Senator Tony Vargas Contact information

Tony Vargas is an American politician and former educator who is currently serving as a member of the Nebraska Legislature. He represents the 7th district, which covers all of downtown Omaha and much of southeastern Omaha.

Born Anthony Vargas on September 2, 1984, in New York City, Tony was the youngest of three brothers. His parents, Antonio and Lidia Vargas, were originally from Peru. Tony graduated from the University of Rochester and received a Master of Science in education from Pace University.

Before his political career, Tony was a public school teacher and served as an AmeriCorps fellow through Teach for America. In 2013, he was appointed to the Omaha Public Schools Board following the resignation of a board member.

In 2016, Tony ran for the Nebraska Legislature against incumbent senator Nicole Fox. Fox, a Republican, finished third in the nonpartisan primary, which saw Tony and former senator John Synowiecki advance to the general election. Tony defeated Synowiecki in the general election with nearly 62% of the vote, becoming the first outright elected Hispanic legislator in Nebraska.

Tony has served on the Appropriations Committee since 2017. In 2019, he was elected by his peers, in a contested race, to the position of Vice Chair of the executive board, the nine-member executive arm of the Legislature. In 2021, he was re-elected by his peers to the position of Vice Chair of the executive board. He currently serves as the chair of the Legislature’s Planning Committee, the long-term strategic planning committee for the Nebraska Legislature.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tony attempted to introduce a bill that would enforce Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in meatpacking plants. However, the motion failed to pass.

In July 2021, Tony announced his candidacy for Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district in the 2022 election. He won the Democratic primary on May 10, 2022, but lost the general election to Republican incumbent Don Bacon in November by 2.6% (5,856 votes). In July 2023, Tony announced his candidacy for Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district in the 2024 election.

Tony is married to Lauren Micek and they have two children. He continues to serve Nebraskans as an elected official, embodying the values of community, hard work, and perseverance that he learned from his parents.