U.S. House · Nebraska's 1st District
Christopher Backemeyer
CandidateD
- Race
- U.S. House · Nebraska's 1st District
- Result
- Mike Flood, projected winner
- Opponents
- Mike Flood (R); Dan Hartong (America First Party Nebraska); Nik Sandman (LIB)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did6 statements · 0 votes
Rebalance the tax code so that billionaires and corporations pay their fair share
Raise taxes on high earners or corporations
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotU.S. House · 1
2026-11-03
| Mike Flood R | incumbent |
| Christopher Backemeyer D | challenger |
| Dan Hartong America First Party Nebraska | challenger |
| Nik Sandman LIB | challenger |
Won the May 12, 2026 Democratic primary
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
Rebalance the tax code so that billionaires and corporations pay their fair share
Supports rebalancing the tax code so billionaires and corporations pay a larger share.[5]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Enact a true public option to guarantee universal coverage and force insurance companies to compete by offering lower prices and better coverage
Supports a public health-insurance option, lowering the Medicare eligibility age to 60, and extending ACA premium tax credits.[5]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Protect a woman's right to choose in Nebraska and nationwide
Supports protecting abortion access in Nebraska and nationwide.[5]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Roll back tariffs that are hurting Nebraska's farmers and driving up costs for producers and consumers
Calls for rolling back tariffs, saying they have raised costs for farmers and consumers.[5]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Claw back nearly $75 billion in excess funding from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and prohibit the use of any federal funds to detain children
Supports strong border security paired with a pathway to citizenship, and would cut what he calls excess ICE detention funding.[5]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Avoid forever wars by reasserting Congressional war powers to authorize military actions and prevent unilateral presidential war-making
His 2026 campaign website lists reasserting Congressional war powers to authorize military actions among his priorities.[5]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
Christopher Backemeyer, a Democratic Lincoln native who says he spent more than two decades in national-security and economic-policy roles at the State Department, the White House National Security Council, and the Office of the Vice President, lost the November 3, 2026 election for Nebraska's 1st Congressional District to Mike Flood.[1][2][3][4]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Backemeyer was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, graduated from Lincoln East High School, and describes himself as a fifth-generation Nebraskan.[2][3] He earned two bachelor's degrees, in finance and political science, from Arizona State University and a master's degree in international affairs from the University of California, San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy.[2][6]
According to Nebraska Public Media, Backemeyer had a short career in finance before spending 20 years with the U.S. Department of State and the National Security Council and serving as a national security advisor to former Vice President Kamala Harris.[6] He says he entered public service after the September 11 attacks and held senior roles at the State Department, the White House National Security Council, and the Office of the Vice President.[2][3]
His campaign website cites 21 years of national security experience and says the district is home to Offutt Air Force Base and U.S. Strategic Command.[4] Backemeyer won the May 12, 2026 Democratic primary over Eric Moyer, 57.6% to 42.4%.[7] He described his campaign as focused on lowering costs, ending corruption, and congressional oversight of the Trump administration.[2][3][4] He received 46.5% of the vote to Mike Flood's 50%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[1]
In their own words
Priorities
- Lowering costs for families on housing, energy, groceries and child care, including ending tariffs and expanding the Child Tax Credit.[8]
- Congressional oversight of the executive branch, including investigations and hearings.[8]
- Ethics reform: banning stock trading by members of Congress, enacting term limits, and overturning Citizens United.[8]
Campaign money$592K raised · 78% from individuals · FEC through 2026-06-30
Totals this cycle
Bars share one scale (raised = full). Cash on hand can include money carried over from earlier cycles.
Who gave
- Individuals $463K
- PACs & committees $25K
- Own money & loans $104K
Largest committee contributions
- Way Back PAC PAC$10K
- American Federation of Govt. Empl. Political Action Committee PAC$7,500
- Midwest Region Laborers' Political League PAC$5,000
- Ua Union Plumbers & Pipefitters Vote! PAC (United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing & Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada) PAC$5,000
- Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen PAC Fund PAC$2,500
- Defeat Extremists PAC$2,000
- Rebuild America PAC PAC$2,000
- Communications Workers of America - COPE Political Contributions Committee PAC$1,500
- In Our Hands PAC$1,000
- Silicorn Valley PAC PAC$1,000
Direct contributions only; outside spending is not included. Individual donors are itemized in the FEC’s receipts. All itemized receipts ↗ FEC filing ↗
Profile: /people/christopher-backemeyer
Compare all 4 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.U.S. House Nebraska's 1st District results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 2.Christopher Backemeyer · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 3.Christopher Backemeyer's Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey responses · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
- 4.Christopher Backemeyer's 2026 campaign website, quoted verbatim · Christopher Backemeyer 2026 campaign website (via Ballotpedia) · 2026-04-28 Candidate's own words
- 5.Christopher Backemeyer's 2026 campaign website, quoted verbatim · Christopher Backemeyer 2026 campaign website (via Ballotpedia) · 2026-04-28 Candidate's own words
- 6.Second Democrat enters 1st Congressional District race · Nebraska Public Media · 2025-11-06 News report
- 7.United States House of Representatives elections in Nebraska, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 8.Christopher Backemeyer's Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey responses · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words