Christopher Backemeyer

Christopher Backemeyer was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. He graduated from Lincoln East High School. 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.[1] His career experience includes working at the U.S. State Department, on the White House National Security Council, and later as an advisor in the Vice President’s office.[2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a fifth-generation Nebraskan and a Democrat running in the 1st District because I believe our country has lost its way and we deserve better. Growing up in my family — like so many Nebraska families — you were taught a few simple things: Work hard, treat people with respect, and leave things better for the next generation.

Those values led me to public service after the attacks of September 11th. For more than two decades, I served our country in senior levels at the State Department, the White House National Security Council, and the Office of the Vice President — working on some of the toughest security and economic challenges facing our nation. In those roles, I saw how decisions made in Washington directly affect families back home — whether it’s trade wars that run up costs for consumers and ruin export markets for producers, or it’s a war in the Middle East that drives up oil prices and affects your wallet.

People feel like Washington has stopped working for them, and they’re not wrong. The billionaire-first agenda is hurting families across the country and making income inequality worse. And the chaos and corruption is creating a system with two different sets of rules. I’m running to change that.

My life has been about stepping up when the moment demands it, and now is no different. I’ve spent my career focused on solving tough problems, putting people first, and delivering real results. And I’m ready to bring that leadership to Congress.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Lower Costs: Families in Nebraska are feeling the squeeze on every front. Families are paying more for housing, energy, groceries, and child care, while politicians argue and corporations profit. I will fight to lower these costs by ending reckless trade wars and tariffs, breaking up monopolies to bring prices down, and restoring cuts to essential programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and the VA. I will also make sure Nebraska gets its fair share of federal investments to support families and create good-paying jobs.

We also need address rising child care costs, expand the Child Tax Credit, strengthen Social Security and Medicare, and lower health care costs through a public option, taking on Big Pharma, and reducing the Medicare eligibility age.Stop the Chaos: People are tired of waking up to new chaos every day. We have a president who picks fights on a whim, deploys ICE in ways that terrorize families, launches trade wars that drive up costs and threaten our agricultural economy, and undermines our allies. Nebraskans deserve a representative who will push back —not rubber-stamp these actions—and put people over politics.

Congress must restore its role as a check on this administration. That means serious oversight: investigations, hearings, and real accountability from federal agencies, and making sure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly. It means reasserting Congress' authority and bringing decency back to government.End the Corruption: Washington is broken because too many politicians play by a different set of rules than everyone else. I’m running to restore trust by pushing for real ethics reform: banning stock trading by members of Congress; enforcing term limits for Congress and the judicial branch; establishing mandatory retirement ages for the president, members of Congress, and the judiciary; and overturning Citizens United to end the influence of dark money. Time and time again, we see elected leaders use their offices for personal profit, and it’s time to hold them accountable.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m passionate about lowering costs, fixing our broken healthcare system, immigration reform, and ensuring new technology – including AI – are developed responsibly and with appropriate guardrails. I also care deeply about creating more opportunity for working Nebraskans, including through federal investments that can create good paying, union jobs. I’m also committed to ensuring that we aren’t leaving rural communities behind – whether that’s through investing in rural hospitals, breaking up big ag monopolies, expanding broadband, and more. Finally, we need to make government work for the people instead of the well-connected through strong ethics reforms and addressing the influence of money in our politics.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Former Nebraska Governor and Senator Ben Nelson

AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees)

