Despite a strong start, Austin Ahlman, the Independent candidate for Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District, announced Sunday he would be suspending his campaign, citing difficulties with his father’s health.
The decision comes a little more than two months after Ahlman, a 28-year-old former journalist from Norfolk and researcher with the anti-monopoly think-tank Open Markets Institute, launched his campaign on May 13, the day after Nebraska’s primary election.
Over that time, Ahlman’s campaign boasted noteworthy momentum, including a fundraising total of over $100,000 in about six weeks and about 2,500 signatures to place his name on the ballot—a hurdle that candidates unaffiliated with a state registered party must clear.
“What we accomplished in such a short time exceeded every expectation. Across Nebraska, we reminded people that they don’t have to settle for the two-party status quo,” Ahlman said in a statement. “We proved that ordinary people are hungry for something different. We showed that an independent campaign doesn’t need corporate PAC money or party bosses to inspire people.”
Ahlman was quickly approaching his signature turn-in deadline of Aug. 3, 2026.
But despite his campaign’s momentum, Ahlman said his family’s health circumstances have changed dramatically since his campaign’s launch.
As detailed in his highly-viewed campaign launch video, Ahlman’s father was diagnosed with cancer in fall of 2025. Come January, his mother had taken her own life. Ahlman describes finding an eviction notice for his family’s home in his mother’s pocket following her suicide, inspiring him to jump into the race.
“While this campaign was growing, my family received difficult news about my dad’s health. Since then, my focus has had to shift to being with my family during a time when they need me most,” Ahlman said on Sunday. “The people of Nebraska deserve a candidate who can devote everything to this race. Right now, I cannot do that while also being the son my father deserves.”
With Ahlman out, the race resets to incumbent Republican Mike Flood facing a single challenger in Democrat Chris Backemeyer, a former senior State Department official with experience in Middle East policy, foreign assistance, and Iran-related diplomacy.
Looking forward, Ahlman pointed to Nebraska’s recent interest in Independent candidates and said the movement “isn’t going anywhere.”
“Millions of Americans are tired of politics that serve special interests before working people,” Ahlman said. “That fight continues, and I’ll continue looking for ways to support candidates and causes that challenge the status quo and put people first.”
Ahlman said he’ll be supporting Dan Osborn in his campaign for US Senate, challenging incumbent Republican Pete Ricketts.
One of Ahlman’s most vocal supporters, Cindy Burbank, the former Democratic nominee for US Senate who filed to drop out last week to give Osborn a one-on-one race, commended Ahlman for his decision.
“When I endorsed Austin, he guaranteed me he would not be the spoiler,” Burbank told Courier Nebraska. “I am sorry he is leaving the race, but I am glad he is putting his father’s health first.”
Ahlman’s brand of politics is markedly anti-establishment, frequently criticizing Republican and Democratic politicians alike for accepting corporate PAC money and supporting overseas military conflicts.
The move ultimately is a win for state Democrats, who have been pressuring Ahlman to drop from the race since he launched in May, warning his presence would split the “anti-Flood vote.”
