After weeks of speculation, Rep. Don Bacon officially announced Monday morning he will not seek reelection in 2026 and will retire at the end of the 119th Congress.
Surrounded by family inside Eppley Airfield, Bacon assured he will not “retire, retire,” as he’s “going to be active in this community,” but will pass the torch of his 2nd Congressional District seat to the next generation.
“It’s been a great 10 years,” said choked up Bacon. “We’ve worked four days out of seven in Washington D.C., 12-14 hours a day. It’s time to come home.”
Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general, has fended off Democratic challengers four times since first winning the seat in 2016. With his absence, the republican field for the completive, purple district representing the Omaha-Metro area is wide open.
“To be honest, I think that we could win this district. I’m in a great position to win again. Politically, we’re doing a great job with swing voters. But it takes 12-14 hours a day, and I want to devote more of that time to the family,” Bacon said, flanked by his adult children and his grand children. “To win this district, you’ve got to be all in. You can’t leave anything on the table. We’ve done it five times. I think it’s time for a new Republican to be our nominee that can do 12-14 hour a day and hold this seat.”
Local Democrats were quick to react when rumors seemed definite last Friday, with party chair Jane Kleeb saying her party is “ready.” Three Democrats have either entered or are exploring the race: nonprofit leader Denise Powell, State Sen. John Cavanaugh, and Douglas County Court Clerk Crystal Rhoades.
On the Republican side, possible contenders include former State Sen. Brett Lindstrom, Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding, and Bacon’s 2024 primary challenger, Dan Frei.
Bacon, 61, also serves as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s Cyber, Information Technologies and Innovation Subcommittee (CITI).
Bacon’s full statement on his retirement is available below.
“After consultation with my family and much prayer, I have decided not to seek reelection in 2026 and will fulfill my term in the 119th Congress through January 2, 2027. After three decades in the Air Force and now going on one decade in Congress, I look forward to coming home in the evenings and being with my wife and seeing more of our adult children and eight grandchildren, who all live near my home. I’ve been married for 41 years, and I’d like to dedicate more time to my family, my church, and the Omaha community. I also want to continue advocating for a strong national security strategy and a strong alliance system with countries that share our love of democracy, free markets and the rule of law.
“During the remainder of the 119th Congress, we will be focused on finishing the job. Providing top-notch constituent services in the district, for which we were recognized in 2021 with the Congressional Management Foundation’s Democracy Awards for Constituent Services in 2021, will be a priority as it always has been.
“To date, we have processed close to 8,500 casework/requests for assistance; we have helped people who were wrongly marked as deceased, helped citizens in distress around the world return home; helped people devasted by disasters such as flood and tornadoes, literally climb out of the ruble and connect them with resources; we have solved problems with Medicare, Social Security and IRS problems, passports and immigration, and so much more. Our team has worked diligently every day to advocate for and deliver on behalf of our constituents.
“Legislatively, I aim to work to get five agricultural bills passed that were included as part of the Farm Bill, including the increase of defenses for our nation’s food supply chain and removing barriers for the next generation of farmers seeking to establish their operations. I will continue my work on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and lay the groundwork for a new VA hospital in Omaha.
“My service to our great nation started in the Air Force, where I served sixteen assignments, five commands and four deployments and will continue in Congress until the end of the 119th Congress. I’d like to find new ways to serve our great country. I have a love for national security, and I’ll always be a proponent for old-fashioned Ronald Reagan Conservative values. It has been an honor to serve the 2nd District of Nebraska and the nation, and I thank our constituents for trusting me to represent them. I am proud of the work we have done and will continue to do until the lights in the office are turned off for the last time. Thank you, and God bless America.”