Chris Backemeyer, the Democratic nominee for Congress in Nebraska’s 1st district, has received an endorsement not earned solely by Democrats there in two decades.
The political action committee of the Nebraska Farmers Union—NEBFARMPAC—announced on Monday it will support Backemeyer in his 2026 bid for Congress over his opponent, incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Flood.
The Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) has a mixed history of candidate support in NE-01. The last election cycle in which the union’s PAC issued an endorsement in the district was 2020, when it dual endorsed incumbent Republican Jeff Fortenberry and his Democratic challenger Kate Bolz. Fortenberry also earned NeFU’s endorsement in 2018, 2016, 2014, and 2008.
The last NE-01 Democrat to receive the sole endorsement of NeFU was Maxine Moul in 2006. Moul was defeated that year by incumbent Fortenberry.
2006 was also the last time NE-01 was named a “district in play” by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)—the official campaign arm of House Democrats. This year, the DCCC believes the district is again “in play” as a competitive district where Dems can seize on a perceived vulnerability of Republican office holders.
NE-01—which encompasses the eastern bulk of the state, minus the bulk of Omaha, but including cities like Lincoln, Bellevue, Fremont, and Norfolk—is considered a “Solid Republican” district by the Cook Political Report, which gives Flood an estimated advantage of six points this fall.
“I’m honored to be endorsed by the Nebraska Farmers Union,” Backemeyer told Courier Nebraska in an exclusive interview. “A big part of this district is made up of farmers and rural communities. It’s one of the largest soybean farming districts in the country. I’ve been engaging with the union and their membership over the course of this campaign, and I hope to provide the leadership they need in Washington.”
Backemeyer listed increased input costs as a result of tariffs, expanded competition with overseas markets, and delays in passing a revised farm bill—which governs US policy regarding agricultural, food, and conservation policy issues—as mounting challenges in rural communities in Nebraska.
John Hansen, NeFU president and PAC secretary, told Courier Nebraska that their reason for backing Backemeyer this year is similar to their decision to back Independent candidate for US Senate Dan Osborn, which was announced last month.
“We are facing the most significant financial stress since the mid-1980s farm crisis,” Hansen said. “Yet we have a Congress that doesn’t seem to care, or doesn’t care enough to respond in any kind of effective or robust manner to the crisis… Chris has attended a number of our district meetings and our state convention. He’s shown an interest in the issues that we care about. He asks good questions. We think that he’s increasingly well prepared to do a good job of representing our interests in a more effective and more aggressive manner than is currently happening.”
While the union’s PAC did not endorse Flood for the seat in 2022 or 2024, Hansen said NeFU has maintained a “good working relationship” with the Republican incumbent, who he described as “going out of his way to have an open door with us.”
“But we are not seeing the checks and balances needed to stand up for agriculture and rural interests when they come in conflict with President Trump,” Hansen said, calling the president’s effort to significantly downsize the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) “an abomination.”
“There’s no outcry from our congressional delegation over this outrageous effort on the part of the president,” he added.
Flood was supported by the NeFU during his past bids for state legislature, Hansen said.
Founded in 1913, NeFU is the second-largest general farm organization in the state representing nearly 4,000 farm and ranch family members. The Nebraska Farm Bureau is the largest, boasting a membership of more than 55,000.
Both Backemeyer and Hansen echoed disappointment in the stalling of the farm bill in the US Senate Ag committee, criticizing the bill’s transition from a bipartisan legislative effort into a partisan political football.
“The Nebraska delegation has done nothing to put [the farm bill’s bipartisan support] back together,” Backemeyer said. “This is something that will be a priority of mine if I’m elected to Congress, and should be a priority for our delegation.”
Backemeyer said the endorsement from NeFU and the DCCC’s “in play” designation are signs that “the seat is winnable,” despite Flood soundly defeating challengers since 2022.
“People are unhappy with what Congressman Flood has done for them in Washington,” Backemeyer said. “He has not voted for their interests. He voted for tariffs. He supported cuts to Medicaid. He has not questioned the war in Iran. All of these things are costing people in the district, and they’re fed up with it, and they want change.”
Voters in NE-01 will decide on Nov. 3 who will be their representative in the US House.
