Omaha therapist announces run for Nebraska's 2nd District

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha therapist and mental health advocate announced Tuesday that she will run in the Democratic primary for Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District.

Alisha Shelton said she will seek the party’s nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, a three-term Republican in the district that includes Omaha and parts of its suburbs.

In a statement announcing her run, Shelton said she plans to focus her campaign on jobs, affordable health care and higher wages.

Shelton would be Nebraska’s first Black member of Congress if elected.

“I’ve been paying attention, and I see that so many hard-working families in Nebraska are ready for a brighter future,” Shelton said in the statement.

Bacon has already said he we’ll seek re-election, ruling out the prospect that he might run for governor in 2022.

Shelton ran in Nebraska’s 2020 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and finished third out of seven candidates. Her name briefed emerged again as a possible contender, however, after nominee Chris Janicek acknowledged that he sent sexually explicit text messages about his campaign’s fundraising director. Janicek ultimately refused to leave the race and was beaten by incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse.