Nebraska Right to Life Executive Director Sandy Danek warned that pro-life voters will need to work to maintain the state’s current pro-life laws after the state’s May 12 primary set up several competitive general election races.
In a May 15 article for National Right to Life News, Danek argued that Nebraska’s pro-life gains could face pressure from leftward political shifts in Omaha- and Lincoln-area counties. Nebraska currently bans most abortions after 12 weeks, and voters in 2024 approved a constitutional amendment preserving the state’s existing first-trimester limit while rejecting an amendment that would have expanded access to abortion, according to AP News.
Danek first pointed to the U.S. Senate race, where Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts won his primary and Democrat Cindy Burbank secured her party’s nomination. Burbank has said she plans to withdraw from the general election and endorse independent Dan Osborn, a move Danek argued could consolidate opposition to Ricketts. Osborn, who has not yet secured a spot on the ballot, came within 7 percentage points of Republican Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024.
Danek also highlighted Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District — widely considered the state’s most competitive — as an area of concern. Democrat Denise Powell won the primary to replace retiring Republican Rep. Don Bacon. Powell, who was endorsed by the national pro-abortion group EMILY’s List, will face Republican Brinker Harding in the Omaha-area district, long regarded as Nebraska’s “purple” district.
The pro-life leader said the stakes also extend to the state legislature, where Nebraska’s nonpartisan, unicameral system often hinges on a small number of votes. Voters will decide 25 of the body’s 49 seats in November, many of which are open because of term limits or other open-seat contests, according to Danek.
Ending a filibuster requires 33 votes, making even a single holdout on a bill significant. One Republican state senator has repeatedly declined to support key pro-life measures by consistently voting “present, not voting,” and effectively killed the state’s Heartbeat Act, according to Danek.
“Looking ahead to the general election, pro-life Nebraska will have to work hard to maintain the pro-life status quo,” Danek wrote, citing political shifts in Omaha and Lincoln.