WASHINGTON — Political activist Denise Powell has won the Democratic primary for Nebraska’s open 2nd District, a battleground seat that both parties say will be crucial to determining control of the House this fall.

Powell was leading state Sen. John Cavanaugh, 39% to 37%, in a crowded primary when The Associated Press called the race Wednesday at 8:12 p.m. Eastern time. Douglas County District Court Clerk Crystal Rhoades and Navy veteran Kishla Askins trailed with 14% and 6% respectively.

Powell will next face Omaha City Council Member Brinker Harding, who was unopposed for the Republican nomination in the race to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Don Bacon.

“This country and Nebraska are worth fighting for – and I’m ready to spend the next six months working for every vote and sharing my vision for Nebraska so we can finally have a representative in Congress who will serve us,’’ Powell, who led a political action committee supporting women seeking elective office, said in a statement. “It’s time to be brave.”

The Omaha-centered district is a rare swing district closely split between Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters. Kamala Harris carried it by 5 points in 2024, yet voters here have repeatedly sent the moderate Bacon back to the House. (The Republican won a fifth term by less than 2 points in 2024 before announcing his retirement last year.)

In a statement on social media, Harding referred to his Democratic opponent as an “out-of-state, out-of-touch progressive activist trying to buy a House seat in Nebraska.”

Washington Rep. Suzan DelBene, who leads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, dismissed Harding, who has Bacon’s and the president’s endorsement, as “another empty suit that Donald Trump and his MAGA extremists would control in Congress.”

The contentious race between Powell and Cavanaugh saw an influx of outside money and a blitz of attack ads, reflecting several rifts dividing today’s Democratic Party. Powell, the daughter of Chilean and Cuban immigrants, had the backing of EMILY’s List and the political arms of the center-left New Democrat Coalition and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Cavanaugh is a member of a respected Omaha political dynasty. (His father once held the 2nd District seat that he had hoped to win, and his sister serves alongside him in the state’s unicameral legislature.) He drew support from the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin and several labor unions and environmental groups.

Outside groups and super PACS spent heavily in the run-up to the primary, much of it on Powell’s behalf. One Cavanaugh spot labeled his opponent “Dark Money Denise,” alleging that she built a career as a political operative “orchestrating secret donations from special interests and billionaires.”

The 2nd District’s status as Nebraska’s “blue dot” also became an issue in the campaign. While the Cornhusker State is deeply red, it partly awards presidential electoral votes by congressional district, and Democratic presidential nominees have claimed an electoral vote by carrying the seat in the past two elections.

Powell and her allies said a victory by Cavanaugh would put that in jeopardy. State Republicans have tried to change Nebraska’s system of awarding electoral votes to the winner-take-all method followed by most other states. GOP Gov. Jim Pillen would have been empowered to appoint Cavanaugh’s replacement in the state’s unicameral legislature.

Cavanaugh had dismissed such concerns, saying Nebraska Democrats would pick up more than enough legislative seats in November to offset the potential loss of his vote.

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