Nearly $50 million flowing to influence Nebraska's congressional races. And there are weeks left

In what will be no surprise to anyone who watches television, the Omaha-area congressional battle between U.S. Rep. Don Bacon and challenger Tony Vargas is producing record fundraising and spending.

The reports filed by the campaigns this week showed Democratic State Sen. Vargas had raised $6.1 million by Sept. 30, compared with $5.6 million for Bacon, a Republican. Both of those figures are the most ever accumulated by candidates in the 2nd Congressional District.

The money being raised and spent by the candidates themselves, however, pales in comparison to the massive dollars outside groups are spending to affect the race.

With almost three weeks before Election Day, those outside groups have already spent some $12.7 million, according to reports tracked by OpenSecrets. That included $7.6 million spent by political action committees backing Bacon and another $5.1 million in support of Vargas — the vast majority of those dollars spent on hard-hitting ads targeting the opposing candidate.

That outside spending easily tops the nearly $10.9 million spent in the 2022 race and is already approaching the $13.5 million level from 2020.

The big spending reflects the national prominence of the 2nd District race, one of roughly two-dozen true toss-up races that could decide which party controls the House.

Both Bacon and Vargas on Tuesday both touted their latest campaign finance figures and claimed to have the momentum in the race.

Vargas noted that during the latest three-month reporting period, he outraised Bacon roughly two-to-one, $2.6 million to $1.3 million. He also outspent Bacon in the latest period, $3.6 million to $1.5 million. In the campaign cycle, Vargas has outspent him $4.7 million to $3.6 million.

"Fundraising and activity on the ground continues to show growing momentum for our campaign," Vargas said.

But Bacon, as of the reporting period, had the advantage in cash on hand, with $2 million, compared with $1.5 million for Vargas. Bacon said he felt comfortable with where the race currently stands given how much he was recently outspent by Vargas.

"I've gone through the hurricane and I'm standing on my feet," he said. "This morning is the best I've felt, if you look at the numbers."

Spending tracked by OpenSecrets shows outside groups are continuing to ramp up spending in the 2nd District race.

Some $3 million of the outside backing for Bacon this year has come from the Congressional Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC. Super PACs, utilized by both parties, can raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions and individuals but can't coordinate directly with the candidates they are backing.

Another $1.2 million came from the National Republican Congressional Committee, the official political arm of House Republicans that is seeking to keep the GOP in control of the body.

The Big Red Leadership PAC, a political committee personally funded by U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, has spent $937,000 to try to keep Bacon in the all-Republican Nebraska congressional delegation.

Defending Main Street, a GOP super PAC that supports moderate Republicans running in swing districts, has spent $529,000 backing Bacon. The With Honor Fund, a political committee that supports military veterans of both parties, has spent $850,000 to support Bacon.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the official arm of House Democrats, has spent nearly $2 million to elect Vargas, with a Democratic super PAC kicking in almost $1 million more.

Political committees seeking new gun safety laws have also given Vargas more than $1 million in backing, including nearly $930,000 spent by the Giffords PAC and $250,000 from Everytown for Gun Safety.

Vargas also received $670,000 in backing from the LCV Victory Fund, a super PAC run by the League of Conservation Voters, and $284,000 from the 314 Action Fund, a PAC devoted to electing people with science backgrounds. Vargas for two years worked as a middle school science teacher.

Dan Osborn fundraising competitive with Deb Fischer

Big spending numbers are also being racked up in the surprisingly competitive U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Deb Fischer and independent candidate Dan Osborn.

Osborn, a union leader, reported raising nearly $5 million as of Sept. 30, compared with just over $7 million for Fischer.

Osborn's total fundraising is approaching the $5.8 million that Democrat Bob Kerrey raised when he ran against Fischer for the seat in 2012, the last time a non-Republican candidate ran a competitive Senate race in Nebraska.

Fischer had $1 million in available cash as of June 30, compared with $658,000 for Osborn.

Outside groups backing Osborn have independently spent $7.8 million, including $5.8 million in support of him and some $2 million opposing Fischer. Fischer has received some $3.6 million in outside support, more than 90% of it spent opposing Osborn.

Retire Career Politicians, a PAC that tends to support Democrats, has spent $6.8 million backing Osborn.

Fischer's biggest outside supporter has been the Ending Spending Action Fund, at $2.1 million. The super PAC was founded in 2010 by Joe Ricketts, the former TD Ameritrade chairman and father of Pete Ricketts.

Pete Ricketts is also on the ballot this year, running to complete the Senate term to which he was appointed last year against Democrat Preston Love, Jr.

That race has seen very little outside spending.

, 402-444-1130, twitter.com/henrycordes

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Reporter - Metro News