Jean Stothert

Jean Stothert
51st Mayor of Omaha
In officeJune 10, 2013 – June 9, 2025
Preceded byJim Suttle
Succeeded byJohn Ewing Jr.
Member of the Omaha City Councilfrom the 5th district
In office2008–2013
Preceded byDan Welch
Succeeded byRich Pahls
Personal details
BornJean Louise Wolf (1954-02-07) February 7, 1954
Wood River, Illinois, U.S.
PartyRepublican
Spouse(s)
Joe Stothert
​
​
(m. 1981; died 2021)​
Kevin O'Rourke
​
(m. 2022)​
Children2
EducationSeattle Pacific University (BS)

Jean Louise Stothert (née Wolf; born February 7, 1954) is an American politician and former nurse who served as the 51st mayor of Omaha, Nebraska from 2013 to 2025. She was first elected in 2013, becoming the first woman to hold the office. She was reelected in 2017 and 2021, but lost reelection in 2025 to DemocratJohn Ewing Jr.

Early life and career

Jean Stothert was born on February 7, 1954, in Wood River, Illinois.[1][2] She earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Seattle Pacific University.

Stothert began her career in nursing. Her 12 years as a critical care nurse and nursing manager included serving as head nurse at St. Louis University in Missouri. She was responsible for her department budgeting, hiring and staff management.

Political career

In 1997, Stothert was elected to the Millard Board of Education. She was reelected twice and served three years as president of the board.

Entering politics after she and her husband moved to Omaha, Stothert was a candidate for the Nebraska Legislature in 2006. She was defeated by Steve Lathrop by 14 votes (5,073 to 5,059).[3]

In 2009, Stothert was elected to the Omaha City Council (District 5), defeating Jon Blumenthal, 7,401 to 4,308.[4]

Mayor of Omaha

On June 29, 2012, Stothert announced her candidacy for Mayor of Omaha.[5] She raised $513,124 for her campaign, compared to $804,700 raised by incumbent Jim Suttle.[6] Stothert received 32.2% of the votes in the April 2, 2013, primary election.[7] She was elected mayor with 57.32% of vote on May 14, 2013, defeating Suttle.[8] She is the first woman to hold this office.[9]

Stothert was reelected in 2017.[10] In 2019, there was a petition to get a recall of Stothert onto the ballot. According to Eric Scott, who filed the petition, the attempt failed due to insufficient funding and a lack of volunteers.[11] Scott cited concerns about infrastructure and potholes as the primary reason for the attempt.[12] Stothert won a third term[13] as mayor in 2021.

In 2022, a charter convention was held to amend the Omaha city charter; the convention resulted in 24 proposed amendments.[14] The most controversial amendment to pass delayed the process by which the city council president can be appointed acting mayor if the mayor leaves Omaha. An amendment adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected characteristics in the charter was rejected on grounds that a legal challenge to it could jeopardize other protected characteristics.[15] In June 2023, an Omaha resident filed paperwork to start petitions for the removal of both Stothert and city councilman Vinny Palermo.[16] The resident cited perceived corruption in the 2022 charter convention alongside a failure to repeal the restaurant tax as reasons to recall Stothert.[17]

Residential areas and downtown Omaha have high levels of lead in the environment, which is believed to be the result of lead plants that previously operated in Omaha.[18] The mayor's office and city council have created clean-up programs for residential homes and testing of contaminated soil.[19] On February 3, 2023, Stothert and the City of Omaha were awarded $34.3 million to put toward these programs from the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.[20]

Stothert signed an executive order in August 2023 that addressed firearms on city-owned properties.[21] The executive order bans the possession of concealed firearms and places public notices in the designated city-owned and city-leased land.[22] In November 2023, Stothert signed two City Council resolutions to address gun control in Omaha.[23] One removed state-mandated training and encourages residents to voluntarily seek training on gun use and safety. The second banned possession of home-assembled handgun kits.[24] These resolutions were made in collaboration by Stothert, the Omaha City Council, and Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.[23]

