Omaha Democrats have their first, possibly their first of several candidates for mayor next year.

[View our full video report above]

John Ewing, Omaha Mayoral Candidate (D): “I would love to have your vote and have your support I'm John Ewing and I want to be your next mayor.”

In his 17th year as Douglas County Treasurer, John Ewing, a former Deputy Chief in the Omaha Police Department, is the first Democrat ready to take on incumbent Republican Jean Stothert and Ewing has come out swinging.

Ewing: “I promise that I will be transparent, that I will restore public trust to that office.

Joe Jordan, NCN: “How has Mayor Stothert lost the public trust?”

Ewing: “What I would suggest is when you make promises on the campaign trail you should keep them, and there are some promises that were made in 2013 about eliminating the restaurant tax. In 2017 about the streetcar being on the ballot for the citizens of Omaha."

First the streetcar, which Ewing says will now cost upwards of $400 million.

Ewing: “I believe it's a great opportunity for economic development. I just believe it's too expensive and we should not have done it without a vote of the people when it's that expensive.”

Jordan: “The mayor has said…

JANUARY 2022

Mayor Jean Stothert: “What I said Joe at that time was the city will not build a streetcar if it requires a citywide property tax increase. And I said if the public is asked to pay then they will be given the opportunity to vote, that's what I said. And so, the public is not being asked to pay.” 

Ewing: “Anytime you create additional debt, that money comes from somewhere. We're going to pay more even if it's not a specific tax increase for the project.”

And then there's that restaurant tax which Stothert says she still hears about.

JULY 2023

Mayor Stothert: “Everybody asks me every year, why don't you get rid of that restaurant tax.” 

Jordan: “Are you in favor of the restaurant tax?” 

Ewing: “I think we have to look at can we reduce that restaurant tax because it's making a lot of money for the city, but if you promise you're going to eliminate it that's what should have happened.”

JULY 2023

Stothert: “I voted against the restaurant tax when I was on the City Council because I thought it was really going to hurt the restaurant business. Obviously, it has not. It goes up every single year."

This is Stothert’s 4th campaign for mayor and she's never had a close race. Ewing’s been in at least one tight race, barely losing a bid for Congress in 2012. This mayor's race is over a year away and more candidates are still possible.