After the sudden exit of a high-profile primary opponent, Omaha City Council Vice President Brinker Harding finds himself the lone candidate seeking the Republican nomination in the nationally-watched 2nd Congressional District race. Meanwhile, six Democrats are fighting to emerge from the crowded field and flip the seat Blue, helping shift control of the House of Representatives.Â
Second Congressional District candidates; Kishla Askins, State Sen. John Cavanaugh, James Leuschen and Denise Powell listen to a question during a forum hosted by the Nebraska Young Democrats in Omaha, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.
Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of February 2026
A truck heads east on Highway 6 bridge over the Platte River near Ashland on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026.
CHRIS MACHIAN,THE WORLD-HERALD
Col. Bryan Waugh, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, speaks at the ribbon cutting for the Nebraska State Patrol’s new Troop A headquarters at 7200 World Communications Drive in Omaha on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026.
CHRIS MACHIAN,THE WORLD-HERALD
Easton Harrington-Adams carries up the Norweigan flag during Golden Hills Elementary's Olympic opening ceremony in Bellevue, on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. Photo by The World-Herald's Nikos Frazier.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Vertical mega mile challengers climb during Trek Up the Tower at First National Bank, in Omaha on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Attendees place candles and signs on the grass after a vigil for Alex Pretti and others killed by federal agents, at Memorial Park in Omaha, on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
The sun sets behind St. Margaret Mary's Church in Omaha, on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Omaha's Grant Stubblefield (3) and St. Thomas' Nick Janowski (23) wrestle for control of the ball during the second half of a college men's basketball game at Baxter Arena in Omaha, on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Omaha's Grant Stubblefield (3) is introduced before a college men's basketball game against St. Thomas at Baxter Arena in Omaha, on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Iowa's Hannah Stuelke (45) and Taylor Stremlow (1) celebrate during the second half of a college women's basketball game at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Plattsmouth's Odin Anschutz walks out to wrestle Bennington's Brodee Scobee during a Nebraska Boys High School Class B 138 pound boys championship match at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.
CHRIS MACHIAN,THE WORLD-HERALD
Traffic was getting stuck going uphill on westbound Dodge Street west of 30th Street as the area was under a winter storm warning in Omaha on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.
CHRIS MACHIAN,THE WORLD-HERALD
Trainers movie Gretna East's Jace Larchick on a stretcher after he was hurt while wrestling York's Emmitt Dirks, right, during a Nebraska boys high school wrestling state tournament Class B 165-pound match at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Larchick was taken out be a stretcher.
CHRIS MACHIAN,THE WORLD-HERALD
Columbus Scotus' Hunter Brunkhorst, right, wrestles Wahoo Neumann's Landon Sund during a Nebraska boys high school wrestling state tournament Class C 150-pound in a first round match at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.
CHRIS MACHIAN,THE WORLD-HERALD
Wahoo's Grady Meyer, top, wrestles Gretna East's Cooper Junge during a Nebraska boys high school wrestling state tournament Class B 175-pound match at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.
CHRIS MACHIAN,THE WORLD-HERALD
North Bend Central's Cash Stanek, right, wrestles Valentine's Jekhi Williams during a Nebraska Boys High School Class C 132 pound boys championship match at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.
CHRIS MACHIAN,THE WORLD-HERALD
Shoes hang from a power line on Park Avenue just south of Harney Street as snow still covered some roads after eight inches fell overnight in Omaha on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026.
CHRIS MACHIAN,THE WORLD-HERALD
Winnebago's Jared Doxey celebrates his win over Centura's Kolten Simons during a Nebraska Boys High School Class C 285 pound boys championship match at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.
CHRIS MACHIAN,THE WORLD-HERALD
A car drives along 114th Street as snow begins to fall in Omaha, Neb. on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Snow is illuminated in a parking lot in Omaha, Neb. on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Creighton Prep's Kameron Green celebrates after defeating North Platte's Kirk Wilson to win the Nebraska Boys High School Class A 144-pound boys championship match at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.
NIKOS FRAZIER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Chase County's Paige Owens wrestles Elkhorn Valley's Hailey Hartl during a Nebraska girls high school wrestling state tournament class B 125-pound first round match at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
Second Congressional District candidates; Kishla Askins, State Sen. John Cavanaugh, James Leuschen and Denise Powell listen to a question during a forum hosted by the Nebraska Young Democrats in Omaha, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.