GOTV Intel

Brinker Harding

Candidate for Nebraska 2nd Congressional District · Republican

On the 2026 ballotCandidate · Nebraska 2nd Congressional District · Nov 3 General

Ballot status source: Nebraska Secretary of State — Final Statewide General Candidate List, November 3 2026: Representative in Congress District 02 — Republican, Brinker Harding · read Sep 24, 2026

Sources (2)
  • Nebraska Secretary of State — Final Statewide General Candidate List, November 3 2026: Representative in Congress District 02 — Republican, Brinker Harding
  • Nebraska Board of State Canvassers — Official Results of Nebraska Primary Election May 12, 2026, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressional District 2: Republican nominee Brinker Harding 39,689 (unopposed)
Order a GOTV Intel ReportWho Is Running for This Seat

The District

What Nebraska 2nd Congressional District covers

Covers all of Saunders County; parts of Douglas County and Sarpy County.

Includes Omaha (part), Gretna (part), Valley, Wahoo, Ashland, Bennington, Boys Town, King Lake, Linoma Beach, Melia, Ralston, Richfield and 19 more.

Map of Nebraska 2nd Congressional District with 275 precincts

275 precincts · District lines: Congressional lines: U.S. Census Bureau (1:500,000 cartographic boundary, 119th Congress) · Precinct lines: Douglas County GIS (DCGIS), Precincts 2024 layer (dcgis.org Hosted/Precincts_2024); Sarpy County Election Commission, Voting Precincts (/FeatureServer/2, all 81 precincts last updated 2021-10-22) — official county layers; Census 2020 VTDs elsewhere in Nebraska; U.S. Census Bureau 2020 TIGER/Line VTDs where no official layer; U.S. Census Bureau 2020 VTDs for the 2020 general (Douglas); Douglas County 2022 precincts (dcgis.org) for the 2022 general; Census 2020 VTDs for 2020

Results

Certified results for Nebraska 2nd Congressional District

U.S. Representative District 2

Nebraska General Election 2024-11-05 · Nov 5, 2024
CandidateVotesShare
Don BaconRepublican160,19850.9%
Tony VargasDemocrat154,36949.1%

Official/certified county canvass results by precinct for the NE-02 counties · Douglas County Election Commission official results; Sarpy County Election…

Sources (2)
  • Official/certified county canvass results by precinct for the NE-02 counties (Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders)
  • statewide county totals from the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers Official Report. Other counties: no precinct detail loaded

U.S. Representative District 2

Nebraska General Election 2022-11-08 · Nov 8, 2022
CandidateVotesShare
Don BaconRepublican112,66351.3%
Tony VargasDemocrat106,80748.7%

Official/certified county canvass results by precinct for the NE-02 counties · Douglas County Election Commission official results; Sarpy County Election…

Sources (2)
  • Official/certified county canvass results by precinct for the NE-02 counties (Douglas, Sarpy)
  • statewide county totals from the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers Official Report. Other counties: no precinct detail loaded

U.S. Representative District 2

Nebraska General Election 2020-11-03 · Nov 3, 2020
CandidateVotesShare
Donald BaconRepublican171,07150.7%
Kara EastmanDemocrat155,70646.2%
Tyler SchaefferLibertarian10,1853.0%
Write-in3970.1%

Official/certified county canvass results by precinct for the NE-02 counties · Douglas County Election Commission official results; Sarpy County Election…

Sources (2)
  • Official/certified county canvass results by precinct for the NE-02 counties (Douglas, Sarpy)
  • statewide county totals from the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers Official Report. Other counties: no precinct detail loaded

Key Votes

The record

  • RES. 2026-0707: Revise the Recommended 2027 Budget to cut General Fund property-tax revenue by $4,368,417 and raise sales-tax revenue by the same amount — voted Yes

    Omaha City Council roll call · Motion failed 3-4 · meeting 2026-08-25 Motion by Melton, second by Harding, to approve. Yeas: Rowe, Harding, Melton Nays: Festersen, Goodwin, Hug, Mr. President (Begley)

