2021 Omaha Mayoral election

[annad]

Stothert is running again.

Omaha North teacher Mark Gudgel is running.

Anyone else announced?

[Omaha Cowboy]

Excellent- Thanks for the thread start up ..

Let’s continue our mayoral 2021 election discussion here...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[buildomaha]

I’ll echo the same sentiment as Cowboy, Stothert has kept the budget in check and has not been a terrible mayor by any means, but I think it’s time for a new face and a new way of doing things.
From a development and urban planning standpoint, our little sister to the west is able to do quite a bit with their urban core compared to us in the past decade or so. I understand that UNL provides a bit of a boost to downtown, but they don’t have nearly the business daytime population that Omaha has, and I would argue that the adjacent neighborhoods in the urban core are even more promising in Omaha than Lincoln.

[bbinks]

There needs to be a viable alternative. Heath Mello was a little too chummy with the unions.

[bbinks]

Jokingly... Ernie Chambers. He needs something to do while on a term limit from the legislature. I'm surprised he hasn't ran for mayor.

[buildomaha]

I think Megan Hunt needs to run for mayor after she is term-limited.

[nativeomahan]

I was never a fan of Jean Stothert when she was on the city council, and I strongly opposed her initial run for mayor against Jim Suttle. I also opposed her when she ran for re-election, though only half heartedly. Honestly, she is one of the few political office holders who has pleasantly surprised me during her tenure in office. I probably won’t vote for her in 2021, but Omaha could do a lot worse than to have her serve another term as mayor.

[Omaha Cowboy]

This is from a post I submitted a few months back in July-

“I’ve had a growing suspicion, especially over the past 5 years, that our leadership at city hall has been asleep at the switch. From indicating they were “blindsided” by ConAgra leaving in 2015, to the crazy mess of the HDR proposed downtown HQ’s debacle in 2016..to city service related issues like snow removal debacles from several years back..to even Trump like tomfoolery on social media, I question her leadership..

And moving forward, I believe Omaha can do much better.. But that’s me”..

This pretty much sums up my take on the current state of Stothert running for an unprecedented 3rd term.. The problem I’m seeing today, is no compelling candidate to challenge her as of yet. But it is early.. And we’ll see what happens over these next few months before the spring election...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[ita]

Local developer RJ Neary steps into Omaha mayor's race to challenge Stothert

This Neary guy is saying all the right things, in my opinion. I would like to see him be a serious contender in the spring. Sorry, I pulled a lot from the article, but I agree with every single one of his positions:

RJ Neary, chairman of locally owned commercial property company Investors Realty, said Omaha needs a visionary leader willing to reach for the city’s potential, instead of just talking about it.
...
Business leaders tell him that having too few workers — and too few trained for the jobs they need to fill — is a big reason why major employers like Conagra look elsewhere. Workforce issues will be key, he said. Conagra announced it was moving its corporate headquarters to Chicago in 2015, settling for less in tax incentives than Nebraska offered.

Young workers, he said, are moving to other regional cities that invest in mass transit in ways that make cars optional and offer quality of life amenities, including entertainment options that Omaha could match.

“We’re losing our 25- to 42-year-olds,” Neary said. “We need to compete.”

Part of competing for talent is making sure Omaha is a more equitable place for all residents, regardless of ethnicity or income, he said. Zoning and development that encourages affordable, quality housing is key, he said.

Asked for an example, he said Omaha could be more purposeful in its use of tax-increment financing, or TIF, by requiring that more affordable housing be included in projects funded by the local economic development tool.
...
He said he also would work with Public Works and Omaha’s local engineering experts to make city streets more durable.

Neary said a growing Omaha might be able to build and maintain fewer street lane-miles if the availability and reliability of transit options were improved.

Neary regularly rides his bike to reach a stop for ORBT, the city's new rapid bus transit service that runs down Omaha’s Dodge Street spine. He wants the service to be quickly expanded to North and South Omaha.

He said he has been trying to ride every Metro bus line in the city and talk to voters and ask what they want from City Hall. He said many citizens have told him that they want a new approach.

[buildomaha]

Local developer RJ Neary steps into Omaha mayor's race to challenge Stothert

This Neary guy is saying all the right things, in my opinion. I would like to see him be a serious contender in the spring. Sorry, I pulled a lot from the article, but I agree with every single one of his positions:

RJ Neary, chairman of locally owned commercial property company Investors Realty, said Omaha needs a visionary leader willing to reach for the city’s potential, instead of just talking about it.
...
Business leaders tell him that having too few workers — and too few trained for the jobs they need to fill — is a big reason why major employers like Conagra look elsewhere. Workforce issues will be key, he said. Conagra announced it was moving its corporate headquarters to Chicago in 2015, settling for less in tax incentives than Nebraska offered.

Young workers, he said, are moving to other regional cities that invest in mass transit in ways that make cars optional and offer quality of life amenities, including entertainment options that Omaha could match.

“We’re losing our 25- to 42-year-olds,” Neary said. “We need to compete.”

Part of competing for talent is making sure Omaha is a more equitable place for all residents, regardless of ethnicity or income, he said. Zoning and development that encourages affordable, quality housing is key, he said.

Asked for an example, he said Omaha could be more purposeful in its use of tax-increment financing, or TIF, by requiring that more affordable housing be included in projects funded by the local economic development tool.
...
He said he also would work with Public Works and Omaha’s local engineering experts to make city streets more durable.

Neary said a growing Omaha might be able to build and maintain fewer street lane-miles if the availability and reliability of transit options were improved.

Neary regularly rides his bike to reach a stop for ORBT, the city's new rapid bus transit service that runs down Omaha’s Dodge Street spine. He wants the service to be quickly expanded to North and South Omaha.

He said he has been trying to ride every Metro bus line in the city and talk to voters and ask what they want from City Hall. He said many citizens have told him that they want a new approach.

Sounds like he checks of the boxes of many of the policies I’ve been hoping for from City Hall!

[GrandpaaSmucker]

Local developer RJ Neary steps into Omaha mayor's race to challenge Stothert

This Neary guy is saying all the right things, in my opinion. I would like to see him be a serious contender in the spring. Sorry, I pulled a lot from the article, but I agree with every single one of his positions:

I think its going to be tough to beat the "Law and Order Mayor." Who ever runs against her will be trashed and slandered in the most dirty mayoral election Omaha has ever seen. She is going to pull the "defund police"card and every other lie and misrepresentation that we saw Don Bacon pull on Kara Eastman. Her whole campaign will be built around the idea that if she is not around to save us then the bad guys are going to be out raping and robbing and stealing and the protesters will be allowed to loot and burn the city down.

[Louie]

Local developer RJ Neary steps into Omaha mayor's race to challenge Stothert

This Neary guy is saying all the right things, in my opinion. I would like to see him be a serious contender in the spring. Sorry, I pulled a lot from the article, but I agree with every single one of his positions:

I think its going to be tough to beat the "Law and Order Mayor." Who ever runs against her will be trashed and slandered in the most dirty mayoral election Omaha has ever seen. She is going to pull the "defund police"card and every other lie and misrepresentation that we saw Don Bacon pull on Kara Eastman. Her whole campaign will be built around the idea that if she is not around to save us then the bad guys are going to be out raping and robbing and stealing and the protesters will be allowed to loot and burn the city down.

God, I hope not. But if she takes notes from Bacon's campaign, then it will probably be like that. Even though the biggest protests and looting happened under her watch.

[Garrett]

He almost sounds like he has a Daub-esque ambition for development. I like that.

[Doctor Fate]

Funny story, I emailed Troy Anderson (the deputy chief of staff for the Stothert Administration) a couple months ago and asked about what they have determined to be the biggest road blocks to high rise development in downtown Omaha. I mentioned several stalled or failed projects over the past 10 years and asked about the potential of speculative construction downtown. He actually replied and said that "high-rise development (generally defined as seven stories or more) doesn't just happen everyday and are in fact, few and far between. This is true for our peer cities as well". He then went on to mention all of the projects in Omaha that are not being built downtown, then mentioned some of the non-high rise projects downtown and stated that a lack of high-rise development didn't mean a lack of economic development (which I never claimed nor did I mention economic development, just high-rise). He took a pretty defensive tone and told me I could call him to discuss this more. However, he has ghosted me since then and has not answered my calls or emailed me back.

[HskrFanMike]

Neary has been sending people out door to door in West Omaha. Clearly, he has an organization already in place.

[Brad]

Neary has been sending people out door to door in West Omaha. Clearly, he has an organization already in place.

He also emails nearly every day asking for money.

[ita]

Neary has been sending people out door to door in West Omaha. Clearly, he has an organization already in place.

He also emails nearly every day asking for money.

Omaha mayoral candidate RJ Neary raises $300K in early push

Reece Ristau
Real estate firm owner RJ Neary has been busy raising money to challenge Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert in the city’s spring election.

Neary, a Democrat, told local media Tuesday that he had raised $300,000 by the end of 2020. He made that announcement at the Douglas County Election Commission shortly after submitting documentation to officially add his name to the primary ballot.

