Denise Powell is running for Congress on a promise she first taught her kids: be brave, tell the truth, and never give up

She had never run for office before this year, and she jumped in for the biggest possible reason: her kids, and everyone else's.
Table of Contents
- What does a typical campaign day look like for you — and where does your family fit into it?
- What’s something about running for office that you didn’t expect — and that you wish someone had warned you about?
- Has being a mother shaped how you think about the issues you’re running on? If so, how?
- What has been the hardest sacrifice your family has made for this campaign — and how have you handled that as a parent?
- What would you want your kids to take away from watching you do this?
When Denise Powell’s kids were little and worried about something, she had them recite what her family calls the Powell Pledge: I promise to always be brave, tell the truth, be kind to others, and never give up. Years later, when she sat them down to explain that she was going to run for Congress, she reached for that same pledge. It has become the mantra she carries onto the campaign trail every day.
Powell is a mom, a small business owner, and a former corporate executive who left that career to organize. After Trump’s election in 2016, she co-founded a political organization that has helped hundreds of Nebraskans run for local office, defended public schools, and worked to maintain a woman’s right to choose. She had never run for office herself until this year.
She jumped in for the biggest possible reason: her kids, and everyone else’s. In May, she won a razor-thin Democratic primary that most polling said she’d lose, and now she is running to flip an Omaha-area seat that could help decide control of the entire U.S. House. It is the kind of race that draws national money and endless noise. What it doesn’t usually get is a candidate who scheduled her whole campaign around school pickup and her son’s practice, and who still feels like a rockstar on the days she manages to cook dinner.
We asked her what it looks like to do all of this while raising a family in the middle of it.
To read more profiles of moms running for office in 2026, click here
The quick stats:
- Location: Omaha, NE
- Office she’s running for: U.S. House of Representatives, NE-02
- Kids’ ages: School-aged
- First time running?: Yes
- Website: deniseforcongress.org
What does a typical campaign day look like for you — and where does your family fit into it?
My day starts early and always with a cup of black coffee. I try to squeeze in an early yoga class when my schedule allows, and then make sure my kids are up and ready for school or camp. Once everyone is out the door I catch up on emails or thank you notes. At around 10am I hit the phones. Campaigns require lots of resources to pay for staff, TV ads, mailers, and more so I spend a good chunk of the day calling folks to get them excited about investing in my race. In the afternoon I take a break to pick up my kids and make sure my son is ready for practice. Then it’s time to go talk to voters at the doors, meet and greets, and events. This is always my favorite time of the day as these conversations are always informative and a great reminder of why I’m running: to help the hardworking families of my state. To be honest, we eat a lot of takeout these days so I feel especially accomplished if I can squeeze in some time to cook! I’m really lucky to have an amazing and supportive husband and awesome kids. They make the juggle a lot easier!
What’s something about running for office that you didn’t expect — and that you wish someone had warned you about?
I’ve worked with so many other candidates over the years so I mostly knew what I was getting into, but no one can really prepare you for how tough it can be when the attacks start. Campaigns can take a toll on your mental and physical health. They’re intense and can get ugly. The most important thing for me has been having an incredible support system of friends and family members who support me and remind me of who I am and why I’m doing this. Knowing that no matter what your opponents fling at you there are people who love you regardless really helps keep you on steady ground when the race gets heated!
Has being a mother shaped how you think about the issues you’re running on? If so, how?
Being a mother is a huge part of why I’m running. As a mom it breaks my heart to think of families who are struggling to keep their heads above water right now. Families who can’t afford the healthcare they need, who are struggling to put food on the table or gas in their tanks. To me it’s so clear that the government in Washington DC has lost its way–they have forgotten about the vast majority of Americans who are working hard, trying to do all the right things, and still can’t get by. America CLEARLY needs more moms in leadership – moms who know what it’s like to worry about the cost of childcare and about their kids’ safety at school or online. Moms who are worrying about their own family budgets as well as their aging parents. Congress should put families first and moms are uniquely qualified to do that!
What has been the hardest sacrifice your family has made for this campaign — and how have you handled that as a parent?
Time together is the biggest sacrifice. As a candidate (and eventually as a member of Congress) I have to miss a lot of time with my kids. It’s hard – for me and for them – that I can’t always make every baseball game, every big event. It’s hard on my family when opponents say horrible lies about me on TV. But when we, as a family, decided to do this, I sat my kids down and told them that now is the time to be brave. I reminded them of the Powell Pledge that we would make the kids recite when the kids were little and worried about something: I promise to always be brave. tell the truth, be kind to others, and never give up. This is our family mantra and one that I carry with me every day on the campaign trail.
What would you want your kids to take away from watching you do this?
I want my kids to know that fighting for what’s right is worth it, even when it’s hard. I want them to know that we have a moral responsibility to care for one another. I want them to know that they can do hard things without losing themselves, their sense of humor, or their souls. When I become the first woman ever elected to this seat, and the first person of color to ever serve in federal office in the history of my state, I want my kids and others to know that big things are possible for them, too. Mostly I want my kids to know that their mom loves them enough to want to make this world a better place for them and others.
Denise is endorsed by Vote Mama, an organization dedicated to breaking down the structural barriers that keep moms out of office — and building the kind of political power that actually reflects the realities of American family life. Learn more about Denise here.












































