    Aug 25, 2026 · Official · City of Omaha — Journal of the City Council (City Clerk) · source

  • ORD. 44716: Citywide minimum wage ordinance — final passage — voted No

    Omaha City Council roll call · Motion approved 4-3 · meeting 2026-07-14 Motion by Festersen, second by Begley, to approve. Yeas: Festersen, Goodwin, Hug, Mr. President (Begley) Nays: Rowe, Harding, Melton

    Jul 14, 2026 · Official · City of Omaha — Journal of the City Council (City Clerk) · source

  • ORD. 44716: Citywide minimum wage ordinance — motion to place on file — voted Yes

    Omaha City Council roll call · Motion failed 3-4 · meeting 2026-07-14 Motion by Melton, second by Rowe, to place the ordinance on file. Yeas: Rowe, Harding, Melton Nays: Festersen, Goodwin, Hug, Mr. President (Begley)

    Jul 14, 2026 · Official · City of Omaha — Journal of the City Council (City Clerk) · source

  • RES. 2026-0315: Settlement of Newport Blue Impact LP v. City of Omaha (Douglas County District Court CI 25-10319) — voted No

    Omaha City Council roll call · Motion approved 4-3 · meeting 2026-04-07 Motion by Rowe, second by Festersen, to approve. Yeas: Hug, Rowe, Festersen, Mr. President (Begley) Nays: Goodwin, Harding, Melton

    Apr 7, 2026 · Official · City of Omaha — Journal of the City Council (City Clerk) · source

  • ORD. 44506: Amend Municipal Code §44-151 to adopt the 2023 National Electrical Code — voted No

    Omaha City Council roll call · Motion approved 4-3 · meeting 2025-12-09 Roll call recorded in the Journal (motion text not captured by GOTV Intel's extraction). Yeas: Goodwin, Hug, Festersen, Mr. President (Begley) Nays: Harding, Melton, Rowe

    Dec 9, 2025 · Official · City of Omaha — Journal of the City Council (City Clerk) · source

  • ORD. 44395: “Unauthorized Encampments on Public Property” ordinance — motion to deny — voted No

    Omaha City Council roll call · Motion approved 5-2 (ordinance denied) · meeting 2025-10-21 Motion by Festersen, second by Begley, that the ordinance be denied. Yeas: Hug, Rowe, Festersen, Goodwin, Mr. President (Begley) Nays: Harding, Melton

    Oct 21, 2025 · Official · City of Omaha — Journal of the City Council (City Clerk) · source

  • RES. 2025-0812: Revise the Recommended 2026 Budget to remove the terms “diversity, equity and inclusion” — voted Yes

    Omaha City Council roll call · Motion failed 3-4 · meeting 2025-08-26 Motion by Harding, second by Melton, to approve. Yeas: Harding, Melton, Rowe Nays: Hug, Festersen, Goodwin, Mr. President (Begley)

    Aug 26, 2025 · Official · City of Omaha — Journal of the City Council (City Clerk) · source

  • RES. 2025-0556: Adopt the five-year Poverty Elimination Action Plan for the City of Omaha — voted No

    Omaha City Council roll call · Motion approved 4-3 · meeting 2025-06-17 Motion by Festersen, second by Goodwin, to approve. Yeas: Festersen, Goodwin, Hug, Mr. President (Begley) Nays: Harding, Melton, Rowe

    Jun 17, 2025 · Official · City of Omaha — Journal of the City Council (City Clerk) · source

Newest first. A close vote was decided by 5% of the votes cast or less (or 10 votes or fewer, under a fifth of the votes). Broke with party: voted against most of their party, where the record gives the party split.

