On the record2026-10
Accepted the Oct. 15, 2026 WOWT, League of Women Voters and Omaha Press Club debate with Powell and Foreman.
Source: WOWT, Oct. 5, 2026
- On the record1995 to 2001
Served in Mayor Hal Daub's administration, including as chief of staff, and managed Daub's 2009 mayoral campaign.
- Credit2013 to 2026
Appointed to the Omaha Planning Board in 2013 and later its chairman; elected to the Omaha City Council in 2017, reelected in 2021 and 2025, and chosen council vice president in 2025.
Denise Powell
- On the record2026-10
Accepted the Oct. 15, 2026 WOWT, League of Women Voters and Omaha Press Club debate.
Source: WOWT, Oct. 5, 2026
- On the record2025 to 2026
Her personal financial disclosures show consulting work for multiple state and national PACs.
- On the recordabout 2009
Moved to Omaha about 17 years ago after working in communications and marketing in New York and Los Angeles.
- Credit2017
Co-founded Women Who Run, a political action committee that recruits and supports women running for office across Nebraska.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Eric Foreman. No public record found.
Brinker Harding. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed June 12, 2026. No FEC administrative fine or official finding found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk, candidate financial disclosure, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00909515
Denise Powell. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed Aug. 13, 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 C00903948
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Eric Foreman. No public record found.
Brinker Harding. No public record found.
Denise Powell. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Eric Foreman. Accepted the Oct. 15, 2026 WOWT, League of Women Voters and Omaha Press Club debate.
Source: WOWT, Oct. 5, 2026
Brinker Harding. Accepted the Oct. 15, 2026 WOWT, League of Women Voters and Omaha Press Club debate. No open town hall series documented.
Source: WOWT, Oct. 5, 2026
Denise Powell. Accepted the Oct. 15, 2026 WOWT, League of Women Voters and Omaha Press Club debate. No open town hall series documented.
Source: WOWT, Oct. 5, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Eric Foreman. No public record found.
Brinker Harding. Omaha Planning Board member and chairman, then city council member since 2017 and council vice president, with no formal conduct finding found.
Denise Powell. Years as a communications and marketing executive and as co-founder of a political organization, with no formal conduct finding found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Eric Foreman. No public record found.
Brinker Harding. Has held the sworn office of Omaha City Council member since 2017. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Denise Powell. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Eric Foreman. Works in property management and maintenance; no leadership role or public office documented.
Brinker Harding. Omaha City Council member since 2017, reelected in 2021 and 2025, and council vice president; earlier Omaha Planning Board chairman and chief of staff to Mayor Hal Daub.
Denise Powell. Communications and public relations executive and small business owner; co-founded Women Who Run in 2017 and has worked as a consultant for state and national PACs. Has not held public office.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 30, 2026, Ballotpedia, Denise Powell
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Eric Foreman. Published positions in the Ballotpedia survey and a Nebraska Public Media interview, including a proposal to expand Georgia's Ridge's Law nationally.
Brinker Harding. Published priorities on affordability and congressional reforms such as a stock trading ban, term limits and pausing members' pay during shutdowns.
Denise Powell. Published general positions on affordability, health care, tariffs and immigration in candidate interviews.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Eric Foreman. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, gave a Nebraska Public Media interview and accepted the Oct. 15 debate.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Eric Michael Foreman, WOWT, Oct. 5, 2026
Brinker Harding. Accepted the Oct. 15 debate and gave a Nebraska Public Media candidate interview. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Denise Powell. Accepted the Oct. 15 debate and gave a Nebraska Public Media candidate interview. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: WOWT, Oct. 5, 2026, Ballotpedia, Denise Powell
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Eric Foreman. A lifelong Nebraskan who lists Omaha on the official candidate list.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 30, 2026, Nebraska Secretary of State candidate list
Brinker Harding. Born and raised in Omaha with family roots there going back four generations; lists Omaha on the official candidate list. About 69 percent of itemized contributions ($1,129,085 of $1,643,013) came from Nebraska, per FEC by-state totals.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 30, 2026, Flatwater Free Press, Oct. 1, 2026, Nebraska Secretary of State candidate list, FEC contribution totals by state
Denise Powell. Born in Florida; moved to Omaha about 17 years ago and lists Omaha on the official candidate list. About 34 percent of itemized contributions ($614,700 of $1,805,879) came from Nebraska, per FEC by-state totals.
Sources: Nebraska Public Media, Sept. 30, 2026, Nebraska Secretary of State candidate list, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Eric Foreman. No public record found.
Brinker Harding. Served as chief of staff to Omaha Mayor Hal Daub. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC with no debts and no administrative fine found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Brinker Harding, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00909515
Denise Powell. Co-founded Women Who Run. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC with $75,000 in debts and no administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00903948
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Eric Foreman. No public record found.
Brinker Harding. No public record found.
Denise Powell. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Eric Foreman. No public record found.
Brinker Harding. No public record found.
Denise Powell. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Eric Foreman. No public record found.
Brinker Harding. No public record found.
Denise Powell. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Eric Foreman. No public record found.
Brinker Harding. No public record found.
Denise Powell. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Eric Foreman. No public record found.
Brinker Harding. No public record found.
Denise Powell. 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 2nd Congressional District?
Brinker Harding has the strongest record in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Brinker Harding scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Denise Powell at 50, as of October 6, 2026. Brinker Harding's highest marks are roots in the constituency and relevant experience. Eric Foreman (5 of 15 criteria) has 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 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
Eric Foreman (Libertarian), Brinker Harding (Republican), Denise Powell (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Eric Foreman a good candidate for Congress?
Eric Foreman has public evidence on 5 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 Brinker Harding a good candidate for Congress?
Brinker Harding scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 65 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Denise Powell a good candidate for Congress?
Denise Powell scores 50 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 50 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
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.