First female mayor of Omaha concedes in race against likely first Black mayor
OMAHA, Neb. — Omaha's first female mayor has conceded the mayoral race to a man who will likely become the community's first Black mayor.
Voters in Omaha were making history Tuesday by either reelecting the city's first female mayor to a rare fourth term or electing the community's first Black mayor.
The race between Mayor Jean Stothert and challenger John Ewing primarily revolved around local issues like street repairs and garbage service, but in the final stretch the campaign touched on more national, hot-button issues such as President Donald Trump's administration and transgender rights.
Stothert was trailing by nearly 5,000 votes in early returns Tuesday night. At her election night event, Stothert said she called Ewing and conceded in the race, KETV reported.
'I called John Ewing and I congratulated him,' Stothert said. 'John Ewing is inheriting tonight a great city, and we leave a strong foundation for the city that we love. We are grateful and we are hopeful.'
The winner will lead Nebraska's largest city, which makes up nearly a quarter of the state's population.
In campaigning for a fourth term, Stothert has portrayed Omaha as a city on a hot streak with a revitalized riverfront, plans moving ahead on a streetcar line and progress repairing city streets.
'I have plans and can talk about them, and they are working,' Stothert told the Omaha World-Herald.
If reelected, she would have the longest tenure as mayor in more than a century.
Ewing, the county treasurer, said the mayor hasn't focused enough attention on core issues like filling potholes, hiring more police officers and building more affordable housing.
'People just feel like she's had her time, and it's time for somebody new,' Ewing said.
Although the mayor's office is nonpartisan, the candidates have made it clear to voters that Stothert is a Republican and Ewing is a Democrat. Omaha is among the few spots in conservative Nebraska where Democrats have a reasonable chance of winning elected offices.
Despite a focus on bread-and-butter issues like city services, the candidates have issued more partisan messages as the election neared.
A Stothert TV ad says, 'Ewing stands with radicals who want to allow boys in girls' sports.'
Ewing responded that he hasn't dealt with such transgender issues as treasurer and told KETV he wouldn't respond to hypothetical questions.
Ewing has aired ads that connect Stothert to the Trump administration, showing the mayor on a split screen with Trump and saying 'Let's say no to the chaos and elect a mayor who will actually get things done.'
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NBC News
an hour ago
- NBC News
Earle-Sears' record on social issues complicates bid to follow Youngkin's path in Virginia governor's race
Winsome Earle-Sears, the all-but-certain Republican nominee in the Virginia governor's race this fall, has built the early stages of her campaign around being Gov. Glenn Youngkin's partner. Earle-Sears, the state's lieutenant governor, has largely attempted to frame her candidacy as an extension of the current administration, an attempt to replicate the term-limited governor's path to victory in the blue-leaning state four years ago. 'Together, we've fought for parents, backed the blue, and delivered real results for Virginians. Now, it's time to keep that momentum going,' Earle-Sears, referring to Youngkin, wrote in a Facebook post earlier this year. But there has been notable daylight between Earle-Sears and Youngkin on several fronts, particularly on social issues, complicating her strategy to follow in the footsteps of her more popular governing partner. 'She is definitely trying to have it all ways,' said a Republican operative in Virginia, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about Earle-Sears. Most prominently, Earle-Sears has made clear she is not fully aligned with Youngkin on a pair of hot-button social issues: same-sex marriage and abortion rights. Last year, Youngkin signed legislation protecting marriage equality in Virginia. But Earle-Sears left a handwritten note on the bill stating she was 'morally opposed' to the legislation. Following the bill's passage through both chambers of the Legislature, Earle-Sears wrote on the physical copy, 'As the Lt. Governor, I recognize and respect my constitutional obligation to adhere to the procedures laid out in the Constitution of Virginia. However, I remain morally opposed to the contents of HB174 as passed by the General Assembly.' Earle-Sears doubled down on separating herself from Youngkin's position on the issue in a recent interview, telling a local news outlet in Richmond last month that she was 'fine' with civil unions but refused to say she supported same-sex marriage. She's also out of step with Youngkin's positioning on abortion rights. In 2023, Youngkin proposed a 15-week ban on abortion in the state, which included exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the mother, in an ultimately unsuccessful effort to help the GOP carve out a less severe 'consensus' bill restricting reproductive rights. For her part, Earle-Sears has supported a ban at six weeks, or when fetal cardiac activity is detected — a point at which most women don't even know they are pregnant — and with fewer exceptions. While she got behind Youngkin's 15-week ban in 2023, she left another handwritten note on a measure passed by the Legislature earlier this year to send to voters a proposed constitutional amendment that would enshrine the state's abortion protections. 