Mike Flood Bio
Michael John Flood (born February 23, 1975) is an American attorney, businessman, and Republican politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Nebraska’s 1st congressional district since July 2022. Before his time in Congress, Flood represented Nebraska’s 19th legislative district in the state legislature from 2005 to 2013 and again from 2021 to 2022, and he served as Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature from 2007 to 2013. Beyond politics, he is a media entrepreneur who founded News Channel Nebraska and built a network of radio and television stations across the state.
Born in Omaha and raised in Norfolk, Flood earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame and a Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law. He is married to Mandi Flood and has two children.
Early Life and Background
Michael John Flood was born on February 23, 1975, in Omaha, Nebraska, and grew up in Norfolk, a community in the northeastern part of the state. He graduated from Norfolk Catholic High School in 1993, where he developed an early interest in broadcasting. During his high school years, Flood worked at a local Norfolk radio station, an experience that sparked his lifelong involvement in media.
After high school, Flood attended the University of Notre Dame, where he continued to pursue his passion for radio by operating and hosting a show on the campus station. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1997. Following his undergraduate studies, Flood worked for a year as a morning show personality known as “Sideshow Mike” at WBYT in South Bend, Indiana, before returning to Nebraska.
Path to US Politics
Upon returning to Nebraska, Flood worked as a radio personality at KFGE, a country music station based in Lincoln. While in law school, he also began building a media company. In 1999, during his second year at the University of Nebraska College of Law, Flood launched KUSO, the first station in what would eventually become Flood Communications. He earned his Juris Doctor in 2001, balancing his growing media interests with his legal training.
Flood’s entry into electoral politics came in 2004, when he ran unopposed for a seat in the Nebraska Legislature representing the 19th legislative district, a region coterminous with Madison County that included Norfolk. He took office in 2005, beginning a political career that would eventually take him to Congress.
Mike Flood Career
Early Career (2005-2013)
Flood’s first stint in the Nebraska Legislature began in 2005, representing the 19th district. In 2007, his colleagues elected him Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, a position he held until 2013. During this period, he became known for his legislative accomplishments, including the introduction and successful passage of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, the nation’s first 20-week abortion ban. In 2010, Time magazine named him to its “40 Under 40” list, recognizing him as one of the rising stars in American politics.
In 2011, during a special legislative session, Flood successfully brokered a compromise that rerouted the Keystone XL pipeline through Nebraska. He left the Legislature in 2013 due to term limits and initially announced a run for governor in 2014, but withdrew in December 2012 after his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Nebraska Legislature Return and Congressional Run (2021-2022)
After years away from elected office, Flood announced in August 2019 that he would seek a return to the Nebraska Legislature in 2020, replacing Jim Scheer in the 19th district. He ran unopposed and returned to the Legislature for the 2021 session. In January 2022, he announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives, challenging incumbent Republican Jeff Fortenberry in Nebraska’s 1st congressional district.
Fortenberry resigned from office on March 31, 2022, following a felony conviction, triggering a special election. The Nebraska Republican Party nominated Flood, and he won the special election against Democratic nominee Patty Pansing Brooks by a narrower-than-expected margin of 53% to 47%. He was sworn into office by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on July 12, 2022.
U.S. House of Representatives Era (2022-Present)
Flood was reelected in November 2022, defeating Pansing Brooks in a rematch by a margin of 58% to 42%. In the following cycle, he won again, defeating Democrat Carol Blood 60% to 40% and carrying every county in the district. As of 2023, Flood owned 15 radio stations and seven television stations in Nebraska through Flood Communications, and he founded the News Channel Nebraska network in 2015, Nebraska’s only 24-hour news channel. He also served as on-air talent, reporting news and hosting the variety show Quarantine Tonight during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notable Events and Milestones
In March 2024, it was reported that Flood had been pursued to serve as president of the University of Nebraska system, but he declined the offer to remain in Congress. In July 2025, Flood was elected unanimously to serve as chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus. He also co-authored the Housing for the 21st Century Act, which in early 2026 became the first major housing legislation to pass the House in a decade, on a vote of 390-9.
Mike Flood Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Michael John Flood was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and raised in Norfolk, where he attended Norfolk Catholic High School. He is married to Mandi Flood, and the couple has two children. In 2012, Mandi Flood was diagnosed with breast cancer, a development that led her husband to withdraw from the 2014 gubernatorial race to focus on family.
Flood’s career has frequently intersected with his personal roots in Norfolk and Madison County, the region he represented in the Nebraska Legislature for many years. His family life and broadcasting ventures have both remained centered in Nebraska, the state he continues to represent in Washington.