Rep. Don Bacon, who is one of just nine House Republicans to represent a Biden district, confirmed to the Omaha World-Herald over the weekend that he was considering running to succeed termed-out Republican Pete Ricketts as governor of Nebraska. Bacon, who previously served in the Air Force as a brigadier general, said he would “be very cautious” as he mulls whether to run statewide, but he did not give a timeline for when he’d decide.
Republicans have held Nebraska’s governorship since the 1998 elections, and that streak is likely to continue no matter who wins next year’s primary. The bigger consequence of a Bacon statewide campaign, though, would likely be in the battle for the House. The Omaha-based 2nd District swung from 48-46 Trump to 52-46 Biden last year, but Bacon ran far ahead of the ticket and won his third term 51-46.