GOP Representative Don Bacon Announces Retirement, Making Omaha’s Competitive District a Key Focus for Democrats

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., talks with reporters after a meeting of the House Republican Conference in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images

Rep. Don Bacon, a centrist Republican in Nebraska, is preparing to announce his retirement from Congress. The departure could present an opportunity for Democrats to secure a seat in the lower chamber, where Republicans currently hold a slim majority. The formal announcement may occur as early as next week, according to recent reports.

Bacon’s plans, which have been anticipated, were initially reported by NOTUS and Punchbowl News. A spokesperson for Bacon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Bacon represents a key battleground district in Nebraska, which includes most of Omaha. In the 2024 election, former Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris won Bacon’s district by nearly 5 percentage points, and former President Joe Biden carried the district by a larger margin in 2020. Bacon is one of the few congressional Republicans who have been openly critical of President Donald Trump.