Nebraska US Rep. Don Bacon Won’t Seek Reelection

The GOP congressman has represented an Omaha-area district since 2017, during which time he has gone against his party’s majority position several times.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) on Capitol Hill on Jan. 3, 2019. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Donald John “Don” Bacon (R-Neb.) announced on June 30 that he would retire from Congress and not seek reelection to another term during the 2026 congressional elections.

Bacon, 61, has represented Nebraska’s 2nd District—covering parts of Omaha and surrounding areas—in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2017. Each of his five electoral victories was won by close margins, and Bacon has often voted against the majority of his party on a number of issues.

Most recently, Bacon opposed reforms to the Medicaid health insurance program in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” being considered by Congress.

“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,” Bacon wrote in a statement on his government website, adding that he wants “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.”

Bacon said he'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,” he said.

Bacon has been vocal on national security issues during his term. Previously, he served for 29 years as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, reaching the rank of brigadier general. Bacon is one of the House Republicans who strongly support Ukraine.

In addition to his written statements, Bacon delivered remarks at Eppley Airfield in Omaha to announce his decision. There, he described his achievements in Congress, focusing on money obtained for construction projects in Omaha, as well as military legislation concerning electronic warfare and nuclear weapons.

Bacon’s criticism of the Trump administration has been noticed. He has called for the dismissal of Secretary of Defense Peter B. Hegseth, lamented the dismissal of some high-ranking military leaders, opposed the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, and criticized spending cuts recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency.

Bacon’s district has been trending Democratic in recent years. The Cook Partisan Voting Index scores the district as being “D+3,” meaning that it leans slightly Democratic.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, the organization responsible for winning House elections for the GOP, addressed the situation on June 30, saying that it was “confident in keeping Nebraska’s 2nd District red.”