Republican Congressman Mike Flood officially launched his bid Wednesday for a second full term representing Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District.
The Norfolk native filed paperwork at the Secretary of State’s Office in Lincoln, one day after Democratic state Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue announced plans to run for the office. She will officially launch her campaign on Saturday.
Flood made no mention of her candidacy in his reelection statement. Instead, he talked about the honor of representing the district and its constituents.
“I’m proud of all my team and I have accomplished on behalf of Nebraskans,†he said. “There is still a lot of work to be done in Washington to get our economy back on track, secure the southern border and ensure our federal government is working for the American people.
People are also reading…
“In Congress, I’ve kept my promises to Nebraskans by standing against government overreach, cutting $2.1 trillion from the federal budget and voting for a comprehensive border security package,†he said. “In my next term, I will continue being a voice for the commonsense priorities of Nebraska’s 1st District.â€
He vowed to lower housing costs by cutting government red tape, advocate for middle-class tax cuts, fight to secure the southern border and strengthen national security.
Flood, who is finishing his first full term in Congress, claimed the seat by winning a special election in June 2022, followed by a victory in the regular election in November. Both times, he faced then-state Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln, a Democrat.
He won the special election by a little more than 5 percentage points, 52.7% to 47.3%. He won more handily in the rematch, taking nearly 58% of the vote.
The special election was called after Rep. Jeff Fortenberry was convicted on one count of concealing conduit campaign contributions and two counts of lying to federal agents and resigned from office. In December, a federal appeals court threw out Fortenberry’s convictions, ruling that his trial should not have taken place in California. The ruling allowed prosecutors to bring charges again.
As a Republican and the incumbent, Flood will have a decided edge in the Republican-dominated district. But Blood could be a strong challenger. She was the Democratic candidate for governor in 2022 and garnered 36% of the vote. She was defeated by Jim Pillen, the Republican.
Blood and Flood were once colleagues in the Nebraska Legislature, where they sometimes joked about their rhyming names. Flood served a total of 10 years in the Legislature, including six as speaker of the Legislature.
No other candidates have announced or filed to run for the 1st District seat yet. The eastern Nebraska district encompasses Lincoln, Norfolk, Columbus, Fremont and Bellevue, as well as Madison, Stanton, Cuming, Platte, Colfax, Dodge, Butler, Seward, Lancaster, Cass and the eastern parts of Sarpy and Polk Counties.
In the 2nd District, Rep. Don Bacon, the incumbent, has two opponents in the GOP primary. They are Don Frei and Michael Connely. State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha is the only Democratic candidate so far. Bacon defeated Vargas by fewer than 3 percentage points in 2022.
Ìý