Republican · Nebraska's 1st District · 2026
Mike Flood
Flood found radio at 15 and later worked a morning show as Sideshow Mike.
Biography
Before Mike Flood was a congressman, radio listeners in South Bend, Indiana, knew him as Sideshow Mike.1 He spent a year there after college, having first worked in radio at 15 in his hometown of Norfolk.1 He and his wife, Mandi, have two sons and live in Norfolk.2
Flood graduated from Notre Dame and the University of Nebraska College of Law.2 While attending law school, he started Norfolk's US92 radio station in 1999, building the business that became Flood Communications.1 His expansion into television included launching News Channel Nebraska in 2015.1
His first stint in Nebraska's Legislature began in 2005, and he served as speaker from 2007 through 2013.2 After returning to the Legislature, he introduced the 2021 Nebraska Financial Innovation Act, which became law and created a state framework for digital asset banking.34 He entered Congress after winning a 2022 special election and now chairs the House's Housing and Insurance Subcommittee.2
Flood helped lead the House's 2026 bipartisan housing package, which developed into the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act signed that July.56 His campaign also emphasizes lower taxes, reduced federal spending, stronger immigration enforcement and voter identification requirements.7 In Nebraska's First District, he faces Democrat Chris Backemeyer, Libertarian Nik Sandman and America First candidate Dan Hartong.8
Record and controversies
Unnoticed court provision
At a 2025 town hall, Flood acknowledged that a provision limiting courts' contempt enforcement in certain cases had been unknown to him when he voted for the House tax and spending bill.9 He said he opposed it and had alerted Senate colleagues.10 The provision was removed in the Senate before the bill became law.9