# Powell's NE-02 race joins DCCC's Red-to-Blue program  
**Published:** 2026-06-04T09:30:47.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/denise-powells-ne-02-race-against-brinker-harding-joins-dcccs-red-to-blue-program-for-house-dems/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/powell-s-ne-02-race-joins-dccc-s-red-to-blue-program

OMAHA — Democratic nominee Denise Powell's bid to win Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District has been added to the [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's](https://www.dccc.org/) "Red to Blue" program, signaling national party support for what many consider a critical battleground in November's midterm elections.

The DCCC program steers organizational and fundraising support to Democratic candidates in districts where the party believes it can flip Republican-held seats. [Powell's race has been on the program's donor investment list since 2016](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/denise-powells-ne-02-race-against-brinker-harding-joins-dcccs-red-to-blue-program-for-house-dems/), making NE-02 a recurring Democratic target.

The district became open after [the retirement of five-term GOP Rep. Don Bacon](https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/nebraska-house/don-bacons-retirement-moves-nebraskas-2nd-district-lean-democrat), a decorated Air Force veteran who had held the Omaha-based seat since 2016. Powell defeated five Democratic rivals in May to secure the nomination.

"I'm thrilled to be added to the DCCC's Red to Blue program today and to flip this seat in November," Powell said in a statement. She is a political organizer and small business owner who co-founded the [Women Who Run PAC](https://womenwhopac.com/), which trains potential candidates.

Powell faces [Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding](https://www.brinkerharding.com/), a business leader who served on the city council since 2017 and previously worked in economic development. Harding is also receiving support from political veterans aligned with Bacon's team as he seeks to hold the seat for Republicans.

DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene praised Powell's candidacy in a statement, calling her "a business and community leader who has fought for Nebraska's working families for years."

The district, encompassing Douglas and Saunders counties plus parts of western suburban Sarpy County, represents one of the nation's most closely watched political battlegrounds. [Vice President Kamala Harris won the district by 4.6 percentage points in 2024](https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/nebraska-house/don-bacons-retirement-moves-nebraskas-2nd-district-lean-democrat), yet Bacon won reelection that same year, highlighting the district's volatile political nature. The general election is November 3.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/denise-powells-ne-02-race-against-brinker-harding-joins-dcccs-red-to-blue-program-for-house-dems/)
- [Women Who Run PAC](https://womenwhopac.com/)
- [Brinker Harding for Congress official website](https://www.brinkerharding.com/)
- [Cook Political Report analysis on Don Bacon's retirement and district leanings](https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/nebraska-house/don-bacons-retirement-moves-nebraskas-2nd-district-lean-democrat)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/denise-powells-ne-02-race-against-brinker-harding-joins-dcccs-red-to-blue-program-for-house-dems/.