OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Is it just the state of politics? Perhaps. However, Democratic candidate for Nebraska's 2nd congressional district, John Cavanaugh, says it shouldn't be.
- Voters who contacted KMTV 3 bristled at the misleading nature of the mailer and video ads, painting Cavanaugh as a supporter of President Trump's agenda in Nebraska.
- The fine print shows the campaign is funded by the American Action Network.
- An Omaha woman, who says she grew up in a Republican family, but feels more at home today in the Democratic party, encouraged other voters: "Do your research. Fact check. And make your own decision based on what you're seeing, not necessarily what comes on a fancy, glossy flyer in the mail."
Continue reading for the broadcast transcript of this story.
"I had heard of this (flyer), but I had no idea. It was taking up the entire mailbox. It was quite large," Peggy Holloway remarked of her first impression.
Then, she wondered: Who paid for it?
"There's a classic saying - you can judge somebody by who their enemies are. And this is an instance where Mike Johnson is spending big money," Democratic candidate for Nebraska's 2nd congressional district, John Cavanaugh, smiled.
Not Speaker Johnson himself, but a political action committee aligned.
The mailer and similar videos were paid for by American Action Network, which 3 News Now's Mary Nelson tried to reach, but could not.
According to Google's Ad Transparency Center, the video has reached as many as 225,000 people since March 31, 2026.
"To voters who say this is just the state of politics in 2026, who are cynical. You say - what to them?," Nelson asked of Cavanaugh.
"I would say - we need a change. I'm running for office because I believe that we can have a change and we can have a functioning democracy where big money does not get to decide who the leaders are."
At the same point the ads began circulating in and around Omaha, AAN launched ads elsewhere, which it described as a "$10 million campaign ahead of Tax Day."
For Holloway's part, she was raised in a Republican family. And, for her, those values fit better today in the Democratic party.
"Because I've been following the campaign and had made the decision that John Cavanaugh was who I am supporting and probably will vote for in the primary - I'm still researching," she explained.
She knew enough to feel the ad was deceptive.
Though, both Trump and Cavanaugh support 'no taxes on tips.'
A spokesperson for the one Republican in the race, Brinker Harding, said in a statement: The response from Senator Cavanaugh begs the question: Why did he support President Trump's tax cuts on the floor of the Legislature, but is now running away from them in his campaign?
Cavanaugh says that doesn't show support for the Trump agenda, but instead, for working Nebraskans.
Holloway believes these times demand more from voters in general.
"Do your research. Fact check. And make your own decision based on what you're seeing, not necessarily what comes on a fancy, glossy flyer in the mail."
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