James Leuschen

James Leuschen (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. He lost in the Democratic primary on May 12, 2026. Leuschen unofficially withdrew from the race but appeared on the primary election ballot on May 12, 2026.

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Campaign websiteLeuschen's campaign website stated the following:Bipartisanship & Getting Things DoneDuring my 20 years on Capitol Hill, I brought my Nebraska values with me. From budget agreements to infrastructure investments, I built relationships across the aisle and helped pass bipartisan legislation that moved the country forward. We simply cannot solve our biggest challenges – from lowering costs to closing the gap on public trust – with members of Congress who are only interested in building their personal brand and competing for more “clicks.”I am committed to bringing a focus on legislating and a sense of common purpose back to Congress – with a relentless commitment to deliver for Nebraska. That’s exactly what I did when I worked with former Congressman Brad Ashford to deliver the new veterans outpatient facility to Omaha, that’s what I’ll do when I get to Washington.Lowering Costs & Growing the Middle ClassMiddle-class families need certainty, not chaos, to thrive. That means stable, responsible economic policies that help small businesses grow and keep costs down. I know what Nebraska families are facing because I’m living it too: the price of groceries, housing, child care, utilities, and health care keeps climbing.As an economic policy expert, I helped write the Affordable Care Act’s tax credits and the Inflation Reduction Act, both of which cut costs for families and created jobs. As your Congressman, I’ll work to extend ACA tax credits to help lower health care costs, expand the Child Tax Credit, and invest in apprenticeships and infrastructure that grow our workforce.Donald Trump’s rollercoaster tax and tariffs are driving prices higher and exploding deficits. They’re also decimating our farm economy by eliminating markets for Nebraska ag products, while undermining small businesses’ ability to hire and invest. I’ll fight to restore certainty, reward hard work, and make sure Nebraska families can build a good life.Housing AffordabilityEveryone deserves a fair shot at homeownership, but right now too many Nebraskans are priced out. Trump has pushed housing affordability the wrong direction on nearly every front – the cost of renting, buying, and building housing is all going up under this Administration. I have the experience to push back.There’s no single fix, but I’ll work to make housing more affordable by:- Encouraging new home construction and density, especially near transit- Getting families into homes before investment funds- Rolling back tariffs that drive up building costsHousing should be about helping families, not enriching hedge funds. With smart policy and Nebraska common sense, we can make homeownership a reality again.Fighting for Quality, Affordable Health CareEvery Nebraskan deserves affordable, quality care wherever they live, but today health care costs are out of control. Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are making it worse by slashing Medicaid and refusing to extend much needed tax credits to help keep health care costs down. These actions will devastate Nebraska families and force many of our rural hospitals to close. My wife, Janelle, is a primary care doctor, so I hear what these policies mean for her patients every day at home. Patients are already forgoing needed care and the higher costs from Trump’s health care cuts will only make it worse.Right now, millions of American families can only afford health insurance because of Affordable Care Act tax credits that lower their monthly premiums. I know because I helped write the ACA, including those tax credits to lower health care costs for tens of millions of Americans. Over the course of my career as an economic policy expert, I’ve been laser focused on how to bring down costs for Nebraska families. I fought to enhance and expand the ACA tax credits so that millions more Americans could afford insurance, including 34,000 people right here in Nebraska’s second congressional district. But because of President Trump’s budget law, those tax credits are set to expire this year. And if Congress doesn’t stand up to him, health care premiums will skyrocket overnight.The economics are simple: we need to spread risk as widely as possible, and that means bringing more people under the umbrella of insurance – be it employer based, ACA marketplace, Medicaid, or Medicare – and stop the reckless effort by Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress to push us back toward a system of uncompensated care that will end up costing us all more in the end.In Congress, I’ll fight to:- Reverse Trump’s Medicaid cuts so that working families just trying to get by have access to the care they need- Extend the expanded Affordable Care Act tax credits I helped write to keep costs down for Nebraska families- Fight to protect rural hospitals and urban community health centers so that health care is not only affordable, but accessible, for every Nebraskan- Keep Medicare on solid financial footing for our generation and the next- Fight for a woman’s right to choose here in Nebraska and across the countryGet us Back on Track for a Clean Energy FutureClimate change is real, urgent, and solvable – if we act with common sense and speed.The Inflation Reduction Act made historic investments in clean energy that are creating jobs and reducing emissions. But Trump and his Republican allies rolled much of it back, hurting both our economy and our planet while raising your costs.I’ll fight to restore those investments, support market-based solutions that cut carbon, and make it easier to build clean energy and infrastructure projects while protecting our local communities. This isn’t just about the environment; it’s about creating good-paying jobs and lowering the cost of electricity right here in Nebraska.Restore Our Place in the WorldFor generations, America has led the world by championing democracy, free markets, and our allies. But Trump’s trade wars and bullying diplomacy are weakening that leadership.I’ll work to:- Support Ukraine and our NATO allies against Russian aggression- Stand with Israel while working toward a lasting two-state solution- Take China’s rise seriously, economically and militarily, without reckless confrontationThe world is safer when America leads with our strength, values, and purpose – not bullying.— James Leuschen's campaign website (April 28, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.