U.S. Sen. Andy Kim

Foreign Policy for America

Vince Powers, former chair of Nebraska State Party

Chris Funk, former CEO of Planned Parenthood of Lincoln and Nebraska

Ken Haar, former state senator and Lincoln City Councilmember

Chuck Hassebrook, former UNL Board of Regents

Tammy Ward, former Lincoln City Councilmember

Integrity PAC

Way Back PAC

Campaign websiteBackemeyer's campaign website stated the following:Making Healthcare Affordable & AccessibleWe spend twice as much on healthcare as other developed countries — yet too many Nebraskans can’t see a doctor or afford a prescription. We are the only industrialized nation without universal healthcare.The Affordable Care Act moved us forward, but we need to go further. We can achieve universal coverage with common sense reformsMy priorities include:Enact a true public option to guarantee universal coverage and force insurance companies to compete by offering lower prices and better coverageExtend the ACA premium tax credits to lower monthly costs for millions of families.Restore Medicaid funding and protect rural hospitalsLower the Medicare eligibility age to 60Take on Big Pharma to lower prescription drug costsProtect a woman’s right to choose in Nebraska and nationwideSmart, Fair Immigration and a Secure BorderCongress has failed time and again to fix our broken immigration system because of partisan gridlock. That failure has real consequences for businesses that need workers, families who live in fear of separation, and communities seeking stability and growth. I will work to repair our immigration system, uphold our values, and fight for comprehensive reform that is fair, humane, and effective.My priorities include:Claw back nearly $75 billion in excess funding from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and prohibit the use of any federal funds to detain childrenEnsure strong security at the southern border while enforcing immigration laws in ways that reflect our values and are consistent with the U.S. Constitution Pass comprehensive immigration reform that creates a genuine pathway to citizenship and keeps families togetherRefocus Department of Homeland Security on its core mission by limiting unilateral expansions of detention facilities and restricting operations to the enforcement of immigration lawReform the current agriculture workforce system to better support hardworking farmworkers and family farmers, ranchers, and producersRestoring American Leadership & National SecurityNebraska’s First District is home to Offutt Air Force Base, U.S. Strategic Command, and thousands of servicemembers, veterans, and military families. National security is not abstract here — it’s personal.With 21 years of national security experience, I am the most qualified candidate in this race to strengthen America’s security and protect our interests abroad.My priorities include:Maintain a strong national defense to deter threats, protect U.S. interests, and ensure global securityStrengthen our international alliances through principled diplomacyAvoid forever wars by reasserting Congressional war powers to authorize military actions and prevent unilateral presidential war-making Reverse harmful cuts to the VA so veterans receive the disability services, mental health care, and timely claims processing they have earnedExpand veteran entrepreneurship programs, strengthen veteran hiring initiatives, and increase housing assistance so veterans and their families can put down roots in NebraskaSupporting Agriculture & Rural CommunitiesNebraska’s prosperity depends on a strong, resilient rural economy. But political fights, reckless trade decisions, and corporate consolidation have pushed family farms to the brink and hollowed out rural communities. Protecting Nebraska’s future means strengthening the agricultural roots of our state and giving rural communities the tools to grow and prosper.My priorities include:End the tariff chaos that harms farmers and raises consumer costsPass a long-term, bipartisan Farm Bill that is updated to reflect the current demands of family farms Expand markets for biofuels, including through permanent, year-long sales of E15Break up agribusiness monopolies that squeeze family farms and prevent competitive marketsFight for fair trade policies that allow U.S. producers to compete globallyExpand rural broadband so every community can thrive in the 21st centuryLowering Costs & Restoring the Middle ClassWhat keeps me up at night is what keeps so many Nebraska families up at night: the skyrocketing cost of living. Housing, healthcare, childcare — all slipping out of reach. And saving for the future? Nearly impossible.We need an economy that works for the people who make it run, not just those at the top. That means tackling prices where families feel it most and rebuilding a true middle class.My priorities include:Roll back tariffs that are hurting Nebraska’s farmers and driving up costs for producers and consumersExpand the Child Tax Credit to put more money back in families’ pocketsRebalance the tax code so that billionaires and corporations pay their fair share Cut red tape that delays housing projects and puts families in houses instead of investment firmsEnding Washington DysfunctionWashington has become a place where too many politicians serve themselves instead of the people. We need real reforms to restore trust and protect our democracy.My priorities include:Enact term limits for members of Congress and the judiciary branchEstablish mandatory retirement age for the president, members of Congress, and the judiciary Ban stock trading by members of CongressOverturn Citizens United and end dark money in politicsReining In Our National DebtFor years, Washington politicians have used the national debt as a talking point — except when it comes to endless wars or tax breaks for billionaires. The result? A crushing burden on future generations.We’ve spent $4 trillion in the last decade on interest alone. With that money, we could have fully funded every K–12 public school for five years, connected every rural community with broadband, or rebuilt every major road and bridge.Instead, we owe much of it to foreign creditors like China.We can do great things for our country — but only if we stop mortgaging our kids’ futures for billionaire tax cuts.— Christopher Backemeyer's campaign website (April 28, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.