Candidate · November 3, 2026
Chris Backemeyer
On the ballot for U.S. House · Nebraska's 1st District
- raised through Oct 14, 2026
- $1.2M
- cash on hand
- $355K
- issues with public statements
- 19
- outside spending for or against
- $277K
§1On the ballot
Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.
| Office | U.S. House · Nebraska's 1st District1 |
|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Democratic1 |
| Status | Challenger |
| Also on the ballot |
|
§2Who they are
Why this matters: Background and experience help you judge how someone might do the job. These come from public records and the candidate's own materials.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
According to his campaign website, Chris Backemeyer graduated from Lincoln East High School, and Ballotpedia says he earned two bachelor's degrees from Arizona State University and a graduate degree from the University of California, San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy.2,
Why they say they're running
His campaign website says he is running for Congress to give back to the state where he grew up and to work for families, lower costs and opportunity for Nebraskans.2,
Websites and accounts
- Campaign websitebacknebraska.com2,
3 - Facebookfacebook.com/chrisbackemeyerNE2
- X (Twitter)x.com/ChrisBackemeyer2
- Instagraminstagram.com/chrisbackemeyerne2
- YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNfOaZcAMuM7es-ibhf7tXA2
§3What they've said on the issues
Why this matters: These are positions the candidate has stated publicly — on their campaign website or in public statements — summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Issues they haven't spoken about publicly are left out.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Each issue has its own range of views. A position is marked on that range only when the candidate's own statement clearly matches one option; there is no overall left–right score.
Health Care
His campaign website says he supports enacting a public option to guarantee universal coverage, and lists lowering the Medicare eligibility age to 60 and lowering prescription drug costs among his health care priorities.6
- One government plan for everyone (Medicare for All)
- Add a government plan that anyone can choose to buy
- Keep the current mix of private and public coverage, including the ACA
- Fewer federal insurance rules and more private plan choices, with aid paid to individuals
His campaign website says he would extend the ACA premium tax credits to lower monthly costs for families.6
His campaign website says he would restore Medicaid funding and protect rural hospitals.6
- Reduce federal Medicaid spending further, such as by giving states fixed yearly amounts (block grants or per-person limits)
- Keep the funding rules set by the 2025 law
- Reverse the 2025 changes or increase federal funding
Abortion and Reproductive Health
His campaign website lists protecting a woman's right to choose, in Nebraska and nationwide, among his health care priorities.6
Immigration
His campaign website says he supports comprehensive immigration reform that creates a pathway to citizenship and keeps families together.7
- No new legal status, including for people brought here as children
- Legal status only for people brought here as children, such as DACA recipients
- Legal status, but not citizenship, for most who pass background checks and pay a fine
- A path to citizenship for most who meet requirements such as background checks
His campaign website says he would take back nearly $75 billion in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement that it describes as excess, bar federal money for detaining children, and limit unilateral expansions of detention facilities while restricting Homeland Security operations to enforcing immigration law.7
Agriculture and Rural Life
His campaign website says he would reform the agricultural workforce system so it works better for farmworkers and for family farmers, ranchers and producers.7
His campaign website says he would expand markets for biofuels, including through permanent year-round sales of E15.8
- Expand biofuel use, such as by allowing E15 sales all year
- Keep the current requirements
- Lower the requirements or end the Renewable Fuel Standard
Foreign Policy and Defense
His campaign website says he supports reasserting Congress's war powers so that Congress authorizes military action and presidents cannot act alone to go to war.5
- Let the president order military action without needing Congress's approval
- Let the president act first, but enforce the 60-day limit and end any action Congress doesn't approve
- Require Congress to approve military action in advance, except to defend against an attack
Veterans
His campaign website says he would reverse cuts to the VA so that veterans can get disability services, mental health care and timely handling of claims.5
Economy, Jobs and Trade
Technology, Privacy and AI
His campaign website lists expanding rural broadband among his agriculture and rural community priorities.8
Family and Social Policy
His campaign website says he would expand the Child Tax Credit so families keep more money.9
Taxes and Budget
His campaign website says he would rework the tax code so that corporations and billionaires pay a fair share.9
Housing
His campaign website says he would cut red tape that delays housing projects.9
Elections and Government Reform
His campaign website says he supports term limits for members of Congress and the judiciary.10
His campaign website says he supports banning stock trading by members of Congress.10
- Ban members and their spouses and dependent children from owning or trading individual stocks
- Ban members themselves from trading individual stocks
- No ban; keep the reporting rules, with stronger penalties for late reports
His campaign website says he supports overturning Citizens United and ending dark money in politics.10
- Limit spending by outside groups, including by amending the Constitution to overturn Citizens United
- Keep spending unlimited but require groups to name their major donors
- Keep current rules
- Raise or remove limits on donations to candidates and parties
Courts, Rights and Civil Liberties
His campaign website says he supports term limits and a mandatory retirement age for the judicial branch.10
- Set fixed terms, such as 18 years
- Keep lifetime appointments
§4Money
Why this matters: Campaigns report where their money comes from and how much they have left. Outside groups that spend on their own, without coordinating with the campaign, report that too.
Reported to the Federal Election Commission for the 2025–2026 election cycle, through October 14, 2026.11
| Raised | $1,154,613 |
|---|---|
| Spent | $799,447 |
| Cash on hand | $355,166 |
| Debts owed by the campaign | $100,000 |
Where the money came from
Outside spending
Groups spending independently reported $276,575 supporting and $0 opposing Chris Backemeyer this cycle, primary and general combined, in the 24- and 48-hour reports the law requires for larger expenditures, filed through October 22, 2026.12
| Group | Supporting | Opposing |
|---|---|---|
| Retire Career Politicians | $275,429 | — |
| Working America | $1,146 | — |
Smaller expenditures that appear only on a group's regular monthly or quarterly report aren't in these totals, so the full amounts can be somewhat higher. When a group amends a report, only its latest version is counted.
§5Financial disclosures
Why this matters: Federal candidates and members of Congress must report their assets, income, debts and outside jobs, and members must report stock trades. These filings show possible conflicts of interest.
- Candidate financial disclosure report13filed Aug 8, 2026
- Candidate financial disclosure report14filed Mar 6, 2026