For perspective:

By comparison, Stothert’s challenger in the 2017 election, former State Sen. Heath Mello, had raised about $530,000 by the end of 2016, World-Herald archives show. Stothert at the time had raised about $1.5 million.

[Omaha Cowboy]

He’s got a long way to go to catch the Stothert “machine”...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[S.O.Boy]

Neary has been sending people out door to door in West Omaha. Clearly, he has an organization already in place.

He also emails nearly every day asking for money.

Omaha mayoral candidate RJ Neary raises $300K in early push

Reece Ristau
Real estate firm owner RJ Neary has been busy raising money to challenge Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert in the city’s spring election.

Neary, a Democrat, told local media Tuesday that he had raised $300,000 by the end of 2020. He made that announcement at the Douglas County Election Commission shortly after submitting documentation to officially add his name to the primary ballot.

For perspective:

By comparison, Stothert’s challenger in the 2017 election, former State Sen. Heath Mello, had raised about $530,000 by the end of 2016, World-Herald archives show. Stothert at the time had raised about $1.5 million.

Thank you, I didn't recognize the name.

[GetUrban]

It will be interesting to hear what Neary has to say about downtown development and Omaha development in general. Might be a chance to kick it into higher gear, filling-in some of the empty blocks DT that are ripe for development. As long as he’s pro-Historic Preservation, I’m all ears.

[ricko]

I don't live in Omaha yet, although I do feel I have a stake in what happens in the political arena since I own property, and pay your (ample) property taxes. I don't have an ongoing knowledge of the day to day political goings-on vis-a vis the mayor's office, although I try to keep up at times. I will tell you, though, that on a personal level, while I may disagree with this or that policy from time to time, I think her overall performance was better than I'd expect from any of the several lackluster mayors that have graced the office since my childhood---not a reflection of past mayors' accomplishments, just a general sense of a lack of excitement about them on a personal level (OK, they were boring, I said it). Jean is gay-friendly and supported and signed in to law the gay rights ordinance, and that alone puts her in the category of 'consequential' mayors of Omaha. I also think that her willingness to go against the Governor (one of the most embarrassing and just god-awful Nebraska governors I can remember) on the mask policy, took some courage. That being said, if Neary can address unresolved issues like Omaha's crappy roads and brain-drain, and honestly be pro-active with concrete plans instead of the regular campaign promises BS, and convince people that he wants to tackle the issues the community wants to address, and doesn't have the personality of a wet dishrag, he may have a shot. I've noticed over the years that successful mayors have addressed community needs and followed through on their promises on mundane stuff like roads, sidewalks, playgrounds, Summer programs for kids, better public transportation, prompt snow removal, community policing, etc.. I really don't know who I'd vote for since Neary is still too much of an unknown quantity; he still has plenty of time to reveal himself to the community. I've seen too many political newbies flame out and shoot themselves in the foot with ego-driven stupidity (sexting, anyone?). We'll see---should be an interesting race.

[Brad]

That being said, if Neary can address unresolved issues like Omaha's crappy roads

She has a road plan and the bond was passed less than a year ago (May) and almost immediately roads began improving. I think they made great progress on the roads in the first summer.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

I also think that her willingness to go against the Governor (one of the most embarrassing and just god-awful Nebraska governors I can remember) on the mask policy, took some courage.

She is with the Governor 100%. When the Gov was suing other states to overturn their election results she was silent. She did not buck the Gov on masks and insead passed the buck and left it to the City Council. If Trump had been successful last week with his coup to overthrow the election she would of went along with it 100%. Don't forget she was standing out there with the Gov at a Trump rally in the middle of a pandemic. Her actions the past year alone render her unfit and unworthy to hold public office.

[ricko]

I also think that her willingness to go against the Governor (one of the most embarrassing and just god-awful Nebraska governors I can remember) on the mask policy, took some courage.

She is with the Governor 100%. When the Gov was suing other states to overturn their election results she was silent. She did not buck the Gov on masks and insead passed the buck and left it to the City Council. If Trump had been successful last week with his coup to overthrow the election she would of went along with it 100%. Don't forget she was standing out there with the Gov at a Trump rally in the middle of a pandemic. Her actions the past year alone render her unfit and unworthy to hold public office.

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware she was at the rally. Neary it is, then.

[Taco]

I also think that her willingness to go against the Governor (one of the most embarrassing and just god-awful Nebraska governors I can remember) on the mask policy, took some courage.

She is with the Governor 100%. When the Gov was suing other states to overturn their election results she was silent. She did not buck the Gov on masks and insead passed the buck and left it to the City Council. If Trump had been successful last week with his coup to overthrow the election she would of went along with it 100%. Don't forget she was standing out there with the Gov at a Trump rally in the middle of a pandemic. Her actions the past year alone render her unfit and unworthy to hold public office.

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware she was at the rally. Neary it is, then.

In 2016, Stothert said she wrote in John McCain and did not have "confidence" or "enthusiasm" for Trump. In October, when Stothert announced her new campaign she was staunchly pro-Trump. Given the ballot returns in Douglas county for the past two elections, that is shaping up like some interesting political calculus.

[JDJase]

Jean is gay-friendly and supported and signed in to law the gay rights ordinance, and that alone puts her in the category of 'consequential' mayors of Omaha.

What? Omaha's LGBT non-discrimination ordinance was passed and signed by Mayor Suttle in 2012. Then-councilwoman Stothert voted AGAINST it, along with Franklin Thompson and Tom Mulligan. She then promised to repeal it (along with the restaurant tax) in her 2013 mayoral campaign. She eventually 'evolved' on the issue and the last several years she has issued pride month proclamations in June of each year, and has attended pride events, so I'll give her credit for that, but let's not rewrite history here.

[ricko]

Jean is gay-friendly and supported and signed in to law the gay rights ordinance, and that alone puts her in the category of 'consequential' mayors of Omaha.

What? Omaha's LGBT non-discrimination ordinance was passed and signed by Mayor Suttle in 2012. Then-councilwoman Stothert voted AGAINST it, along with Franklin Thompson and Tom Mulligan. She then promised to repeal it (along with the restaurant tax) in her 2013 mayoral campaign. She eventually 'evolved' on the issue and the last several years she has issued pride month proclamations in June of each year, and has attended pride events, so I'll give her credit for that, but let's not rewrite history here.

Boy, was I wrong on that one. I should have done my homework better. I guess she's more of a mainstream Republican than I thought. My apologies.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

Ben Gray says he thought about running for mayor but decided it would be too dangerous for him and his family. I agree with him 100%. There is a bad vibe out there in this country right now and it is scary strong right here in river city.

Joe Jordan interview with Ben Gray- [youtube][/youtube]

[Garrett]

Looks like RJ Neary might not be a shoe in for the other slot in the race.

Omaha mayoral candidate Kimara Snipes gets endorsements from four key Democrats

Omaha mayoral candidate Kimara Snipes aims to change the early narrative about the city’s primary election with four major endorsements from different philosophical corners of the Democratic Party.

Snipes, a member of the Omaha school board since 2019, is the only Democrat in the officially nonpartisan race for mayor who has been elected to public office. Republican Mayor Jean Stothert headlines the April 6 primary.

Snipes’ campaign got a boost this week when she received the backing of former U.S. House candidates Kara Eastman and Ann Ashford, two Democrats who have often been at odds.

Snipes’ campaign also announced endorsements from Nebraska’s last Democrat to serve in the Senate, Ben Nelson, and retired local labor leader Terry Moore, who retains some influence with union members.

“This city has not been unified as long as I’ve been here,” Snipes said in announcing her run. “It’s always been South Omaha, North Omaha and west Omaha. It’s time for one Omaha.”

Snipes said she would focus her early work as mayor on the city’s response to COVID-19, including helping people who’ve lost hours and pay find work. She wants to help Omaha employers bounce back quickly.

[Coyote]

image.jpeg

[S.O.Boy]

Nebraska GOP is helping me to vote for whomever runs against the Mayor.

[Cermak]

Except for the Capitol District the mayor has had a hard time getting much in the way of highrise development built downtown during her administration. Losing the HDR building to Ak village was a huge blow and was probably DT’s best chance of getting a 200+ footer built since the 2004 UP headquarters. Omaha in general just seems to have a very hard time getting anything built DT over 10 floors. It’s been this way for a while now and I don’t see it ending anytime soon, I hope I am wrong. I doubt I will vote for her and would welcome some fresh ideas to city hall. Overall she did a pretty good job but at times seemed to be caught off guard in some important area’s like HDR’s site selection debacle and ConAgra’s sudden love affair with Chicago. Two Stothert terms is enough for me.

[bigredmed1]

HDR was a mid town business where the staff could park and get to and from work easily. I have no doubt that when the reality of working downtown hit those architects and engineers and the other big brains working there, word hit management that it would be easier to recruit and retain talent in AK village.

UNO has begun a construction management major recently and they now rival UNL. I have to think that HDR saw that coming and plopped down right next door so as to be in close poaching distance.

