Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) said he’s interested in an “executive” office, such as governor or president, after choosing not to run for reelection in his competitive House district.
Bacon has repeatedly overcome the odds in his Omaha-based district despite the area voting blue in nationwide elections. His retirement from the House opens up a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats in 2026.
“I got asked the other day, ‘You say you’re interested in being an executive — is that governor or president?’ I go, ‘Yes,’” Bacon said in an NBC News interview. “If there’s an opportunity and I can make a difference, a unique difference, I would like to keep serving. I just don’t want to do two-year elections.”
The fifth-term House representative acknowledged that a presidential run would be a big leap for him, given the rarity of presidents who have served in the House. President James Garfield was the last successful House member to run for president in the 1800s.
“I don’t think it would be very easily done,” he said. “All I know is I have a heart to serve our country, and I have a vision.” If Bacon chose to run for president, it’d be in a likely loaded field of candidates such as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Bacon said he likes Rubio, Vance, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) as presidential candidates.
The more likely executive office Bacon could attain is governor of Nebraska. He represents the most populous city in the state and has consistently outperformed nationwide Republican candidates.
But Bacon said he’s unwilling to run against Gov. Jim Pillen (R-NE), whom he considers a friend. Pillen announced his 2026 reelection bid in May, making it unlikely that Bacon would run for the office until Pillen’s potential second term was over in 2031. Bacon would be 67 years old then.
The Air Force veteran said he would be interested in a spot as Defense Secretary “if God opens up that door.” But his view of foreign policy — one notable example is his strong support for providing arms to Ukraine — could make him unpopular for a Republican president, he said.
Another possibility is Nebraska’s Senate race in 2026, though he has not publicly discussed that option. Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) will run for reelection and has already received President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Independent candidate Dan Osborn could run again after his close loss to Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) in 2024.
Bacon said his choice to retire came down to the fact that he no longer had the “fire in his belly” to win the competitive reelection bids required of him in his district. “This job requires a 14-hour day during the week, Saturdays, parades and a variety of things, and Sunday sometimes. And do I want to do this for two more years? I just didn’t have the hunger to want to work at that intensity level,” Bacon said.
“And my wife has wanted me to come home. I’m gone to D.C. four days a week, and I have a chance to be home now seven days a week, and I have eight grandkids within 10 minutes of my house,” he added.
DON BACON WILL NOT SEEK REELECTION IN 2016 IN KEY SWING DISTRICT
He believes he would have won reelection had he decided to run again. Myriad challengers have already emerged for his seat. On the Republican side, Omaha city councilor Brinker Harding and former state senator Brett Lindstrom have declared their campaigns. Former Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert could also run on the Republican side.
Democratic State Sen. John Cavanaugh and PAC founder Denise Powell, among others, are running on the Democratic side.