Democrat seems to win the Race of the Burgemeester van Omaha, with the end of the era of Republican Leadership

A Democrat, John Ewing Jr., appeared on schedule to win the mayor race of Omaha on Tuesday, not a -official County results, a victory that would end a long period of Republican leadership in a politically distributed city that has outdated the importance in presidential elections.

Mr. Ewing, the old treasurer of Douglas County, led Mayor Jean Stothers, a Republican who was looking for a fourth term of office to Leiden Omaha, who has almost half a million inhabitants and is the largest city of Nebraska. Although the race was officially not -party -bound, the political preferences of both candidates were well known to the voters.

Mrs. Stothers admitted on Tuesday evening to Mr. Ewing in a speech and said that “we leave a strong foundation for the city that we all love.”

Mr. Ewing was leading with around 10,900 votes On Tuesday evening with around 87,000 ballot papers. Brian W. Kruse, the Commissioner for Elections of the Province, said in an e -mail that about 7,000 early ballot papers that were returned on Tuesday would be counted later, plus perhaps a few hundred provisional ballot papers.

Every four years Omaha chooses a mayor just after a presidential term starts, so that more national attention is brought to the race than typical of a city of its size. With a relatively little planned outside the year elections, the race offered the opportunity for strategists from both parties to gauge the voters of voters as much of the campaign focused on municipal nut and bolts, such as, such as street pavingcrime and one planned tram.

State and National Democrats did not waste time celebrating Mr. Ewing’s apparent victory, which they described as a sign of energy for their party prior to the interim elections of next year.

Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said that the result has shown that voters want “true leaders who rule on behalf of working families.” Jane Kleeb, the chairman of the Nebraska Democratic Party, said in a statement that “we have made historical progress tonight, and tomorrow the hard work will continue when we look at 2026.”

Eight years ago, at the start of the first term of President Trump, Democrats have invested heavily In a failed attempt to dismiss Mrs. Stothers, a former nurse who generally has governed moderately. Mrs. Stothers also held her place four years later, in the first months of the presidency of Joseph R. Biden Jr.

Nebraska is dominated by Republicans, but Omaha is politically mixed, with more registered Democrats than Republicans. The city is the home of various large companies, including Union Pacific Railroad and Berkshire Hathaway, and is geographically large, with many suburbs -sensitive subdivisions within the city boundaries. Among the 40 most densely populated American cities, Omaha is one of only six with a Republican mayor, According to ballot pedia.

The Omaha area is represented in the congress by a Moderate republicanRepresentative Don Bacon, who has survived various democratic attempts To fire him, including last November With just under 2 points. In the same election, Kamala Harris won The election in Mr Bacon’s district with just under 5 points. That congress district includes suburb and rural areas next to Omaha.

Nebraska is one of the two states, together with Maine, who assigns an election vote to the winner of each congress district. Mr. Trump won the District -based district in 2016, but lost to the Democratic nominee there in 2020 and 2024.

While campaigning for a fourth term, Mrs. Stothers, the first woman to led Omaha, emphasized her record about development and public safety. But she also waded in cultural issues by trying to make bathroom use and sports participation by transgender people A campaign issue. Mr. Ewing’s campaign has told local reporters that Mrs. Stothers Uneven claims made About his position on transgender problems.

Mrs. Stothers has told local reporters that she Voted on Mr. TrumpAlthough she has sometimes tried to distance themselves from the president.

“Donald Trump doesn’t call me and asks for advice,” she KETV recently toldA news station in Omaha.

Mr. Ewing, a former deputy police chief, spoke about public safety and the importance of convincing young people to stay in the city. He also promised to tackle what he described in one debate as a shortage of affordable homes and ‘a shortage of decent homes’.

He was on track to become the first chosen black mayor of the city. Another black officer, Fred Conley, served in 1988 as acting mayor of Omaha after his Pastor died in function.

“Tonight we will start a new chapter,” Said Mr. Ewing In his acceptance speech on Tuesday.