What drove Democrats' Election Day gains in Nebraska?

OMAHA, Neb. — Democrats made significant gains in Nebraska on Election Day, flipping a U.S. House seat and winning several high-profile races in Douglas County.

Paul Landow, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said economic concerns, including high gasoline and diesel prices, were among the issues weighing on voters.

Gas prices remained significantly higher than they were a year ago heading into Election Day. The national average for regular gasoline stood at about $4.12 per gallon on Nov. 4, roughly 35% higher than $3.05 a gallon a year earlier, according to AAA.

“I believe that they're going to have to figure out a way to end the war, get the gas prices straightened around, and move forward,” Landow said.

Diesel prices have also climbed sharply. Landow said those costs have hit farmers and other working Nebraskans particularly hard and may have contributed to closer-than-expected statewide races for governor and U.S. Senate.

“With the prices this high, it just killed working Nebraskans, and that has to be straightened around,” Landow said.

Landow also pointed to Democratic gains in Douglas County as evidence of a broader political wave.

Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson and Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine both lost their races.

“They're both good people that have done a good job in office,” Landow said. “I think it was just part of the wave. They just got caught up.”

Landow said he is now waiting for precinct-level results from Douglas County to better understand what drove the Democratic gains.

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