Omaha native James Leuschen joins a crowded Democratic field for an open-seat race in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District. (Courtesy of James Leuschen for Congress)
OMAHA — Another Democrat with ties to Washington, D.C. is running to be the Democratic nominee for Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District.
James Leuschen, an Omaha native and a 20-year congressional staffer, told the Examiner this week that he is running because President “Donald Trump’s policies are hurting Nebraska families and hurting our community.”
“We need to stop him,” Leuschen said. “This is an existential election.”
He joins a crowded field of Democrats trying to represent the Omaha-based 2nd District. The list of Democrats includes State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, business owner and political action committee co-founder Denise Powell, Douglas County District Court Clerk Crystal Rhoades and Navy veteran Kishla Askins.
Leuschen moved back to Nebraska earlier this summer.
Mark Johnston withdrew from the Democratic field earlier this year because he said he lacked the infrastructure to raise funds. Evangelos Argyrakis said he was running as a Democrat. He has switched parties before, including to the Libertarian Party in early August. This week, he was registered as a Democrat.
Leuschen has been working as an economic policy staffer for several House members over the past two decades. He served as a policy director for former Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, working to pass the Affordable Care Act under former President Barack Obama and expand the child tax credit.
He also worked with the last Democrat to represent the 2nd District – the late U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford – to get an Omaha VA medical clinic built. Another connection between Ashford and Leuschen: John Ashford, his son, will serve as his campaign treasurer.
“The VA medical facility in Omaha wouldn’t exist without James Leuschen,” John said.
Leuschen is banking on his Washington experience to separate him from the other Democrats in the race.
“I have more experience to get to Washington and push back against the Trump administration … I know how Washington works,” Leuschen said. “I know how to lower costs for Nebraska families.”
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That effort, if elected, will be his primary focus, he said, to “bring down costs for Nebraska families.” He says Trump’s tariffs and his budget and tax bill that passed earlier this summer are increasing the cost of groceries, utilities, and health care.
Leuschen called Trump “the king of promising populist policies and … not following through.” He said he would push back against Trump’s ability to impose tariffs without congressional approval and work to protect Social Security and Medicare. Leuschen describes himself as a “common sense Democrat.”
National Democrats are attempting to emerge from the political wilderness at a time when Trump and Republicans have made gains with blue-collar voters and voters of color. The 2nd District race is increasingly critical for Democratic efforts to retake control of the House in 2026.
Nebraska Democrats are hoping that the backlash to the second Trump administration will help them make gains.
Leuschen said, “Democrats get stuck in sort of technocratic or perfectionist policy” and look past what normal folks are looking for. He said regular people are primarily focused on the cost of living and “issues that folks talk about around their kitchen tables.”
Part of what is luring more Democrats into the race is the announced retirement of U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. Another reason: Democratic House nominees have lost the 2nd District four straight times by single digits.
Leuschen said the district, which includes all of Douglas and Saunders County and part of western Sarpy County, has an appetite to hold Trump accountable. The GOP’s contested primary is not as crowded, but it has two experienced candidates in Omaha City Council Vice President Brinker Harding and former State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha.
National and state GOP strategists acknowledge that Democrats can win an open-seat 2nd District race, but they emphasize that Republicans can hold the seat with the “right candidate and the right messaging.”
“This district has rewarded folks who have focused on solving problems,” Leuschen said. “That’s what I’m doing.”
