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Omaha Democratic Mayor-Elect John Ewing Jr. [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-05-15

A Political “Blue Tornado” Hits Omaha, Nebraska–Congratulations Mayor-Elect John Ewing Jr.! May 15, 2025

Nebraska– the Cornhusker State, a state most of us know is located in the heart of the Midwest and in the Great Plains region. Politically, Nebraska remains one of the most Republican states in the country. In 2016, when running against Hillary Clinton, Demagogue/Dictator Wannabe Donald carried NE by a “y uu ge” 25% margin, 59%-34%. In 2020, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden did marginally “better,” only losing NE by 19 points, 58%-39%. In 2024, Donald crushed Kamala Harris by a 20.5% margin, 59.6% v. 39.1.%.

https://www.thealmanacofamericanpolitics.com , National Journal, 2023, p.1140,

https://apnews.com/projects/election-results-2024/nebraska/?r=0

Nebraska, also situated in terribleTornado Alley, was hit on May 13, 2025 by a “good” tornado political strike, a “blue twister.” On that date, Democrat John Ewing Jr. defeated Omaha GOP Mayor Jean Stothert who was running for her fourth term. Ewing will become the first elected Black mayor of Omaha. Ewing’s victory was considered a big upset. He defeated incumbent Stothert by a strong 12.6% margin, 56.3%- 43.7%.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/omaha-mayor-race-john-ewing-jean-stothert_n_68250b74e4b021b5064ae375

Democrat Ewing was the longtime treasurer of Douglas County where Omaha is located. Eight years ago, in 2017, when Trump started his first term, as well as four years later, in 2021, when Biden began his presidency, Democrats had unsuccessfully tried to defeat Ms. Stothert, a former nurse. However, in 2025, the third time was the “proverbial political charm.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/us/omaha-mayoral-race.html

As previously noted, NE is one solid GOP “Red” state. However, Ohama, its largest city, is politically mixed. It has more registered Democrats than Republicans. Still, among the 40 most populous American cities, Omaha is one of only six that has a GOP mayor. Many of those registered Democrats obviously vote often for GOPers not only in the mayor’s race, but also in other contests. GOP Cong. Don Bacon, despite repeated Democratic attempts to defeat him, won the 2nd Cornhusker Congressional District (CD) that includes Omaha and the suburban and rural areas surrounding it by just under 2 percentage points. Kamala Harris then won the NE 2nd by just under 5 points. Omaha is home to several major businesses which include Union Pacific Railroad and Berkshire Hathaway. Omaha is geographically large and contains many suburban-feeling subdivisions inside its city limits.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/us/omaha-mayoral-race.html

Stothert repeatedly tried to show that she was governing as a “moderate.” She had never had a close race in her three previous runs for City Hall. However, she abandoned that moderate strategy in the 2025 mayoralty race by tying herself to the national GOP line by using transphobic rhetoric. She echoed GOP talking points that labeled trans people as “predators” in public bathrooms and as “threats” to sporting events, real big “problems” in Omaha and the rest of the U.S.(NOT). One Stothert ad stated, “Ewing stands with radicals who want to allow boys in girls’ sports.” And how did Ewing respond? In an interview, Ewing called this controversy “a made up issue by Jean Stothert and the Republican Party.” https://www.huffpost.com/entry/omaha-mayor-race-john-ewing-jean-stothert_n_68250b74e4b021b5064ae375

Democrats, please take note. When attacked with phony “culture war” issues by the GOP, Ewing correctly dismissed this charge as one made up by the GOP, or “fake talking points.” That’s how the rest of our party must answer this “culture war” issue nonsense that “Team Red” always tries to tar us with. We can then get on with emphasizing our major kitchen table and local issues, which Ewing successfully did. He strongly called for street repairs, affordable housing and police staffing.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/omaha-mayor-race-john-ewing-jean-stothert_n_68250b74e4b021b5064ae375

Democrat Ewing, a former deputy police chief, also talked about public safety, an issue he can credibly discuss, because of his law enforcement experience. He also did extensive door-to-door campaigning and built up an early 3,572 vote lead that the traditional GOP Election Day edge could not overcome. https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/05/13/ewing-sends-stothert-packing-gives-heart-of-blue-dot-a-democratic-mayor/

And then there was another factor hovering over this race, the “T” or Trump Factor. Local political analysts indicated that GOP Mayor Stothert could be hurt by the unrest over the economy under Donald. Mayor Stothert told local reporters that she had voted for Trump, not exactly helpful in a city that went for Harris in 2024.

https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/05/13/ewing-sends-stothert-packing-gives-heart-of-blue-dot-a-democratic-mayor/

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/us/omaha-mayoral-race.html

Democrats see Ewing’s upset victory not only as a referendum on the Trump White House chaos, but also as a good sign that GOP Omaha Cong. Don Bacon will either not run again in 2026 or will be quite vulnerable to defeat in that midterm campaign should he run again. Bacon’s retirement or loss will be quite instrumental in helping the Democrats to retake the House in 2026. Democrat Ewing over- performed Harris, getting 56% of the vote to her 54% total in the Omaha area.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/5/14/2322256/-Why-Democrats-flipping-Omaha-s-mayorship-spells-trouble-for-the-GOP?pm_campaign=front_

“Team Blue” also correctly sees that this swingy 2nd NE Congressional District is similar to others in the nation that it must win to get back the House in 2026 and constitutes a good sign for this prospect. However, to flip the House in 2026, Democrats will have to come out and vote in droves. Elections are not won by analysts giving their views. They are won at the ballot box or by early voting. Again, congratulations Mayor-elect John Ewing Jr.!

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/5/15/2322567/-Omaha-Democratic-Mayor-Elect-John-Ewing-Jr?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

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