
Don Bacon, a Republican congressman from Nebraska, is stepping away from politics after years of balancing the heavy demands of public service with personal stress and political pressure.
Although we spoke by phone rather than over breakfast in Omaha as he would have liked, Bacon still joked about his love for bacon—especially the crispy kind made at home by his wife, Angie, whom he’s been married to for over 40 years.
She’s especially glad when he’s home in Nebraska, not just because they get more time together, but because his presence brings a sense of safety. At one point, after receiving threats, Angie resorted to sleeping with a gun nearby. Things got so intense that protesters once showed up at their house during an Easter egg hunt for their grandkids, and police had to monitor the situation. Eventually, the family moved to a more private location.
Bacon admitted that the stress of politics wore him down. After his last election, he said he felt completely drained. So it wasn’t much of a shock when he announced he wouldn’t seek reelection in 2026.
Before Congress, Bacon had a long military career, serving 30 years in the Air Force. In Washington, he became known as one of the few remaining Republicans willing to speak honestly about his disagreements with Donald Trump. He’s criticized Trump’s approach to foreign policy and questioned some of the people Trump appointed, like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, calling him unqualified. In today’s political climate, that kind of honesty doesn’t always go over well. Bacon faced pressure from within his own party, including threats of primary challengers and harassment from Trump loyalists.
Bacon recently supported the president’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a large domestic policy package. He didn’t agree with every part of it, but said it had enough good in it—like supporting the military and keeping previous tax cuts—that he decided to vote yes. He called it an “80–20 bill,” meaning he agreed with most of it, even though he had big concerns about the rising deficit and possible Medicaid cuts. That vote was one of many tough decisions that wore him down and eventually contributed to his decision to leave.
Despite the challenges, Bacon is still well-liked on both sides of the aisle. Colleagues describe him as someone who believes in bipartisanship and moderation—qualities that have helped him win elections in Nebraska’s swingy Second District, which Vice President Kamala Harris won in 2024. But even in that more balanced district, Bacon’s political tightrope walk made him a constant target. Hardcore Trump supporters accused him of not being a “real” Republican, especially when he refused to support renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” which he called “dumb.” Meanwhile, Democrats have been hoping to unseat him since he first ran in 2016.
Bacon says the threats he receives have shifted over time. Early on, he got the most flak from progressives on the far left. But now, he says most of the threats come from what he calls the “dark MAGA” crowd—Trump supporters who view any dissent as betrayal. Things hit a boiling point during the fight over choosing a new House Speaker in 2023. Bacon didn’t back Trump’s preferred candidate, Jim Jordan, and was flooded with angry messages, calls, and emails—over 30,000 phone calls in total, he said. He described some of the online influencers stirring up this outrage as “thugs” with massive followings.
Even with all this pressure, Bacon remains hopeful that this current version of the Republican Party is just a phase. He believes the party might shift back to more traditional conservatism once Trump’s time in politics comes to an end. Still, he knows that standing up for his beliefs has a cost, and stepping away from Congress may give him more freedom to speak out. He said it’s hard to be honest about your beliefs when you’re constantly trying to get reelected. Leaving office, he hopes, will let him focus more on what he truly believes without political consequences.
Looking ahead, Bacon isn’t ruling out a future run for governor of Nebraska—or even the presidency, though he admits the latter is a long shot. But for now, his priority is family. He has 11 grandchildren who all live close by in Papillion, Nebraska, and he’s enjoying the simpler things—like cooking breakfast for them, even if they’re not big fans of his eggs. One thing’s for sure: they still love his bacon.