OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – First Alert 6 has the headlines you need to know to get your Wednesday started.
All eyes on Nebraska’s Congressional Dist. 2 Democratic race
Douglas County voters who had not yet cast their ballot in Nebraska’s primary election headed to the polls Tuesday.
The most-watched race is the Democratic primary for the 2nd Congressional District representative as Don Bacon’s house seat is up for grabs.
State Sen. John Cavanaugh had been slightly ahead of Denise Powell after Douglas County Election Commission’s 9:45 p.m. update; but the 10:45 p.m. results put her ahead with 19,516 votes to Cavanaugh’s 18,647 — a difference of 869 votes.
The two ramped up their fierce campaigns in recent weeks. Right now, the race is still too close to call.
Brinker Harding, a longtime Omaha City Councilman, is unopposed on the Republican primary ballot and will advance to the General Election in November; as will Libertarian Eric Michael Foreman.
Gubernatorial candidates Pillen, Walz easily advance in NE primary
Voters decided that Gov. Jim Pillen will face Democratic challenger Lynne Walz in the General Election.
Both races were among the first called by The Associated Press shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m.
Five people filed to attempt to primary Pillen on the Republican ballot. Pillen won, receiving 33,379 votes as he vies for a second term as Nebraska’s governor.
Two people were running on the Democratic ticket and Walz won with 51,935 votes. She served in the Nebraska Legislature from 2017 until last January.
Ricketts secures GOP nod for Senate Nebraska primary
Incumbent Sen. Pete Ricketts secured his spot for the U.S. Senate seat, along with Cindy Burbank after she won the Democratic primary.
Ricketts had four challengers on the Republican ballot. He won with 67,620 votes.
The Democratic run has made headlines in the lead-up to the primary, with Cindy Burbank saying she would drop out of the race if she won in order to give potential independent Dan Osborn a leg up in November.
The Nebraska Democratic Party also accused William Forbes of being a GOP plant who is only in the race to pull votes away from Osborn. Burbank won with 48,559 votes.
Ricketts, a former Nebraska governor, was appointed to the seat in 2023 and then won a special election to replace Ben Sasse in 2024. He is now running for his first full term.
Secretary of State Bob Evnen loses to GOP challenger in NE primary
Nebraska Republicans kept a close eye on the Secretary of State race as GOP challenger Scott Petersen led and eventually ousted Bob Evnen.
In Tuesday’s state primary, Evnen lost to Petersen by more than 16,000 votes. Evnen’s defeat comes just weeks after his tour to multiple Nebraska counties, checking on voting systems security ahead of the state’s primary election.
Petersen will face Democrat Sarah J. Slattery in the General Election on Nov. 3. She won in a landslide Tuesday against Lee Cimfel, securing more than 100,000 votes.
Even has been in office since 2019.
Man injured in Omaha motorcycle crash
One man is in the hospital after a motorcycle crash in Omaha on Tuesday afternoon.
According to a release from the Omaha Police Department, officers responded to the crash near Ed Creighton and Park avenues right before 4:30 p.m.
Officers found that a 2003 Harley-Davidson XL883 motorcycle was involved in the incident. An initial investigation showed that a 57-year-old man on the motorcycle tried to turn and lost control.
OPD says he was wearing a helmet but did not have a motorcycle endorsement. The investigation is ongoing.
More details expected in deputy-involved South Omaha shooting
On Wednesday, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office plans to interview the deputy who was shot in an officer-involved shooting last Friday.
The shooting happened in the area of 20th and Washington streets around 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Monday, the department released body cam photos from the shooting which ended with the death of Jaquan Marion and a deputy injured. The update did not include the names of the five deputies involved.
DCSO says more information will be released after Wednesday’s interview. The sheriff’s office says it needs to interview all deputies involved in the incident before releasing their names.
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