# 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska

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The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska were held on November 8, 2016, to elect the three U.S. representatives from the state of Nebraska, one from each of the state's three congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on May 10.

## Overview
### Statewide

Popular vote
Republican
70.74%
Democratic
28.04%
Libertarian
1.22% :
House seats
Republican
100.0%
Democratic
0%
Libertarian
0% :

### By district

Results of the 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska by district:
| District | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Others | Others | Total | Total | Result |
| District | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Result |
| District 1 | 189,771 | 69.45% | 83,467 | 30.55% | 0 | 0.00% | 273,238 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| District 2 | 141,066 | 48.93% | 137,602 | 47.73% | 9,640 | 3.34% | 288,308 | 100.0% | Republican gain |
| District 3 | 226,720 | 100.0% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 226,720 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| Total | 557,557 | 70.74% | 221,069 | 28.04% | 9,640 | 1.22% | 788,266 | 100.0% | |

## District 1

The 1st district encompassed most of the eastern quarter of the state and almost completely enveloped the 2nd district. It included the state capital, Lincoln, as well as the cities of Fremont, Columbus, Norfolk, Beatrice and South Sioux City. Incumbent Republican Jeff Fortenberry, who had represented the district since 2005, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 69% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+10.

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Jeff Fortenberry, incumbent U.S. Representative

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jeff Fortenberry (incumbent) | 62,704 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 62,704 | 100.0 |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Daniel Wik, physician

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Daniel Wik | 25,762 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 25,762 | 100.0 |

### General election
#### Results

Nebraska's 1st congressional district, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jeff Fortenberry (incumbent) | 189,771 | 69.5 |
| | Democratic | Daniel Wik | 83,467 | 30.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 273,238 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## District 2

The 2nd district was based in the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area and included all of Douglas County and the urbanized areas of Sarpy County. Incumbent Democrat Brad Ashford, who had represented the district since 2015, ran for re-election. He was elected with 49% of the vote in 2014, defeating Republican incumbent Lee Terry. The district had a Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI) of R+4.

### Democratic primary

Scott Kleeb, a businessman who was the nominee for Nebraska's 3rd congressional district in 2006 and for the U.S. Senate in 2008, was speculated to challenge Ashford, a centrist Democrat, from the left. Kleeb ultimately did not run and Ashford won the primary unopposed.

#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Brad Ashford, incumbent U.S. Representative

##### Declined

* Scott Kleeb, businessman, nominee for the 3rd district in 2006 and for U.S. Senate in 2008

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brad Ashford (incumbent) | 23,470 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 23,470 | 100.0 |

### Republican primary

Former state senator and Douglas County Commissioner Chip Maxwell, who considered running as an independent against Terry in 2012, and retired United States Air Force brigadier general Don Bacon ran in the Republican primary.

#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Don Bacon, retired United States Air Force Brigadier General

##### Eliminated in primary

* Chip Maxwell, former state senator

##### Withdrawn

* Dirk Arneson, salesmen (withdrew September 3, 2015, and endorsed Bacon)

#### Endorsements

U.S. Senators
* Deb Fischer, U.S. Senator (R-NE)
U.S. Representatives
* Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House
* Steve Russell, U.S. Representative (R-OK)
* Lee Zeldin, U.S. Representative (R-NY)
* Ryan Zinke, U.S. Representative (R-MT)
State officials
* Kay A. Orr, former Governor of Nebraska
* Rick Perry, former Governor of Texas
* Pete Ricketts, Governor of Nebraska
State legislators
* Dave Bloomfield, state senator
* Beau McCoy, state senator
Individuals
* William G. Boykin, retired Army lieutenant general and Executive Vice President of the Family Research Council

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Don Bacon | 32,328 | 66.0 |
| | Republican | Chip Maxwell | 16,677 | 34.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 49,005 | 100.0 |

### Libertarian primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Steven Laird

##### Eliminated in primary

* Andy Shambaugh
* Jeffrey Lynn Stein

#### Results

Libertarian primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Libertarian | Steven Laird | 108 | 46.2 |
| | Libertarian | Andy Shambaugh | 89 | 38.0 |
| | Libertarian | Jeffrey Lynn Stein | 37 | 15.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 234 | 100.0 |

### General election
#### Campaign

The general election race was characterized as a tossup with the incumbent Ashford having a slight edge.

#### Endorsements

Organizations
* Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Frontline" Program
* U.S. Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Senators
* Deb Fischer, U.S. Senator (R-NE)
U.S. Representatives
* Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House
* Steve Russell, U.S. Representative (R-OK)
* Lee Zeldin, U.S. Representative (R-NY)
* Ryan Zinke, U.S. Representative (R-MT)
State officials
* Kay A. Orr, former Governor of Nebraska
* Rick Perry, former Governor of Texas
* Pete Ricketts, Governor of Nebraska
State legislators
* Dave Bloomfield, state senator
* Beau McCoy, state senator
Organizations
* National Republican Congressional Committee "Young Guns" Program
Individuals
* William G. Boykin, retired Army lieutenant general and Executive Vice President of the Family Research Council

#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Brad Ashford (D) | Don Bacon (R) | Steven Laird (L) | Undecided |
| Singularis Group (R-Bacon) | October 26–27, 2016 | 1,482 | ± 2.54% | 45% | 47% | 4% | 3% |
| North Star Opinion Research (R-CLF) | October 22–24, 2016 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 44% | 48% | — | 8% |
| Global Strategy Group (D–Ashford) | September 14–18, 2016 | 402 | ± 4.9% | 50% | 40% | — | 10% |
| Singularis Group (R-Bacon) | May 11–12, 2016 | 1,007 | ± 3.08% | 42% | 44% | 5% | 8% |

#### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Tossup | November 7, 2016 |
| Daily Kos Elections | Tossup | November 7, 2016 |
| Rothenberg | Tilt D | November 3, 2016 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean D | November 7, 2016 |
| RCP | Tossup | October 31, 2016 |

#### Results

Nebraska's 2nd congressional district, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Don Bacon | 141,066 | 48.9 |
| | Democratic | Brad Ashford (incumbent) | 137,602 | 47.7 |
| | Libertarian | Steven Laird | 9,640 | 3.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 288,308 | 100.0 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

## District 3

The 3rd district encompassed the western three-fourths of the state; it was one of the largest non-at-large Congressional districts in the country, covering nearly 65,000 square miles (170,000 km$^2$), two time zones and 68.5 counties. It was mostly sparsely populated but included the cities of Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, North Platte and Scottsbluff. Incumbent Republican Adrian Smith, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 75% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+23.

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Adrian Smith, incumbent U.S. Representative

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Adrian Smith (incumbent) | 78,154 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 78,154 | 100.0 |

### Democratic primary

No Democrats filed.

### General election
#### Results

Nebraska's 3rd congressional district, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Adrian Smith (incumbent) | 226,720 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 226,720 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |