‘Tam an American before Iam a Republican’

WASHINGTON Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon proposes a return to normalcy. Amidst a retirement announcement, voting in favour of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and dealing with criticism both offline and online. Bacon reflects on his tenure as a congressman

- Roselyn Gonzalez, Tribune News Service

As a self-proclaimed “Reagan conservative,” Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon proposes a return to normalcy. Amidst a retirement announcement, voting in favour of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and dealing with criticism both offline and online. Bacon reflects on his tenure as a congressman.

“I never thought I'd run for Congress,” said Bacon about his decision to pursue a career as a politician. Bacon's love for politics began as a 13-year-old boy, during the 1976 Republican primaries, when former President Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan were competing to secure a spot on the general election ticket. Both his parents and grandparents were volunteers for Reagan’s campaign. During Bacon's adolescence, his grandmother often gave him history books; he enjoyed reading about leaders he considered great, such as former president Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ulysses Grant.

“I hoped that maybe I could be a guy that could make a difference in a positive way, not just be a politician,” Bacon said. “I don't want to just be a guy that’s worried about winning elections.” Before his tenure as a congressman, Bacon honed his leadership skills during nearly three decades in the Air Force, where he commanded five times. His political roots date back to his early work for Rep. Ed Madigan. Presently,

Bacon is serving his fifth term as U.S. Representative for Nebraska's 2nd congressional district. However, he recently announced that he will not be seeking reelection next year. Although he says family is one of the deciding factors for his retirement, Bacon notes that his passion for being in the House is no longer the same as it was two or four years ago.