2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska

2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska

November 2, 2004 (2004-11-02)
All 3 Nebraska seats to the United States House of Representatives
Majority party Minority party   Party Republican Democratic Last election 3 0 Seats won 3 0 Seat change Popular vote 514,115 230,697 Percentage 67.22% 30.16%
District results County results Republican   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   80–90%   90–100% Democratic   50–60%   60–70%

Elections in Nebraska
Federal offices Presidential elections 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1867 1869 1870 1875 1877 1880 1883 1886 1888 1889 1893 1895 1899 1899 sp 1901 1901 sp 1905 1907 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1934 1934 sp 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1952 sp 1954 1954 Class 1 sp 1954 Class 2 sp 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2024 sp 2026 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1889 2nd sp 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1899 6th sp 1900 1902 1904 1905 1st sp 1906 1908 1910 1911 3rd sp 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1st sp 6th sp 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1st sp 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1951 3rd sp 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 1st sp 2024 2026
State government State elections 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Gubernatorial elections 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1970 Secretary of State elections 2022 Attorney General elections 2022 State Treasurer elections 2022 State Legislature elections 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026
Ballot measures 2000 Initiative 416 2008 Initiative 424 2024 Initiative 434 Initiative 439
Bellevue Mayoral elections 2022 2026
Grand Island Mayoral elections 2022 2026
Lincoln Mayoral elections 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Omaha Mayoral elections 1997 2001 2005 2009 2011 (recall) 2013 2017 2021 2025 City council 2025
Government

The 2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska were held on November 2, 2004 to determine who will represent the state of Nebraska in the United States House of Representatives. Nebraska has three seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms.

Incumbent Republican Congressman Doug Bereuter represented the 1st district, which included the city of Lincoln and most of eastern Nebraska, since he was first elected in 1978. He declined to seek re-election in 2004, and resigned from Congress on August 31, 2004, to become the President and CEO of The Asia Foundation. A crowded Republican primary emerged to succeed him, with Curt Bromm, the Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, emerging as the favorite. Bromm was endorsed by Bereuter, but was attacked by television advertisements aired by the Club for Growth that attacked him for raising taxes to make up for a state budget shortfall. The advertisements sought to elevate Greg Ruehle, the Executive Director of the Nebraska Cattleman, which prompted the Republican Main Street Partnership to air advertisements criticizing Ruehle. Fortenberry, meanwhile, ran a grassroots campaign and ultimately managed to win a thin plurality of the vote.^[1]

In the general election, Fortenberry faced State Senator Matt Connealy, the Democratic nominee. Though Connealy was a high-profile candidate, he was unable to overcome Republican President George W. Bush's strong performance in Nebraska that year, and Fortenberry ultimately won his first term by a wide margin.

• Jeff Fortenberry, former Lincoln City Councilman^[2]
• Curt Bromm, Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature^[2]
• Greg Ruehle, Executive Director of the Nebraska Cattlemen^[2]
• Daniel Manning, educator^[2]
• Bob Van Valkenburg, business consultant^[2]
• Andrew J. Ringsmuth, journalist and information technology manager^[2]
• Greg Walburn, currency analyst^[2]

• Matt Connealy, State Senator
• Janet Stewart, Fremont attorney^[2]
• Charlie Matulka, 2002 Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate
• Phil Chase, retired software executive^[2]

• Steven R. Larrick, researcher for the Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest^[2]

Incumbent Republican Congressman Lee Terry, who represented the Omaha-based 2nd district, ran for re-election to a fourth term. He was challenged by State Senator Nancy Thompson, the Democratic nominee, and defeated her with 61% of the vote to win another term.

• Lee Terry, incumbent Congressman

• Nancy Thompson, State Senator

• Jack Graziano

Incumbent Republican Congressman Tom Osborne ran for re-election to his third term in Congress in the 3rd district, which included most of the state's conservative, rural territory. He was challenged by Columbus cosmetologist Donna J. Anderson, the Democratic nominee, in the general election. Owing to the conservative nature of the district, Osborne overwhelmingly won re-election.

• Tom Osborne, incumbent Congressman

• Donna J. Anderson, Columbus cosmetologist^[1]

• Joseph A. Rosberg
• Duane E. F. Dufek