After voters hear about both candidates, Powell leads 41-34 in new survey of likely Democratic primary voters
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, April 9, 2026
Omaha, NE – In a new poll commissioned by CHC BOLD PAC, Elect Democratic Women, and EMILY’s List, Denise Powell has a strong 7-point lead over John Cavanaugh after voters hear both candidates’ messages, confirming the momentum behind Powell’s campaign as we head into the final weeks before the May 12th primary.
The GQR survey of 600 likely Democratic primary voters found that Powell is very popular among those who already know her–and her narrative and message produce huge gains that push her firmly into the lead.
Key findings from the poll:
- After hearing both candidates’ messages, Powell leads Cavanaugh 41% to 34%
- 72% of voters who recall seeing or hearing something about Powell view her favorably
- Powell performs strongest among key Democratic primary voters: liberals, women, and people of color
The polling was conducted March 23-26, less than two weeks after both Powell and Cavanaugh started running ads, showing voters moving to Powell and away from Cavanaugh quickly.
The polling adds to the undeniable momentum behind Powell’s campaign. Last week, Punchbowl reported that Powell raised more than $432,000 in the first quarter of 2026–her strongest fundraising quarter since launching her campaign. Powell remains the only candidate in the field to raise more than $1 million last year and entered 2026 with a cash-on-hand advantage.
Since Powell entered the race last May, NE-02 has become an open seat, prompting three race rating changes that moved the district from Toss Up to Leans/Tilts Democrat status from Cook Political Report, Sabato’s Crystal Ball and Inside Elections.
About Denise
Denise Powell is a mom, former executive, small business owner, public school champion and healthcare advocate who knows that a strong work ethic and a love of family and community is the Nebraska way of life. She also knows the Good Life is getting harder to come by. It’s why after Trump’s election she left a successful career in corporate America to focus on fighting for what makes Nebraska such a special place to live and raise a family. Over the past decade, she has supported hundreds of Nebraskans running for local office, protected our public schools and the families they serve, and helped stop extremists from passing abortion bans in the state.
Every day, we see more of our friends and neighbors struggling to make ends meet while Donald Trump and MAGA extremists are focused on trade wars that are increasing our cost of living and passing massive tax breaks for billionaires. Strong families, strong businesses, strong communities – they ALL require work and investment, but everything we’ve fought for here at home is under threat. From dismantling Medicaid and making it harder for seniors to get the benefits they’ve earned, to dismantling education, from the University of Nebraska to our public schools, to attacking our veterans and ripping away women’s rights — Denise is running to fight for the people of Nebraska. We don’t need lip service from politicians, we need action.
For more information, visit deniseforcongress.org. For a high-resolution picture of Denise, click here.
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