The next entry in the unfortunate story of elections since the 2024 national election – for metaphorical goats – is coming from Omaha, NB. Parts of Omaha, as I understand it, are heavily Democratic, but the 2021 regularly scheduled mayoral election, which is officially nonpartisan and features a nonpartisan primary from which the top two proceed to the general election, resulted in victory for incumbent
Jean Stothert. In fact, it was solid:
Just short of a 30 point victory for the incumbent. But in 2025? Stothert faced Democrat John Ewing just a few days ago, whose political experience consisted of winning, and keeping, the post of Douglas County Treasurer in 2007. How did his mayoral run go?
A ten point victory over a favored incumbent is hard to dismiss. Of interest is the turnout, substantially less in 2025 than in 2021. I’d interpret that to mean Independents and Republicans, disgusted with the national Republican scene, expressed themselves by staying home in numbers of around 30,000, or voting Democratic; meanwhile, Ewing’s improvement over previous defeated challenger Neary of around 12,000 is less impressive, but still worth noting.
Electoral victories are not trophies. For the Democrats, who seem little disposed to admit errors, this is an opportunity not to wave victory flags, but to convince skeptical conservatives that they can deliver sound governance and be worthy of future serious consideration, especially if the Republicans continue to nominate buffoons for national seats.
I think the Democrats need a major reform, but good luck to Mr. Ewing. We need two respectable political parties, and we have zero. His victory will push the Republicans to consider reforms, no matter how much that stings the arrogant assholes currently running the show. Hopefully, the Democrats will figure that out, too.