In November 2023, Stothert was named as the defendant in a federal lawsuit that contended that, by appointing Matt Kuhse as city attorney, she chose "a less qualified male candidate for the role".[25] The plaintiff, Michelle Peters, was Deputy City Attorney of Omaha. In response, Kuhse contended that the previous city attorney, Paul Kratz, recommended that someone outside of the city law department be appointed.[25] Stothert endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump in the 2024 United States presidential election, which was said to have been a factor in her defeat in the 2025 mayoral election.[26]

On May 13, 2025, Stothert lost reelection to John Ewing, the Douglas County treasurer.[26]

Personal life

Stothert married Joe Stothert in 1981. He became a critical care surgery specialist at the Nebraska Medical Center. The couple had two children, and were married until Joe Stothert died by suicide at age 72 on March 5, 2021, after struggling with his mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nebraska.[2] In July 2021, Stothert publicly refused to support additional mask mandates.

In May 2022, Stothert married J. Kevin O'Rourke, a retired anesthesiologist Stothert met when he was in medical school at St. Louis University and she was a critical care nurse at St. Louis University Hospital.

See also

References

  1. ^"Jean Stothert". The Women Leaders. July 28, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
  2. ^ abSullivan, Sean (May 15, 2013). "Meet Jean Stothert, Omaha's first elected woman mayor". Washington Post. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  3. ^"Nebraska Election 2006 Official General Election Results". Official Nebraska Government Website. Archived from the original on February 10, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  4. ^"Official Election Results City of Omaha"(PDF). Douglas County Election Commission. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  5. ^Perez Jr., Juan (June 28, 2012). "Stothert, Welch join Omaha mayor's race". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  6. ^"Omaha's next mayor". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  7. ^"2013 Primary Election Unofficial Results". Douglas County Election Commission. April 2, 2013. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
  8. ^Tysver, Robynn (May 15, 2013). "Jean Stothert wins by wide margin to become Omaha's first woman mayor". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  9. ^Perez Jr., Juan (May 19, 2013). "Jean Stothert urged to set new tone early". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  10. ^"Heath Mello loses Omaha mayor's race after anti-Trump theme, abortion message flop". The Washington Times. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  11. ^"Group formed to recall Omaha mayor ends its efforts". AP News. May 23, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  12. ^Chapman, John (April 18, 2019). "Group pushing for recall vote to oust Mayor Stothert". WOWT. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  13. ^Mastre, Brian (January 5, 2021). "Candidates running for Omaha Mayor turn in signatures". WOWT. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  14. ^Knoelk, Bryan. "Omaha's 2022 Charter Convention List Of Recommended Amendments – River City Omaha". Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  15. ^"Omaha City Council approves charter amendments for November election". KMTV 3 News Now Omaha. August 24, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  16. ^"South Omaha resident starts circulation process of recall petition against Councilman Vinny Palermo". KMTV 3 News Now Omaha. June 21, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  17. ^"Petition filed to recall Mayor Jean Stothert". KMTV 3 News Now Omaha. July 4, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  18. ^"Lead Contamination Discovered on Five School Campuses - City of Omaha". www.cityofomaha.org. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  19. ^"Lead Hazard Programs - City of Omaha Planning CD". planninghcd.cityofomaha.org. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  20. ^Ashford, Kellen (February 3, 2023). "EPA and HUD Officials Present Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert with $34.3M to Protect Children from Lead at Homes in City". EPA.gov.
  21. ^Anderson, Jake (August 30, 2023). "Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert signs executive order prohibiting possession of firearms at city properties". KETV. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  22. ^"Nebraska gunowners group assessing legal options after executive orders, Omaha proposals". KMTV 3 News Now Omaha. October 13, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  23. ^ abChapman, John (August 30, 2023). "Omaha mayor signs executive order banning firearms on city property". WOWT. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  24. ^Sanderford, Aaron (November 9, 2023). "Omaha mayor signs off on council's gun kit ordinance, gun resolutions". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  25. ^ abDvorak, Gina (November 9, 2023). "City of Omaha, mayor sued for sexual discrimination over City Attorney appointment". WOWT. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  26. ^ abReston, Maeve; Scherer, Michael; Dawsey, Josh; Parker, Ashley; Pager, Tyler; Schaul, Kevin; Perry, Kati; Melgar, Luis; Keating, Dan (May 13, 2025). "Democrats pull off an upset in Nebraska, electing Omaha's first Black mayor". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
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