| | | Democrat Mello loses Omaha mayor’s race after anti-Trump theme, abortion message flop
Voters elect Republican Jean Stothert to second term in nationally watched race
By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times - Wednesday, May 10, 2017
OMAHA — On paper, it should have worked: Run an anti-Trump Democratic candidate for mayor with the backing of Sen. Bernard Sanders in a city that swung for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
But Democrat Heath Mello, 37, lost the Omaha mayor’s race Tuesday to Republican incumbent Jean Stothert after sending mixed messages on abortion — and after his efforts to rev up the progressive base by aligning himself with Mr. Sanders appeared to backfire.
“It ginned up their base on the left, but it inflamed ours,” said Dave Boomer, spokesman for Republican Mayor Jean Stothert.
“You had Heath Mello saying he was pretty excited about Bernie Sanders coming,” Mr. Boomer said. “Well, there are a lot more conservatives in Omaha than socialists. And the guy is a socialist.”
Ms. Stothert, 63, won reelection by 53 to 47 percent in a race that was pitched by Democrats as a referendum on President Trump, who won red-state Nebraska but lost blue-tilting Omaha to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in November.
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