Don Bacon and Kara Eastman are facing off for Nebraska's 2nd congressional district seat.
Rep. Don Bacon and Kara Eastman accused one another Monday of lying to Omaha-area voters about their health care proposals.
The tightness of the race was evident in the way neither candidate held anything back, trading pointed critiques in an hourlong debate jointly sponsored by the Omaha World-Herald, KMTV and AARP.

Rep. Don Bacon
Bacon, a Republican, is considered among the most vulnerable incumbents in the country as he seeks a third term representing Nebraska’s 2nd District. He faces Democratic challenger Eastman in a rematch of their close 2018 contest.
Candidates and moderators alike spoke from separate locations during the pandemic-safe debate, but there was nothing virtual about the sharp rhetoric flying from both sides.

Kara Eastman
Eastman said she’s running to expand access to health care and said Bacon has joined President Donald Trump in attempting to strip it from people and gut protections for those with preexisting conditions.
Bacon said Eastman supports Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare for All” plan, which Bacon said would drive up federal spending and cause 30 rural Nebraska hospitals to close.
“It would kick 180 million people off their employer-provided health care,” Bacon said. “If you have private insurance you will lose it. If you like your health care plan, she will take it away.”
Bacon denied voting to take people’s health care away and said the GOP legislation he supported would have reduced premiums by 20%. He also said he wants to preserve the existing protections for preexisting conditions.
“That is absolutely false,” Eastman shot back. “You ran on repealing the Affordable Care Act. You voted not ‘yes’ but ‘hell yes’ to repeal the Affordable Care Act.”
Bacon said Eastman is the one who is pushing “lies” against him in the ads she’s running.
“You’re the one making up a story about me taking people’s health care away,” Bacon said.
Bacon said when he first ran for Congress in 2016, people wanted big changes to the law. Today, he said, they want smaller adjustments.
He said he is committed to preserving but improving the current system.
Eastman said her plan, by definition, provides health care to everyone and covers anybody with preexisting conditions.
“People do not love their health insurance, they love their provider,” Eastman said. “The only thing that people would lose by expanding health care is the fight with their insurance company.”
Asked to evaluate the federal pandemic response, Bacon credited Trump with limiting travel from China at the start of the outbreak and supporting early relief measures in Congress.
Bacon touted legislation he pushed to increase mask production but said faster virus test results are needed.
Eastman said it was hard to say what’s gone right with the administration’s response, given that the president downplays the virus and over 200,000 Americans have died.
When the candidates were asked about preserving Social Security and Medicare, Eastman talked about eliminating the payroll tax cap so the wealthy would pay more into the system.
“Donald Trump and Donald Bacon will cut your Social Security,” Eastman said. “They have said it before and they’re going to do it.”
Bacon denied any such plans and said a bipartisan compromise is required to shore up Social Security.
He suggested increasing the eligibility age for young people a long way from retirement and raising those payroll caps to bring in additional revenue.
Eastman said the system will stay solvent as long as workers are paying into it. She said raising the retirement age might be fine for office workers but it’s a different story for laborers.
When the candidates had a chance to ask one another a question, Eastman asked Bacon if he still considered it an easy choice to endorse Trump as he said previously.
Bacon said he disagrees with Trump’s rhetoric but continues to support him because he favors the president’s policies on abortion, trade and taxes.
“I don’t like the name-calling, but when it comes to policy he built the strongest economy in 50 years,” Bacon said of Trump.
Bacon then asked Eastman if she supports expanding the Supreme Court as some Democrats have proposed.
Eastman said that Americans are worried about the Supreme Court but that solutions exist other than expanding it. She also said the Senate should hold off on confirming a new justice.
“It’s such a shame that we’re moving forward with this hearing, especially because what we need from our senators right now is for them to focus on COVID,” Eastman said.
Our best staff images of October 2020
Photos: Our best staff images of October 2020
Turtle Voting Power

Rida Rahman, 4, waits in line with her parents, Hafiz Rahman, left, and Shamsun Ruby, right, at the Douglas County Election Commission on Saturday, October 31, 2020. Rida was dressed as Raphael, from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, while her parents were in line for early voting.
Early Vote

Douglas County residents wait in line to vote early outside the Douglas County Election Commissioner’s Office in Omaha on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020.
Flex

Omaha Westside's Koby Bretz tries to catch a pass in front of Grand Island's Alex Hinken in the end zone. It was ruled not a catch.
Pass

Gretna wide receiver Connor Edwards battles Kearney defensive back Kaden Miller for control of a pass.
Guard

Security personnel oversee a rally supporting President Donald Trump at Eppley Airfield in Omaha on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. President Trump spoke as part of a Make America Great Again! campaign rally later in the evening.
President Trump Visits

Supporters cheer as President Donald Trump speaks at Eppley Airfield in Omaha on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. President Trump spoke as part of a Make America Great Again! campaign rally.
Snow

