Election Upset Sends Clear Message To Republicans: Do Your Job

Democrats are melting down in spectacular fashion on the national stage. But a recent victory in a Nebraska mayoral race has their leaders perking up. 

Democrat John Ewing Jr. is Omaha’s new mayor-elect, earning 56.3% of the vote according to Decision Desk HQ. His victory against Republican incumbent Jean Stothert, who was seeking a fourth term as mayor, spells an end to Republican leadership in the city. Stothert won the mayoral race in 2021 with an overwhelming 56.86% of votes, the runner-up receiving just 15.36% of votes. Omaha mayoral elections are technically nonpartisan, but both Ewing and Stothert’s affiliations were well-known, according to the New York Times. (RELATED: New Poll Spells Utter Disaster For Democrat Party)

Democrats were quick to pat themselves on the back. Ewing, as the Democratic National Committee (DNC) was sure to point out, will be the city’s first black mayor. “Every Republican who bends the knee to Trump and his billionaire friends instead of governing on behalf of the working families they represent will face voters’ wrath at the voting booth,” reads a DNC statement issued after Ewing’s win. 

Ken Martin, chair of the DNC, celebrated on X. “Watch out @GOP,” reads one post. “We are winning all over the country up and down the ballot.” He elaborated on the DNC’s efforts to elect Ewing in another post. “Nebraska Democrats received direct financial support through our Red State Fund to build party infrastructure,” Martin wrote. The DNC “invested over $1.7 million into the Nebraska Democratic Party during the ‘24 election cycle.” Changing demographics may deserve some credit too. 

A lotta people in DC want to win the argument. I want to win elections.

Last night’s huge victory in Omaha speaks to the power of ‘organizing everywhere’ — our new mission at the DNC.

Here’s how we invested in Nebraska:

—Recruited volunteers to phone bank, sent GOTV texts…

— Ken Martin (@kenmartin73) May 14, 2025

“International migration is still the star of the show,” said Josie Schafer, according to the Nebraska Examiner. Schafer is the Director of the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO), a partner for the U.S. Census Bureau. Schafer claims the average number of foreign-born residents to a Nebraska county more than doubled from mid-2023 to mid-2024. The increase, she believes, is due to improvements in Census methodologies. Douglas County, where Omaha is located, saw an additional 5,307 international migrants in 2024 according to data from the UNO Center for Public Affairs Research.

Democrats may appear to be making a feast out of small potatoes. They’re certainly starving for good news. But Republicans should take this loss as a reminder to redouble their efforts at the local level. Donald Trump’s victory in 2024 was momentous. As was the Republican Party’s sweep of congressional districts. That shouldn’t inspire complacency, but excitement to move quickly and keep promises. 

Stunts like those emerging from the House Republicans’ X account should be quashed without mercy. They appear to be spending more time learning Spanish than they do writing bills, sending Trump just five bills over the course of his first 100 days in office. (RELATED: House Republicans Need To Put Down Google Translate)

Americans got off the sidelines to get you elected.

You’re squandering it. https://t.co/bixOUNhDno

— Mark Mitchell, Rasmussen Reports (@honestpollster) May 13, 2025

“We need to get Americans off the sidelines,” House Republicans posted to X on May 13. Nothing like hearing “Someone should do something about this” from the people with the power to do something about this. 25% of Republican voters strongly agree with the statement “Republicans in Congress are not delivering on the mandate given to them by the American people,” according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 35% of Republican voters somewhat agree. A mandate is excellent. A mandate deprived of action is nothing. 

Follow Natalie Sandoval on X: @NatalieIrene03