Their Money

Campaign finance

Last Change
Profile updated · Sep 24
Raised
$1,891,771cycle to date through Jun 30
Cash on Hand
$1,048,623cycle to date through Jun 30
Spent
$843,148cycle to date through Jun 30
Debts Owed
$0cycle to date through Jun 30
Next Report Due
Q3 Report · Oct 15

View on FEC.govFEC, cycle to date through Jun 30, 2026

Top Payees

Who the campaign paid most, as its filing reports it.

  • FLYOVER STRATEGIES, LLC · strategic consulting/meeting expense/web service/travel$189.5K
  • JBEST & COMPANY LLC · fundraising consulting$152.0K
  • TORCHLIGHT STRATEGIES · research$60.2K
  • TOMMY MEISINGER · strategic consulting$33.6K
  • FRONTLINE STRATEGIES · digital fundraising$28.5K

Campaign finance — BRINKER HARDING FOR CONGRESS: July Quarterly 2026, through Jun 30, 2026

Jun 30, 2026 · Official · Federal Election Commission

Finance Reports

  • Campaign finance — BRINKER HARDING FOR CONGRESS: July Quarterly 2026, through Jun 30, 2026

    Raised $1,891,771.13 this cycle · spent $843,148.43 · cash on hand $1,048,622.70 · debts owed by the committee $0.00 — through Jun 30, 2026. Where the money came from (cycle to date, as reported): Individuals $1,368,206.51 (72%); PACs and other political committees $255,800.00 (14%); Transfers from authorized committees $264,264.62 (14%); The candidate (contributions) $3,500.00 (0%). Where it went (itemized operating expenditures this cycle, FEC-processed through Sep 20, 2026): digital $302.7K; fundraising $159.3K; other $71.8K; individuals (staff, contractors, reimbursements) $69.3K; polling $60.2K; general consulting $44.6K.

    Jun 30, 2026 · Official · Federal Election Commission

  • Financial disclosure — Candidate report 2026

    Candidate report (2026), covering 01/01/2025–04/15/2026; filed 06/12/2026. Reports 89 assets; highest reported ranges: Security National Bank Money Market Account $1,000,001–$5,000,000; JPMorgan Large Cap Growth Fund R6 (JLGMX) (spouse) $250,001–$500,000; City of Omaha Pension Plan $100,001–$250,000; Fall Food, Inc. $100,001–$250,000; 85 others at or below $100,001–$250,000. Liabilities: Mortgage on Office Building (Access Bank, spouse) $100,001–$250,000. Earned income: Commissions, Pacific Realty Commercial, LLC d/b/a Colliers $133,000.00; Salary, City of Omaha $44,000.00; Spouse Salary, TACK Architects, Inc.. Also: 3 positions listed (e.g. City Councilmember, City of Omaha); 1 agreement(s).

    Jun 12, 2026 · Official · Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives

  • Financial disclosure — Candidate report 2025

    Candidate report (2025), covering 01/01/2024–06/30/2025; filed 06/11/2026. Reports 85 assets; highest reported ranges: JPMorgan Large Cap Growth Fund R6 (JLGMX) (spouse) $250,001–$500,000; City of Omaha Pension Plan $100,001–$250,000; Fall Food, Inc. $100,001–$250,000; Victory Pioneer Fund Class A (PIODX) $100,001–$250,000; 81 others at or below $100,001–$250,000. Liabilities: Mortgage on Office Building (Access Bank, spouse) $100,001–$250,000. Earned income: Commissions, Pacific Realty Commercial, LLC d/b/a Colliers $10,000.00; Salary, City of Omaha $22,000.00; Spouse Salary, TACK Architects, Inc.. Also: 3 positions listed (e.g. City Councilmember, City of Omaha); 1 agreement(s).

    Jun 11, 2026 · Official · Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives

Money shows as the filings named here report it. Payees are who the campaign paid; individual contributors are not shown.

