Bacon makes it official — and the race for his seat is on

Don Bacon formally announces his intention to retire from Congress inside the North Terminal at Eppley Airfield on Monday.

Congressman Don Bacon held a press-conference on the third floor of the North Terminal at Eppley airport Monday morning to formally announce his intentions to retire from Congress at the end of his term. He highlighted legislative achievements under his tenure, including $1.4 billion for Offutt Air Force Base post-flood rebuilding, $160 million for a new runway at Offutt, and $78 million for expansion at Eppley Airfield — which is likely why he chose the venue for his announcement.

The five-term Congressman has split with his party on a number of occasions, much to the consternation many of the conservative “MAGA” wing of the party. After his press conference, I asked Bacon why we don’t see a Democrat similarly willing to break ranks with their party.

“They got Jared Golden. and they got a couple, but you’re right,” Bacon said. “The Democrats work for their leader, we work for our district, and so we’ve got a different mindset on the Republican side. I prefer it being us than them. They’re going to give threats, kick you off committee if you do this or that. Our side will say, ‘Tell us how you’re going to vote, work with this up front.’ We respect it. Your citizens voted for you, not us.”

The Race is On

Then on Tuesday, not even 24 hours later, city councilmember Brinker Harding announced his plan to run for Bacon’s seat. It was a plan well underway, with endorsements already lined up from former mayor Hal Daub, US Senator Deb Fischer, and state senator Kathleen Kauth.

Brett Lindstrom is expected to announce his own candidacy sometime next week. And while other candidates may also announce, the battle lines between the conservative grassroots and the Republican establishment are already being drawn. Many of the same supporters of Jean Stothert are quickly lining up online to support Harding even before any other candidates have announced. At the same time, Brett Lindstrom is likely to draw support from moderate Democrats and libertarian-minded Republican outside the establishment, creating a coalition very similar to the one behind Mike McDonnell.

Bacon, however, will not be endorsing any candidates in the primary, though he plans to remain active in the community and on the national level. He also plans on remaining in Omaha, particularly with family now rooted in the area.

“I look forward to coming home every night, and I also look forward to seeing we have three adult children here who are married and living in the area. We also have eight grandchildren total within 10 minutes of our house,” Bacon said.