'I am morally opposed to this bill; no protection for the child,' she wrote. She has also in the past called abortion 'genocide' and vowed to 'do everything in my power' to end abortion in Virginia. Youngkin managed to shift the focus elsewhere during his 2021 campaign — and has largely had to continue doing so as governor, as he's dealt with a Democratic-controlled Legislature. But the fact that he staked out middle ground on social issues has only further highlighted Earle-Sears' more conservative positioning. In addition, Earle-Sears has faced criticism for her approach to the plight of federal workers in Virginia who have been affected by President Donald Trump's moves to shrink the size of government via the Department of Government Efficiency. She praised those efforts earlier this year, saying she was 'glad' Trump was 'getting to the bottom' of alleged waste and fraud in the federal government. While she has often pointed to the Youngkin administration's investments in the private sector of the Virginia economy as a reason workers need not worry, she has also said she would help Trump ' get the job done ' on the issue. And she downplayed the federal layoffs at an event in March, saying, 'The media is making it out to be a huge, huge thing — and I don't understand why.' Youngkin, on the other hand, has said he wants to 'cushion' his state's economy from the effects of DOGE and earlier this year was frequently touting a website his administration created that effectively serves as a job board — while also praising DOGE. Earle-Sears' positions stand in contrast to the relative political middle ground Youngkin has famously staked out in Virginia — efforts that have contributed to a record of strong approval ratings for the Republican governor in a state that Kamala Harris carried last year by about 6 percentage points. Last month, though, a Roanoke College poll found a 44% favorability rating for Youngkin among registered voters, versus 50% who view him unfavorably — his worst showing in that particular poll, and a possible indication that the broader GOP brand could be facing trouble in Virginia. But Earle-Sears had lower marks, with only 32% viewing her favorably and 48% saying they had an unfavorable view. Another 20% of respondents said they had no opinion of her. And the poll showed Democrat Abigail Spanberger leading Earle-Sears in the governor's race by 17 points. Political operatives in the state from both parties told NBC News these notable departures by Earle-Sears — particularly on social issues — risk turning off large chunks of voters in the political center that she'd need to hold together Youngkin's winning coalition from four years ago. 'What's her core promise to the voter? It should be pretty simple: 'Things are going good. Let's keep it going' — but she gets distracted,' the Republican operative said. Democratic Party of Virginia spokesperson Maggie Amjad said these issues, and others, show that Earle-Sears 'is a far-right candidate with a long record that's out of step with Virginians.' Representatives for both Earle-Sears and Youngkin downplayed any differences in their political views and emphasized that Youngkin's strengths as governor still extended to Earle-Sears and other Republicans on the ballot in Virginia this fall. 'The media's obsession with creating division where there isn't any won't change the fact that the Youngkin-Sears Administration is one of the most popular in Virginia's history — that's no accident,' Earle-Sears campaign press secretary Peyton Vogel said in an email to NBC News. 'They share a commitment to common-sense leadership, individual liberty, and getting government out of the way. Winsome has been a vital part of this administration, and will continue to bring ideas to the table that better the lives of Virginians across the Commonwealth as Governor just as she has during her time as Lieutenant Governor.' Justin Discigil, a spokesperson for Youngkin's Spirit of Virginia PAC, said in an email that 'Youngkin has delivered for Virginians with record tax relief, record job growth, and record investments in education, law enforcement, behavioral health, and other shared priorities,' and that Earle-Sears 'and all Virginia Republicans have a record to run on with proven results.' A challenging political landscape Earle-Sears' positioning on social issues and DOGE could further complicate what had already emerged as an uphill climb for Republicans to keep control of the governorship. Earle-Sears has already faced a torrent of criticism for running an undisciplined campaign. And Spanberger, her opponent, is widely seen as a strong candidate who has won several competitive House races. The GOP also faces historical headwinds: In 11 of the last 12 Virginia gubernatorial races, voters elected the candidate of the party out of power in the White House. Republicans view Youngkin's 2021 victory as the product of a unique candidate who was able to benefit from the anger and fatigue over the Covid-19 pandemic and remote learning in public schools. Strategists said that will be difficult to replicate this year. 'He just simply makes the main thing the main thing, and he's extremely disciplined about it. Everything fits into 'make Virginia the best place to live, work and raise a family.' He puts everything into the common sense bucket, the kitchen-table issue bucket. That's where he lives. That's why his approval ratings are always pretty high,' said Virginia-based Republican strategist Zack Roday, who previously worked with Youngkin through his Spirit of Virginia PAC but is not working with the Earle-Sears campaign. Roday, along with other Virginia GOP strategists, suggested that Earle-Sears hadn't yet displayed the same political strengths. Meanwhile, Democrats signaled they were preparing to seize on another difference they said would be meaningful to Virginia voters: how each candidate handled Trump during their campaign. Throughout the 2021 campaign, Youngkin notably kept his distance from Trump, who was at a political low point following his loss to Joe Biden and the fallout from the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. While Youngkin has since cultivated a much more public and close relationship with Trump in the years since, operatives from both major parties credited that distance during that campaign as another reason he won. Earle-Sears has so far voiced full-throated support for Trump. Earle-Sears 'is only focused on appeasing Trump and pushing an extreme agenda that's wrong for Virginia,' said Amjad.
