Election Night Speech
May 11, 2021We did it!

We did it together! That’s how we get things done in Omaha!

I love Omaha and I love my job. My family and I are overwhelmed with tonight’s result.  It is a sincere honor and very humbling.

Thank you to each of you here tonight and to all voters across our great city.

R.J. Neary called me moments ago to congratulate us on our win. He was very gracious.

R.J. and his family have devoted so much time and effort in making Omaha a better city.  His experience, passion and ideas made him a very worthy candidate.

Running for office is difficult, and so to R.J. and those who supported him, thank you for working so hard.

With that, please know how excited we are to serve Omaha for another term in the Mayor’s Office!!

It’s also incredibly special to be our city’s first female mayor, and soon, start an unprecedented third term in office.

The election outcome is so important because it validates the initiative and work we have put in for eight years.

Some see the challenges Omaha faces, and there are many.  There are also so many great opportunities.  We are so happy voters decided that we are the best team to address them.

To those who voted for others, either in the primary or today, please know your input and energy are important to our city’s success.  I pledge to work as hard as ever to earn your trust.

I announced for re-election last November, just after the presidential election.

At my announcement, I said people were tired of negative campaigns and that planned to run a 100% positive campaign about our ideas and the future of Omaha.

I sensed some in the news media that day doubted it; maybe a lot of people did. But I am proud to say we ran our race 100% positive in all areas.

That’s what people want.  That’s what they expect.  And that is the Omaha way!

The nation can look to Omaha and see it’s possible to run a winning race with a positive, issues-based campaign.

Many of the questions and issues we faced in this election were different; even from those four years ago.

The pandemic brought challenges and issues never faced in an election in modern times.  While things have improved, and we are headed in the right direction on Covid, rest assured this former nurse will make sure we do everything we can to fully recover.

We also extensively discussed matters of social justice and racial equality and all the issues those topics touch.

We have a responsibility and an obligation to improve and do better, and I know we can.

That’s because Omaha is a community of tolerance and good will.  I know greater understanding and solutions will come from all of us.  Let’s work hard on these issues together and make our great city extraordinary.

My priorities for the next four years are clear:

Covid is still with us and our work to stop it and address its many health, economic, and social effects is critical.  There is much more to be done.

We will continue to make Omaha a safer community and make a very good police department even better.  Public safety is our most critical obligation, and I am confident in the progress we will make.

With overwhelming voter approval of our roads bond issue last year, road resurfacing and repair has now doubled.  After decades of neglect our city streets will improve every year.

Keeping taxes as low as we can is possible only with an intense focus on the city budget and I will always remember whose money we are spending.

The economic development and job growth taking place right now in Omaha is unprecedented.  There are more projects to come and managing the city’s role in all these incredible projects will be my responsibility.

All our city services are important to each citizen - city parks, recreation centers, libraries, fire and rescue, trash, recycling, and many more. We are dedicated to improving the taxpayer experience for services you fund.

And finally, during the next four years, we will further enhance Omaha’s reputation.  Ours will be an even more inclusive city; one that welcomes everyone and where everyone feels at home.

Our City Council will have some new members and we congratulate and welcome all who won.  From my time as a councilmember and now as Mayor, I believe we’ve shown we work well with everyone on the Council, and I look forward to that continuing.

Being mayor is exciting.  It invigorates me because I know we are making a difference.

Please know how grateful we are to be able to serve this great city. 

Omaha’s momentum is back and our city will be better than ever.

I will work hard for you to make sure it happens!