Advertising

Who is advertising for and against Brinker

  • Advertising summary — for and against (2026 cycle)

    For: own campaign $43,900 on Google; outside Google ads $0–$0; Snap $0; broadcast TV not searched; FEC independent expenditures $39,074. Against: outside Google ads $75,634–$87,085; opponent campaign ads $0–$0; Snap $0; broadcast TV not searched; FEC independent expenditures $395,708. 2026 cycle. Broadcast TV: not yet searched. Meta not included.

    Sep 24, 2026 · Official · Ads summary (2026 cycle)

  • Google/YouTube ads — Brinker Harding for Congress (supporting)

    The candidate's own campaign (Brinker Harding for Congress). 8 ads since Nov 2024; Google-reported $43,900 since Nov 6 2024 (exact, advertiser-wide).

    Sep 24, 2026 · Official · Google Political Ads Transparency Report (bundle updated 2026-09-23 21:37 PT) · source

  • Google/YouTube ads — HMP (opposing)

    HMP — opposing this candidate (evidence: schedule e). 9 ads since Nov 2024; spend on these ads $75,634–$87,085 (Google creative spend ranges, geo-allocated); 0 of them also linked to other candidates.

    Sep 23, 2026 · Official · Google Political Ads Transparency Report (bundle updated 2026-09-23 21:37 PT) · source

Independent Expenditures

FEC independent expenditures on file: $111,414 supporting, $1,055,350 opposing, across 28 reports.

  • HMPOpposing · $1,022,682

    14 reports, newest Oct 6, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing

  • CIVIC RENEWAL FUND INC.Supporting · $69,996

    5 reports, newest Oct 8, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing

  • NO GOING BACK PAC INC.Supporting · $39,075

    3 reports, newest Sep 21, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing

  • CFFE PACOpposing · $31,993

    1 report, newest Oct 8, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing

  • NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA POLITICAL VICTORY FUNDSupporting · $2,343

    2 reports, newest Oct 7, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing

  • Neighbor VoicesOpposing · $675

    3 reports, newest Oct 8, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing

Spend as each platform or filing reports it. Each line is a separate measure, and they are not added together.

In Their Words

What they have said, on the record

“It was what they were amassing in the form of defense. Their drones, their ballistic missiles, they would have been a shield that could not be penetrated. And again, they could have taken their dear, sweet time at that point to develop a nuclear weapon”
Harding, Powell pitch affordability fixes in Nebraska CD2 raceSep 7, 2026 · Press · Omaha World-Herald · source
“My position was what we should have done was laid (the minimum wage proposal) over, waited to see what happened in Lincoln, and then made the determination of how to proceed in Omaha”
Harding, Powell pitch affordability fixes in Nebraska CD2 raceSep 7, 2026 · Press · Omaha World-Herald · source
“We need to make sure that we keep this country on the track to being even better”
This rare Nebraska district backed Harris but sent a Republican to Congress. Can Democrats win here?Aug 22, 2026 · Press · PBS News · source
“As I have said since the beginning of this process, I have nothing to hide. My financial disclosure confirms just that. I’ve spent my life living, working, and raising my family in Nebraska”
NE-02 GOP candidate Brinker Harding submits personal financial disclosuresJun 15, 2026 · Press · Nebraska Examiner · source
“This is a marathon, but we're going to sprint every single day”
Nebraska 2nd Congressional District: Brinker Harding on opponentMay 13, 2026 · Press · KETV NewsWatch 7 · source
“This district has always been very tight”
Nebraska 2nd Congressional District: Brinker Harding on opponentMay 13, 2026 · Press · KETV NewsWatch 7 · source
Show all 13 statements
“This shutdown is unnecessary, reckless, and hurting everyday Americans”
Brinker Harding Supports Nebraska Delegation’s Efforts to Reopen GovernmentOct 30, 2025 · Self-published · Brinker Harding for Congress · source
“For both those people in the encampments as well as the citizenry of Omaha, it's something that needs to be addressed now”
Proposed Omaha homeless encampments ordinance has new lifeSep 30, 2025 · Press · KETV NewsWatch 7 · source
“We do so many great things in Omaha, we balance our budget, we have safe streets, we have low crime rates, we have great public/private partnerships … I think those translate well to taking those to the local level to the national level.”
Election 2026: Omaha councilman announces run for 2nd Congressional District seatJul 1, 2025 · Press · WOWT 6 News · source
“We will be the hardest working, the most organized, and we will win, not only the primary, but we will win the general election come next November”
Omaha City Council VP Brinker Harding jumps into Nebraska 2nd District U.S. House raceJul 1, 2025 · Press · Nebraska Examiner · source
“I appeal to a broad spectrum and factions of the party … But at the same time, I don’t sell out my values to gain that support.”
Omaha City Council VP Brinker Harding jumps into Nebraska 2nd District U.S. House raceJul 1, 2025 · Press · Nebraska Examiner · source
“I want to take those good things we do in Omaha, like balancing the budget, [having] record low crime, [and] a strong economy and take that to Washington and be successful.”
Omaha City Council VP Brinker Harding jumps into Nebraska 2nd District U.S. House raceJul 1, 2025 · Press · Nebraska Examiner · source
“As we approach America’s 250th birthday, we face a defining choice about our nation’s future … I’m running for Congress to make America more like its Heartland. With your help, we will Restore America, Grow America, Secure America, and Renew America.”
Republican announces run for Nebraska 2nd District seatJul 1, 2025 · Press · Nebraska Public Media · source

