Ahlman Out: Independent Candidate for Congress in District 1 Suspends Campaign
by Matt Johnson
(Picture credit Austin Ahlman)
Austin Ahlman, who launched an Independent bid to challenge Congressman Mike Flood for Congress in District 1, suspended his campaign Sunday afternoon, citing family health concerns — specifically his father’s cancer prognosis.
“Last month, his cancer returned, and as the severity of his condition has become clear over the last couple of weeks, my family and I have gone from speaking about the future in terms of decades to mere months,” Ahlman said in a statement. “With great care and a bit of God’s grace, we are hoping for a couple more good years together. Family comes first—always. For that reason, I am suspending my campaign for Nebraska’s 1st District.”
Ahlman launched his campaign with a viral video on May 14 in which he highlighted his father’s health issues. His race appeared to be gaining momentum, with numerous town halls held across the district. Ahlman also told The Plains Sentinel earlier this month that his campaign had crossed the signature threshold to make it onto the November ballot and was expected to turn in the signatures toward the end of the month once they had “collected a healthy buffer.”
Ahlman’s campaign received pushback from the Nebraska Democratic Party and its chair, Jane Kleeb, over concerns that his candidacy would split the vote.
“Anyone jumping into this race this late to split the vote isn’t offering an alternative—they’re handing Mike Flood a gift,” the party said in a statement.
Cindy Burbank, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, endorsed Ahlman at a town hall event in Lincoln back in May. Burbank herself recently ended her campaign for U.S. Senate, clearing the way for Dan Osborn in a one-on-one race with incumbent Pete Ricketts.
Speaking with The Plains Sentinel, Ahlman emphasized that pressure from Nebraska Democrats played no role in his decision.
“The Democratic Party made their stance clear from the start, and it was never a factor in my decision-making for even a second,” Ahlman said.
The announcement was sudden. Ahlman had planned additional town halls in the near future, including one in Bellevue. As of now, he has not endorsed the Democratic nominee, Chris Backemeyer, in his race against Flood.
— Matt Johnson is a freelance reporter with The Plains Sentinel.