Don Bacon is no stranger to tight races, representing the 2nd district in Nebraska often associated with a “blue dot” in recent Presidential elections. A crowd of around 300 people gathered at the Regency Marriott for his election night watch party were in for a long evening, as the vote counts were close throughout the night, at one point split 50/50 with challenger Tony Vargas and only a 20 ballot difference between them.
Other candidates were on-hand to make victory speeches as their election results were called, such as Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine and Douglas County Assessor Walt Peffer.
By eleven o’clock however, with 3,000 votes in the lead, the race for the 2nd District had not yet been called, so Bacon made a brief speech thanking attendees and campaign staff with family members by his side. The race was later called at 3 AM, with 99% of the votes counted and Bacon still in the lead by 9,000.
Bacon will return to Congress in 2023, where party control is still being decided after an expected “red wave” failed to materialize.
