Former President Joe Biden speaks during a Nebraska Democratic Party fundraiser at the Omaha Hilton on Nov. 8, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)
OMAHA — Former President Joe Biden highlighted the harsh economic realities facing American families under President Donald Trump during the Nebraska Democrats’ top annual fundraiser on Friday. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear also took the stage, pitching a recipe for helping Democrats win in deep-red states.
Both headliners rallied a downtown Hilton crowd of more than 600 people as the party geared up for next year’s midterm elections, where the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District could play a crucial role.
Friday marked Biden’s first public speaking event since he dropped out of the 2024 presidential campaign amid concerns within the party about his electability, particularly following a shaky debate performance against Trump. In his speech, Biden criticized Trump on a variety of issues, from cutting Medicare in the “big, beautiful” tax and spending bill to mishandling the “strong economy” Biden said he left behind.
He didn’t hold back in his assessment of Trump’s impact, saying the former president had taken a wrecking ball to the Constitution.
“Folks, look, this isn’t a golden age,” Biden said. “The fact of the matter is that it is a very, very dark moment. But we’re in a situation where we had something very special happen just last Tuesday.”
The fundraiser followed strong national election performances for Democrats on Tuesday. The party won most of its high-profile contests, including the Governor’s Office in Virginia and the mayor’s race in New York. Some political observers interpreted these wins as a possible hint at what’s achievable in the midterms, a period when the party out of power often gains seats.
Much of Biden’s speech focused on empowering Democrats to send a clear message to his successor: “You work for us, Mr. President. We don’t work for you. You work for us, not just billionaires and millionaires.”
Biden also highlighted some of his accomplishments as president, including working with Congress to pass the largest modern investment in American infrastructure—a bipartisan bill he passed with help from retiring Nebraska Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon and others.
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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful, spoke about his approach to politics, which centers on serving all Kentuckians—not just those who share his party affiliation. He said his style of governance could serve as a model for Democrats seeking victories in deeply red, Republican states.
Beshear emphasized unity across party lines, bringing together progressives, union members, centrists, and some Republicans by focusing on shared economic concerns. This strategy allows him to sidestep many socially divisive issues that distract other campaigns.
“We’ve got to get back to the work of showing people that we are spending all day, every day, trying to make their life a little bit better and a little bit easier,” Beshear said.
Beshear visited Nebraska after earlier traveling to South Carolina this year to gauge support for a potential presidential bid. He also spoke at a Democratic fundraiser in neighboring Iowa in 2024.
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Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. set much of the evening’s tone with a touch of humor. He warmed up the crowd by wearing a blue and white “Make America Humane Again” hat, a playful poke at Trump’s iconic bright red “Make America Great Again” caps.
“Let’s make America humane again,” Ewing said after being introduced as the first Democrat to lead Nebraska’s largest city in over a decade.
Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, credited the blue “wave” Democrats hope to ride in 2026 to Ewing’s May 2025 victory over three-term Republican incumbent Mayor Jean Stothert.
Ewing criticized Trump’s immigration policies and the ICE raids taking place across the country. He also mentioned the Trump administration’s bulldozing of homeless encampments and deployment of the National Guard in cities.
“We are going to stand with our immigrants when the national state is trying to create chaos,” Ewing declared. “We are going to build a space and a city and an economy that works for everybody, not just the rich.”
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Republicans took notice of the visits by Biden and Beshear. U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts’ GOP campaign sent a truck with a digital ad driving through downtown Omaha during the fundraiser. The ad attacked his registered nonpartisan opponent Dan Osborn, labeling Osborn as the “future of the Democratic Party.”
In a statement, the Nebraska Republican Party said, “If Nebraska Democrats think the presence of the former president will make people forget about the radical Democrats’ policies, inflation, open borders and out-of-control spending, they’re wrong.”
However, local Democrats remained undeterred. Many expressed optimism about their party’s chances in upcoming elections, especially in Omaha’s 2nd Congressional District.
The Omaha-based district was the only swing district nationally to side with Democrats in 2024, at a time when Trump won every contested swing state and was reelected president — except for the lone Electoral College vote Nebraska allocates to its congressional districts.
Omaha and the rest of the 2nd Congressional District voted for Biden in 2020 and sided with former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
This year’s 2nd District U.S. House race is shaping up to be highly competitive, with a crowded Democratic primary seeking to replace Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, who announced his early retirement. Political experts view the seat as a potential pickup for Democrats.
The 2nd District will play a crucial role in the 2026 midterms for both Nebraska and the national Democratic Party, as they seek a path to retake the House from Republicans.
Mid-decade redistricting efforts, including discussions in Nebraska, have added complexity to that goal.
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Nebraska Democrats have ambitions to win beyond just the 2nd District, especially in legislative races that could determine whether the state Senate retains the filibuster power over conservative legislation.
The Nebraska Democratic Party’s top annual fundraiser has a history of attracting major political figures, including former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a former vice presidential candidate.
One reason for the event’s prominence is Jane Kleeb’s role as vice chair of the Democratic Party at the national level.
The event is named for Ben Nelson, a former Nebraska governor and U.S. senator whose critical vote helped pass the Affordable Care Act under former President Barack Obama.
In his closing remarks, Biden encouraged Democrats and others not to despair but to keep working.
“The American experiment is not going to end on our watch,” he said.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/biden-visits-omaha-kentucky-governor-080057512.html