Our second district congressional race is going to be one of the hottest ones in the country, to say the very least. You can’t turn on the television without seeing an ad for John Cavanaugh or Denise Powell. And that’s just for the primary. Can you imagine what the general election will be like?

Those two are the highest-profile candidates in the crowded Democratic field. Whether it’s a campaign strategy or they just don’t have the money, Chrystal Rhoades and Kishla Askins are keeping a lower media profile.

John Cavanaugh was the early favorite to win the nomination, but the concern about losing the Blue Dot is gaining some traction. While his supporters say those attacks are a MAGA talking point, his Democratic opponents are benefiting from it too. It’s a classic case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

If Cavanaugh does win on May 12th, it will be interesting to see how the Dot plays into the campaign strategy of the R’s and the D’s. The Republicans want both the Congressional seat and the Blue Dot to go away. The Democrats want the seat and to keep the Dot. Neither side will be able to get both.

Denise Powell is pissed, and she’ll tell you she’s pissed time and time again. I needed to know more about her than that, so I went to her website. I learned that she’s been active, working behind the scenes on social issues like abortion and immigration.

She’s also opposed to Citizens United. I found that to be rather ironic, considering all the money she’s raised. Those TV ads ain’t cheap. She has raised a bunch from individual donors both in and out of state, but she’s also got a large chunk from some of the very groups she’s likely to abolish. Among those are the pro-choice group Emily’s List and CHC Bold PAC, a Hispanic Congressional Caucus.

Powell tells the voters to be brave. But Kishla Askins is the brave candidate. A veteran, she served in Middle East combat zones and spent time in the Pentagon during the Biden administration. Her campaign has the support of military groups, but she’s had a hard time raising the cash she needs to compete. She’s very qualified for the job, but it’s going to be tough to get her message out this late in the game.

Chrystal Rhoades has been around local politics for a long time. I’m starting to see her yard signs pop up. She has 20 years of public service and brags she is the only candidate in the race who has won a county-wide election. She’s also worked for Mayor Ewing and other candidates to help them win their races. While not as high profile right now as John Cavanaugh or Denise Powell, I wouldn’t be totally shocked if she pulls this off.

On the Republican side, Donald Trump has already endorsed Brinker Harding for the seat, and Brinker welcomed the endorsement with open arms.

I thought Brinker and Trump were both smarter than that.

I could see Trump making the endorsement and Brinker being excited about it if Brinker were being challenged in the Republican primary. But he’s not being challenged. Brinker has the nomination. He doesn’t need Trump’s endorsement.

What Brinker does need is the votes of independent and disenfranchised Republican voters in the General Election. The same ones that put Don Bacon in office. I fail to see how Trump’s endorsement helps him win those over. After all, Trump lost the second district’s electoral vote in the last two elections, and all indications are he’s not any more popular now than he was back then.

History shows Brinker would have an uphill battle this election, with or without the Trump endorsement. The party in power normally loses seats in the off-year elections.

A lot can happen between now and November, but if I were a gambling man, I wouldn’t go on Kalshi and put any money on Brinker becoming a congressman.

Which brings me back to the Democratic Primary. Who the eventual nominee will be is anyone’s guess. Primaries notoriously have low voter turnout, so the candidate with the best ground game to get their supporters off the couch will most likely get the nod.

Fasten your seat belts. The race is on in the Second District, and it’s going to be a hot one.

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.

Opinions expressed by columnists in The Daily Record are not necessarily those of its management or staff, and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Any errors or omissions should be called to our attention so that they may be corrected. Contact us at news@omahadailyrecord.com.