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Commuting by bus from Edinburgh's suburbs is awful. Here's my solution
This week's Herald investigation into The Future of Edinburgh serves as a timely reminder of the capital's national importance. Edinburgh is the beating economic heart of the country. With one of the strongest records on Gross Value Added in the UK, Edinburgh is making the money required to fix the other struggling cities and towns around it. And a massive part of Edinburgh's economic success lies in its ability to efficiently move workers into and around the city. Read more by Andy Maciver I have lived in Edinburgh for about 40 of my 45 years, with my only absences being short stints in Glasgow and Dundee. I grew up in Currie; not much over 5 miles from the city centre, it is pretty much the dictionary definition of a suburb. Growing up, the borders of my world were close; my primary concern was getting to school, which I did on foot or by bike. However my father worked in town, and normally relied on the bus. Looking back now, that journey on the Red 44 or the Green 66 was relatively easy because we lived close to the Lanark Road, but was more of an ordeal for the majority of people in the village who lived down the hill. Currie experienced a very substantial housebuilding boom in the 1960s and 1970s but, with the Water of Leith immediately to the south of the A70 Lanark Road, all the houses were built down in the fields to the north, and expansion inevitably took place further and further away from the main road. With a 20-minute walk up a hill to the Lanark Road, and a 45 minute bus journey, we begin to see this as a very, very long five miles. It can feel shorter for those who happen to be near Curriehill Railway Station (which sits on the Shotts Line), but with only one train an hour heading into town, this is not a service designed with commuter convenience in mind. I now live inside the City Bypass, in Morningside. As was the case when I lived in Currie, I am very near the main road, so I can walk out of the door and find an array of buses awaiting me. As it happens, I tend not to use them, and instead I cycle to work in town, trying to avoid swerving into one of the new Lothian electric buses as I dodge the potholes on our truly deplorable roads. Again, though, you do not have to stray far from the main road to find yourself marooned in a location with no bus route particularly nearby. Morningside is only two miles from the West End, but for people who have, perhaps, a 15 minute walk to the bus, and then sit for 30 minutes as the bus crawls through traffic on narrow streets, it can be an awfully long two miles. Lothian Buses are up to date (Image: free) For suburbanites living away from bus stops, especially those who are elderly or immobile, the car is and will remain a necessary feature in their lives, and we need to provide them with quieter roads. To do that, we need to give commuters who choose to use the car, or to stay at home, with better options. As a mechanism for getting suburban workers to work, Edinburgh's mass transit system needs to extend beyond the bus. Time is money, and with one of Scotland's key economic problems being a lack of productivity in the workforce, efficient mass transit starts to look significantly more important than it might at first glance appear. It is time not only for Edinburgh's local authority to generate new ideas, but for the Scottish Government to help. Scotland - all of Scotland - needs Edinburgh performing to its full potential. Edinburgh, conversely, is so economically successful that it relies on workers not only from its own suburbs but from Fife, the Borders, and Mid, West and East Lothian. Driving out of Edinburgh on a weekday morning tells you what you need to know. As you breeze along the M8, up the M9 or M90 or down the A1, A7, A68, A701 or A702, you count your lucky stars that you're heading out and not sitting at 5 mph trying to come in. Travelling on four wheels cannot be Edinburgh's answer, either for those coming in or for those already living in an EH postcode. There are game-changing options which, happily, would require relatively little capital investment, and in the spirit of the Herald's efforts this week to lift the lid on some of the key discussions the capital needs to have, I will offer two. Neither involve roads; the first involves the river, and the second involves the railway. The southern side of Fife - from Dunfermline and Rosyth round the coast through Aberdour, Burntisland, Kinghorn and up to Kirkcaldy - is constantly expanding and increasingly becoming an Edinburgh commuter belt. Rail can play a role here, but only for those who live relatively close to a station, so the roads take the strain. If only we had another method of connecting Fife and Edinburgh such as, say, a body of water like a river or estuary. Ah, but we do! I am by no means the first person to moot the idea of a ferry across the Forth, but past discussion seems too often to have revolved around a beach-to-beach tourist service rather than something to integrate with the mass transit network. Read more of our Future of Edinburgh series Instead, a rapid, regular, commuter-focussed service from a new park-and-sail at Dalgety Bay (probably), directly into the tram stop at Newhaven would be an efficient, productive option for the army of workers who come from the Kingdom every day. And, not to forget those of us who inhabit the city, we live on top of a railway line called the South Suburban, currently used only for freight. If we wanted a light rail line to complement the routes driven by Lothian Buses, cutting across the south suburbs and linking Haymarket at one end and Waverley at the other, with an easy spur to the Royal Infirmary, we could not possibly design one better than what we already have. It is easy for our local and national civil servants to spend a few decades poring over hundred-page strategies which lead to consultations which lead to more strategies which lead to more consultations. But when opportunities to fix Edinburgh's commuter transport problems are already sitting before our eyes, it mightn't be a bad idea to take them. Andy Maciver is Founding Director of Message Matters, and co-host of the Holyrood Sources podcast
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Jake Paul blasts Elon Musk and Donald Trump spat before Kanye West weighs in
As political tensions rise in the US, Jake Paul joins a growing list of public figures weighing in on the feud between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump Jake Paul has urged Elon Musk and President Donald Trump to end their very public feud and has called for more maturity from the two biggest high-profile figures in the US at the minute. The boxer and influencer, 28, weighed in after a heated exchange between the Tesla CEO and the President on Thursday, which saw Musk call for Trump's impeachment and Trump threaten to revoke federal contracts and subsidies for Musk's companies. The disagreement stemmed from a Republican-backed spending bill, which Musk described as a 'disgusting abomination' that would deepen the U.S. deficit. Posting on X, Paul wrote: 'One of the problems with the Republican Party is on display today... (As a current Republican) We unfortunately have these Alpha male egos and leaders who aren't mature enough sometimes. "They're 50+ years old and diss tweeting each other... Elon and Trump are great but they need to work together and not make America look bad," he added. Kanye West also appeared to call for peace, writing: 'Broooos please noooooo. We love you both so much.' Comedian Jon Stewart offered a more critical perspective, mocking Trump's decision to give Musk access to sensitive government systems during his time in office. 'Good thing Trump didn't willfully hand over the entirety of our country's operating system to Elon and his… oops,' Stewart posted. The online row began after Musk claimed credit for Trump's re-election, writing: 'Without me, Trump would have lost the election... Such ingratitude." Trump then responded by criticising Musk's opposition to the spending bill, saying: 'I'm very disappointed with Elon... He had no problem with it. All of a sudden he had a problem, and he only developed the problem when he found out we're going to cut [the] EV mandate." Earlier this week, Trump urged to "deport Elon Musk immediately" amid the pair's blistering row. Trump has also been encouraged to scrap all of the tech billionaire's contracts and launch several investigations into the world 's richest man. Musk, 53, had this week denounced Mr Trump's signature domestic policy bill as an "abomination" and, since then, tensions between the pair have escalated. Musk quit his role as advisor, after previously admitting he "probably spent a bit too much time on politics". The comment came during an interview after another SpaceX rocket exploded on a test launch in Texas, US. The bitter clash has highlighted growing tensions within the Republican Party, with high-profile allies now openly divided over economic policy and leadership direction.
