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Don Bacon Is Considering Retirement

The Nebraska Republican told NOTUS he will make a final decision this summer.

Rep. Don Bacon

Bill Clark/AP

By Reese Gorman and Alex Roarty

April 25, 2025 04:12 PM

Republican Rep. Don Bacon is considering retirement.

The Nebraska lawmaker told NOTUS on Friday that he is talking with his family about whether or not to run for reelection next year.

“I’ll make any final decisions in late summer,” Bacon told NOTUS. “It is a family decision.”

Three sources told NOTUS that Bacon has been seriously thinking about retiring from the House. It would be a blow to House Republicans, who would have to defend his suburban Omaha district that has trended left in recent years. Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris won it by more than 4 percentage points in 2024, according to data compiled by The Downballot.

Bacon made headlines earlier this week when he sharply criticized embattled Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. In Nebraska, his outspokenness put many GOP operatives on alert that he might be preparing to leave Congress.

“I think everyone in the state is on alert,” said one Nebraska Republican, granted anonymity to speak candidly.

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Reese Gorman and Alex Roarty are reporters at NOTUS.