Incumbent Omaha Republican Jean Stothert has lost re-election to Democrat John Ewing Jr. She began her term as Mayor as a centrist, even creating a LGBTQ+ Advisory Board. As the most recent mayoral election continued, Stothert began to adopt the current GOP social talking points, accusing Ewing of wanting “boys in girls’ bathrooms and sports.” These talking points may have helped Donald Trump in the area, where he beat Kamala Harris by over 20% of the vote. Stothert had been popular with Omaha’s Democrats in the past, and won her 2021 re-election by 27 points. The recent adoption of anti-trans GOP talking points seem to have cost her the election this time, as Ewing became the city’s first Black mayor and won with over 11,000 more votes. The transgender sports talking points are frequently used by Republicans, even though there are only about 10 transgender athletes in college sports, and Nebraska has its own transgender sports ban. Many suspect this election may indicate a turning point in public opinion as moderate Republican voters and independents become less enamored with buzzwords and more critical of actions.
