The Democratic Landslide
The results are in and the Lancaster County Democrats won a landslide victory in the Lincoln city elections. It wasn’t even close.
Incumbent Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird defeated former state senator Suzanne Geist by a 54% to 45% margin. Most political prognosticators predicted a close election. Lincoln has had close mayoral elections in the past.
The Democrats did well in the City Council elections. The winners are as follows:
James Michael Bowers — Lincoln City Council District 1
Justin Carlson — Lincoln City Council District 3
Brodey Weber — Lincoln City Council District 4
The Democrats easily maintained their commanding 6–1 majority on the City Council. The voters rewarded good governance and Democratic control.
“It’s overwhelming,” Gaylor Baird said after taking a congratulatory call from Geist. “It’s wonderful. I’m so grateful to our community, to all these people in this room and all the thousands of people who came together to make this victory possible. It’s a victory for Lincoln, for our positive vision of what we’re trying to build for Lincoln.”
The truth won out over lies. Hope won over fear. The people defeated the powerful. It was a truly comprehensive victory for the Democrats and the people of Lincoln.
Two Geist supporters and their families funded most of the ads: Thomas Peed of Sandhills Publishing and U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts. They spent approximately $1.6 million dollars on a blizzard of dishonest and negative ads that trashed Lincoln’s good reputation At the end of the day, the people still rule. It’s our city.
The Geist television, digital and mailer advertisements depicted Nebraska’s capital city as a criminal hellhole and failed city. The GOP ads were over the top and simply not credible. They didn’t match the reality that most Lincoln residents experience.
Geist didn’t respect the voters by trashing Lincoln. Calling this town a dystopian crime hellscape alienated the proud residents of our successful city. It’s not a good campaign tactic to say that Lincoln sucks.
During the campaign, the mayor correctly portrayed Geist as an extremist. In the legislature, Geist had voted with the most extreme members of her party. As a state senator, Geist voted for abortions bans, a permitless conceal carry law, against LGBTQ rights and for a middle class tax increase.
Geist tried to run away from her legislative record but the past can’t be washed away so easily. She simply wasn’t a good fit for Lincoln.
The Gaylor Baird campaign rolled out a series of contrast ads after the primary informing the voters about Geist’s record. This is when the voters begin to tune in and pay attention. Brandon Bayer and Kevin Cass ran a brilliant campaign.
The Nebraska Democratic Party issued the following statement regarding the Lincoln General Election results:
“Lincoln voters soundly rejected the MAGA Republicans and millions dumped into the races by the Peed and Ricketts families. Nebraskans do not want our elections bought by millionaires nor do they want constant lies told by the Republican Party. The elections were won tonight because Mayor Leirion and her fellow Democrats put forward their positive ideas to continue building a welcoming Lincoln for all. ”
The voters rewarded good governance and know that Lincoln is a great city. That’s why the Democrats won a decisive victory.
I want to thank the candidates, the campaign staff and the volunteers for their hard work. They made a difference and have made Lincoln an even better city.
This was a great win for the citizens of Lincoln, for Lancaster County and the state of Nebraska. Lincoln will continue to be a shining city on the hill and an inspiration to all Nebraskans.