Democrat John Ewing Jr. defeated incumbent Republican Jean Stothert in the Omaha mayoral race Tuesday, becoming the first black mayor of the most populous city in the Cornhusker State.
Stothert had been attempting to win a fourth term in office. She flipped the seat from Democrat to Republican in 2013 and won again in 2017 and 2021. Ewing prevailed over Stothert, 56.3%-43.7%, and the state Democratic Party heralded the win as historic.
“Ewing’s victory rings in a new era for Omaha and the entire state of Nebraska. Tonight’s victory comes on the heels of Nebraska Democrats’ sweeping local elections last week in Lincoln and proves what we already know: Voters are sick of Republicans’ one-party rule and endless attacks on working families,” Nebraska Democratic Party Chairwoman Jane Kleeb said in a statement.
Gov. Jim Pillen (R-NE) thanked Stothert for her service after her defeat and said her impact on Omaha would shape the city “for years to come.”
“Mayor Stothert has led Omaha through a period of steady growth, record public safety improvements, and historic economic investments. Omaha has thrived thanks to Mayor Jean Stothert. Her leadership will continue to shape Omaha for years to come,” Pillen said.
Omaha is part of the most heavily Democratic part of Nebraska. The state’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes the city, has gone for Democrats in the presidential election three of the last five times, even as the rest of the state has heavily voted Republican.
Because the Republican mayor lost her reelection bid, attention will turn to Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), who represents Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District. Bacon is widely viewed as one of the most vulnerable incumbents for the 2026 elections and has not said if he would seek an additional term.
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The Democratic win is the latest strong performance by the party’s candidates in races held since the GOP’s decisive victories in the November 2024 elections.
Democrats flipped GOP seats in the Iowa and Pennsylvania state Senates and significantly overperformed in a pair of House races in deep-red districts in Florida.