I don’t hold it against Stothert that they moved. Besides wasn’t the Omaha Performing Arts trying to extort HDR? Or, was that Keiwit?

[bbinks]

I'd certainly entertain fresh ideas as long as said candidate isn't in the pocket of the public sector unions.

[Greg S]

I'd certainly entertain fresh ideas as long as said candidate isn't in the pocket of the public sector unions.

That is one of the primary reasons I will be likely to vote for Stothert again.


Greg

[Omaha Cowboy]

Meh..

Has Stothert been a bad mayor? No. Has she been a good mayor? No..

She’s had her moments on both sides of the spectrum. I’d call her tenure over 8 years as middling average. Mediocre. I think Omaha deserves better than average. She’s had 8 years. As I’ve mentioned, getting “comfortable” in city hall means slipping up on some things (like saying you were caught by surprise when ConAgra decided to flee Omaha)..Quid Pro Quo and Cronyism also come to mind.. Which are reasons why I likely would not cast a vote for Stothert. Too many “Red Flags” for my taste..which I’ve documented in previous posts to this thread

8 years of Stothert is long enough..

I’m hoping for a strong, visionary candidate to emerge from the pack and challenge her...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[bigredmed1]

Obviously a visionary candidate would be better. But what if she is the best of the crop? What specific metrics would you grade them on?

[Omaha Cowboy]

Obviously a visionary candidate would be better. But what if she is the best of the crop?

You’re touching what concerns me the most red.. The best potential mayoral candidates sit out.. leaving Stothert as the best of a mediocre lot..

Generally, I don’t find it healthy to have the same mayor (and minions) parked at City Hall for longer than 2 terms. They get comfortable..Lose their edge..Let things slip through the cracks..get caught up in cronyism and quid pro quo.. etc etc..

Omaha deserves better than middling mediocre..

I’ll be rolling up my shirtsleeves and really studying up on the mayoral candidates over the next several weeks. I’m looking for energy, vision, a bullish attitude about Omaha and accepting nothing less than excellence in everything attached to our city and metropolitan area..from development, to national recognition, to entertainment options, to infrastructure, to roads, to alternative transportation, to attracting businesses and growing the employee talent pool etc etc.. Omaha is poised, imo, to make a HUGE leap in prominence this decade..and a detriment to that would be complacency, lack of leadership and the same ‘ol same ‘ol..which many times you get when you have a mayor sitting for as long as Stothert has..

No other mayor in recent Omaha history has sought a 3rd term..and I was hoping Jean would follow suit.. That she is seeking a 3rd term means 12 consecutive years. Think about that. Based on prior track record and what is ahead for Omaha potentially, I’ll say it again-

Omaha deserves better than middling mediocrity at City Hall...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[bigredmed1]

So what will you do when the Dems puke out some B team character that sucks harder than heck? When the in crowd puts forth some buddy of the rich who run expecting to. E annointed as the Queen of Dundee and thus entitled to be mayor? This is what I see happening.

Stothert has been ok. Not great, but ok. The Dems have not really impressed me as bringing forth ideas or developing talent. The last congressional primary was a great example. One candidate was a retread leftist, one was the political machine family candidate and one was a business owner and POC that could have resonated enough to win against Bacon. The party made sure that she got no traction and instead of moving her to the mayor’s slot, and letting the girly and the anointed battle it out, they just let her twist.

This brings me to the real probability that Stothert will in fact be not just the best candidate, but the only one that is really capable of doing the job.

[Omaha Cowboy]

One mistake people make when voting in an important local community election (like city mayor) imo, is making party affiliation part of the equation..and/or voting along party lines.. Party affiliation matters not when it comes to the effectiveness of a mayor. Nonpartisanship should be a key guiding principle in this regard..along with really looking at the candidate’s issue driven platform to help arrive at a voting decision..as opposed to worrying about the Republican or Democratic Party “puking out” a candidate..

In my lifetime, I’ve voted both Republican and Democrat when casting a ballot for Omaha mayor. Vote for who you’d consider the best candidate, not his/her party affiliation..

That said, we’ve had 8 years of middling mediocrity at city hall with the current regime.. I’ll be interested to see who separates from the pack to challenge her.. But party affiliation will not be guiding my voting decision in any way..It never has..

The biggest concern I have, is poor voter turnout.. and then voter apathy- which will lead much of the suburban west Omaha vote to not “upset the Apple cart” and vote for Stothert..without giving one iota of consideration to any other candidate(s)...

Ciao..LiO...Peace