Yemin Zeng, right, pushes Yechun Zeng, both 5, on a sled down a hill at Memorial Park early Monday afternoon. Overnight, snow fell in the Omaha area but had mostly melted by the afternoon.
Jump

Millard North’s Jimmy Quaintance, left, Charlie Quaintance, center, and Barrett Luce celebrate a first-quarter touchdown against Norfolk. Jimmy threw the scoring pass to his brother, Charlie.
Ready

Kearney Catholic's Gavin Drumheller (53), Kale Murphy (52) and Seth Moore (66) line up as their team is introduced before the start of the Cozad vs. Kearney Catholic football game at Kearney Catholic High School on Friday, October 23, 2020.
Cold

Kearney Catholic cheerleaders huddle for warmth in the fourth quarter of the Cozad vs. Kearney Catholic football game at Kearney Catholic High School on Friday, October 23, 2020. Kearney Catholic won the game 31-0.
Opposite Worlds

The Elkhorn student section storms the field as Omaha Skutt Catholic players walk off the field.
Eye on Ball

Elkhorn South's Katie Galligan (6) competes in the Elkhorn South vs. Papillion-La Vista South Metro Conference championship match at Papillion-La Vista South High School on Thursday, October 22, 2020. Elkhorn South won in five sets. Elkhorn South won in five sets.
Spooky Vote

A spooky reminder to vote in a home's yard near 72nd and Cass Street in Omaha on Thursday, October 22, 2020.
Colorful Run

Leaves start to change color on trees as a jogger runs down the south side of the Dodge Street Pedestrian bridge, as viewed from Memorial Park on Wednesday, October 21, 2020.
High school first day

Students return to school for their first day of in person classes for the 2020-2021 school year at South High School in Omaha on Monday, October 19, 2020.
Cheer

Elkhorn South fans cheer from the stands during a timeout against Bellevue West.
Softball Champs 1

Papio pitcher Jordyn Bahl hugs head coach Todd Petersen after winning the Class A Championship over North Platte.
Softball Champs 2

Omaha Skutt Catholic second baseman Alexa Rose reacts after scoring against North Platte.
Drum

The Southern Boyz drum group strikes a drum during a memorial ceremony for Zachary Bear Heels at Schroeder Vogel Park in Omaha on Saturday, October 17, 2020.
Stiff Arm

Omaha Westside quarterback Cole Payton runs 60-yards as he stiff-arms Kansas City St. Thomas Aquinas’ Jacob Bittner in the first quarter for Westside’s third touchdown of the first quarter against at Omaha Westside on Friday, October 16, 2020.
Pumpkin Paint

Reagan Garvey, left, and Sarah Babe, both 19 and of Omaha, paint pumpkins at Elmwood Park in Omaha on Monday, October 12, 2020.
Renovate

Renovation work continues on the site of the historic former Logan Hotel, located at 1802 Dodge St.on Monday, October 12, 2020.
Nature Color

A tree changes colors at Elmwood Park in Omaha on Monday, October 12, 2020.
Build

Siblings Juan Jesus Alvarez, 10, and Shantaly Alvarez, 9, of Omaha build a structure modeled after a Native American tent with branches at Elmwood Park on Monday.
Enter

Millard West takes the field before the start of the Millard West vs. Bellevue West football game at Bellevue West High School on Friday, October 9, 2020. Bellevue West won the game 42-7.
Harvest

Zach Benes harvests soybeans on farm east North of Lincoln, just east of North 40th Street, north of Interstate 80 on Wednesday, September 30, 2020.
Jump

Elkhorn South's line backer Makhi Nelson-Douglas (2) and defensive lineman Maverick Noonan celebrate after sacking Gretna quarterback Zane Flores (not pictured).
Roses

People smell the flowers in the Memorial Park Rose Garden in Omaha on Tuesday, September 29, 2020.
Friday Night Lights

Omaha Skutt's Sam Scott scores a third-quarter touchdown against Gretna.
Vice President

Vice President Mike Pence arrives at Eppley Airfield in Omaha on Thursday, October 01, 2020. The vice president spoke at PVS Structures, a metal fabricator, in Carter Lake, Iowa as part of a Make America Great Again! campaign event.
Touchdown

Gretna quarterback Zane Flores lucks up after rushing for a third quarter touchdown against Omaha Skutt.
Pet Parade

Dawn Forney, left, and Jolynn Keplinger, both of Omaha, wear Tigger and Winnie the Pooh costumes as their dogs Bitsy, a 6-year-old Maltese poodle mix and Scarlet, a 3-year-old Great Dane, wear Piglet and Eeyore costumes for the pet parade during Farnam Fest along Farnam Street in Omaha on Saturday, October 3, 2020.
First Day Back

Students arrive for the first day of in-person class for OPS elementary schools at Springville Elementary School in Omaha on Monday, October 5, 2020. Families that have opted for in-person teaching will follow a 3-2 model, with students in the classroom every other day.