Former President Joe Biden told a gathering of Omaha Democrats Friday evening that “Tuesday was a good start,” praising recent Democratic victories nationwide while urging local organizers to prepare for 2026. Speaking at the Nebraska Democratic Party’s annual Ben Nelson Gala, Biden referenced wins in the New York City mayoral contest and gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, and spent most of a roughly 30-minute address criticizing President Donald Trump’s policies. He also highlighted an open congressional seat in Omaha and broader statewide contests to argue that Democrats should aim high ahead of the next midterm cycle. The appearance was one of Biden’s rare public political events while he continues to receive treatment for prostate cancer.
Key Takeaways
- Joe Biden headlined the Ben Nelson Gala in Omaha on Friday and delivered an approximately 30-minute speech, much of it critical of President Donald Trump.
- Biden said national results “Tuesday” showed Democratic momentum, pointing to wins in the New York City mayoral race and governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey.
- He urged local Democrats to contest an open congressional seat in Omaha and statewide offices ahead of the 2026 elections.
- Nebraska Democratic Chair Jane Kleeb, also a DNC vice chair, credited a strong local organizing surge beginning in May 2025 for early momentum.
- Speakers included Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn; Precious McKesson, a 2020 elector from Nebraska’s 2nd District, was noted for her role in state party leadership.
- Republican Rep. Don Bacon, who represented Nebraska’s 2nd District since 2016, was censured by the Sarpy County GOP in 2024 and announced his retirement earlier this year.
- Local Democratic gains earlier in 2025 included John Ewing Jr.’s victory over three-term Republican Jean Stothert in Omaha and Democrats winning three at-large seats on Lincoln’s city council.
Background
The Ben Nelson Gala is an annual fundraising and organizing event for the Nebraska Democratic Party. This year’s theme, “Diverse, Strong and Ready,” emphasized outreach to geographically and ideologically varied voters across the state. Nebraska’s unique political geography — including the Omaha-centric 2nd Congressional District that splits its electoral votes — makes the state a particular focus for both parties in national and local contests. In 2020, Nebraska’s 2nd District awarded an electoral vote for Biden, and local organizers have been working to capitalize on that pocket of competitiveness.
Nebraska Democrats say a string of municipal and local victories in May 2025 provided early evidence of a changing political environment in Omaha and Lincoln. Those wins included a high-profile upset in Omaha and a complete sweep of three at-large city council seats in Lincoln. State party leaders argue those results signaled organizational strength well before national contests in July and August that yielded Democratic wins in several marquee races. On the Republican side, tensions over party discipline and alignment with former President Trump have factored into local dynamics, including the censure of Rep. Don Bacon by a county GOP committee in 2024.
Main Event
Biden’s remarks at the gala opened with a direct reference to the prior Tuesday’s election outcomes, framing them as the beginning of renewed Democratic competitiveness. He spent much of his roughly 30-minute appearance critiquing the policies and record of President Trump, while reserving time to pivot to tactical messages about upcoming races. Biden named the open congressional seat in Omaha and statewide contests as immediate targets for party organizers and volunteers.
Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb explained that she and other state leaders had made a concerted effort to bring Biden to Omaha, citing his long record of public service and his standing with the party base. Kleeb noted that Biden had not been traveling extensively for political events until recently due to health and recovery considerations, and that this appearance reflected both personal ties and strategic value for state Democrats.
The gala’s roster also featured Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Officer Harry Dunn, a Jan. 6 responder, signaling a mix of elected officials and civic figures aimed at a broad audience. Precious McKesson, who served as an elector for Biden in 2020 after he won Nebraska’s 2nd District, was highlighted as an example of the state party’s organizers who helped convert local competitiveness into electoral outcomes. The evening’s tone combined celebration of recent wins with a call for expanded organizing and candidate recruitment ahead of 2026.
Analysis & Implications
Biden’s Omaha appearance served both symbolic and strategic functions: symbolically, it reassured the party base that national leaders remain engaged; strategically, it spotlighted a key Midwestern area where Democrats believe they can expand their map. By invoking specific victories in New York City, Virginia and New Jersey, Biden framed isolated wins as part of a broader trend that could influence fundraising, recruitment and volunteer mobilization in Nebraska.
The emphasis on an open congressional seat in Omaha reflects how parties prioritize winnable federal targets in midterm cycles. An open-seat contest typically lowers incumbency advantages, making candidate quality, local organization and turnout operations decisive factors. Nebraska Democrats appear to be betting that recent municipal gains and persistent organizing in 2025 will translate into a stronger candidate pipeline and field operation for 2026.
At the same time, intra-party dynamics in Nebraska — the effort to welcome both progressives and moderates — are an explicit response to national polarization and to local GOP moves that have at times punished dissenting Republicans. If Nebraska Democrats successfully present themselves as ideologically broad and locally rooted, they may expand appeal in suburban and exurban precincts that were competitive in 2020 and 2024.
Comparison & Data
| Race | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| New York City Mayor | Democratic win (Tuesday) |
| Virginia Governor | Democratic win (Tuesday) |
| New Jersey Governor | Democratic win (Tuesday) |
| Omaha Mayoral (2025) | John Ewing Jr. (Democrat) defeated Jean Stothert |
| Lincoln City Council (At-large, 2025) | Three seats won by Democrat-affiliated candidates |
The table above summarizes the high-profile races Biden referenced and the earlier local wins in Nebraska. Those municipal victories in May 2025 are cited by state leaders as the earliest indicators of momentum, particularly in urban centers where turnout and organizing infrastructure matter most. While national gubernatorial and mayoral victories reflect broader trends, translating them into sustained gains in a state like Nebraska will require persistent investment in candidate recruitment and ground operations over the next 18 months.
Reactions & Quotes
“Tuesday was a good start,” Biden said, using the election outcomes as evidence of renewed Democratic energy heading into the next midterm cycle.
Joe Biden, former U.S. president
“President Biden gave 60 years to public service and to our party, and he is deeply loved by the base of our party,” Jane Kleeb said, explaining why she persuaded him to appear in Omaha.
Jane Kleeb, Nebraska Democratic Party Chair / DNC Vice Chair
“We really wanted to start making sure that the message is very clear to voters that you can be a progressive or a moderate and be very much welcomed in our party,” Kleeb added, framing the party’s broad outreach strategy.
Jane Kleeb, Nebraska Democratic Party Chair
Unconfirmed
- Precise details of Biden’s future travel and speaking schedule remain unclear beyond this event; no comprehensive itinerary has been publicly confirmed.
- The degree to which May 2025 local wins will directly shift statewide voter registration or turnout patterns for 2026 remains uncertain and will depend on sustained organizing.
Bottom Line
Biden’s speech in Omaha functioned as both a morale boost and a strategic prod: it celebrated recent Democratic wins while pressing local activists to scale up for 2026 contests. State party leaders point to May 2025 municipal victories as the initial signs of momentum, but converting those gains into durable statewide success will require extended investment in candidates, messaging and field operations.
For Nebraska Democrats, the next 18 months will test whether early organizing and high-profile endorsements translate into competitive campaigns in suburban and swing districts. Observers should watch candidate recruitment for the open Omaha congressional seat, turnout programs in urban centers, and whether national Democratic wins continue to catalyze local momentum.