Interviews and Published Statements

  • Brinker Harding on His Key Omaha House Race: It's Normal vs. Crazy

    Video interview · YouTube Embed only — YouTube blocks caption and audio retrieval from our container without sign-in (house rule: pass, keep the embed).

    May 27, 2026 · Press · YouTube · source

  • Nebraska 2nd Congressional District: Brinker Harding on opponent

    TV interview · KETV NewsWatch 7 Excerpts from the publisher's transcript (candidate's turns only): “This district has always been very tight” “This is a marathon, but we're going to sprint every single day”

    May 13, 2026 · Press · KETV NewsWatch 7 · source

In the News

Press coverage

Show all 13 articles

Headlines link to the original reporting, captured on the date shown.

Reach Them

Websites and accounts

  • Campaign Websitebrinkerharding.comFull-page capture of the campaign website (see screenshot). Accounts linked from the site: https://x.com/BrinkerHarding, https://www.facebook.com/brinkerhardingNE02/, https://www.instagram.com/brinkerharding/, https://www.youtube.com/@Brinker.HardingSep 24, 2026 · Self-published · Brinker Harding for CongressSelf-published
  • Xx.com/BrinkerHarding1,618 followers · 388 following Captured 2026-09-24 12:56 UTC.Sep 24, 2026 · Self-published · XSelf-published
  • Facebookfacebook.com/brinkerhardingNE022,269 followers · 870 talking about Captured 2026-09-24 12:56 UTC — page served a login wall; no screenshot kept.Sep 24, 2026 · Self-published · FacebookSelf-published
  • Instagraminstagram.com/brinkerhardingPublic metrics not available without sign-in (login wall). Captured 2026-09-24 12:56 UTC — page served a login wall; no screenshot kept.Sep 24, 2026 · Self-published · InstagramSelf-published
  • YouTubeyoutube.com/@Brinker.Harding33 subscribers · 8 videos Captured 2026-09-24 12:56 UTC.Sep 24, 2026 · Self-published · YouTubeSelf-published

The 2026 Field

Who else is running for Nebraska 2nd Congressional District

The Paper Trail

Filings, results and exhibits

  • U.S. Representative · NE-02

    Republican · Candidate · On the 2026 ballot

    Sep 19, 2026 · Official

Not on file for Brinker yet: Polls. Coverage varies by state and office.

File read Sep 25, 2026. Each item names its source. Record ID p_2bwayt3rr.

GOTV Intel reports are sourced, cited research leads your campaign confirms against the primary record before use. They are never a consumer report and never for employment, credit, insurance, housing or licensure.