Mike Flood

In the 2024 House race for NE-1, Mike Flood (R) defeated Carol Blood (D) 60.1% to 39.9%. Mike Flood received 187,559 votes compared to 124,498 for Carol Blood, a dominant 20.2-point margin reflecting a safely partisan district.

As the incumbent, Mike Flood benefited from name recognition, established constituent services, and the roughly 2-3 point advantage that sitting members typically enjoy. The 2024 presidential election drove higher voter turnout, which can help or hurt down-ballot candidates depending on the top of the ticket.

In the 2022 House race for NE-1, Mike Flood (R) defeated Patty Pansing Brooks (D) 57.9% to 42.1%. Mike Flood received 129,236 votes compared to 93,929 for Patty Pansing Brooks, a comfortable 15.8-point margin indicating a moderately safe district.

This was an open-seat race with no incumbent running — Jeff Fortenberry (R) previously held the seat. Open seats typically attract stronger candidates and heavier spending from both parties. As a Republican, Mike Flood benefited from the historical midterm penalty against the president's party — with a Democrat in the White House, the opposition typically gains seats.

In the 2022 House race for NE-1, Mike Flood (R) defeated Patty Pansing Brooks (D) 52.7% to 47.3%. Mike Flood received 61,017 votes compared to 54,783 for Patty Pansing Brooks, a 5.4-point margin that indicates a genuinely contested race.

This was an open-seat race with no incumbent running — Jeff Fortenberry (R) previously held the seat. Open seats typically attract stronger candidates and heavier spending from both parties. As a Republican, Mike Flood benefited from the historical midterm penalty against the president's party — with a Democrat in the White House, the opposition typically gains seats. This seat will likely stay on party watch lists as potentially competitive in future cycles.