Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Omaha's next Mayor...

We've seen the various lists of those who might run.
Here is ours:

In (most likely)

Hal Daub
Former Mayor, former Coungressman, former MECA board member, current attorney







Jim Suttle
City Councilman, former Omaha Public Works Director, former board member HDR, Inc.







Van Argyrakis
Attorney







Thinking about it:

Jim Vokal
City Councilman, commercial real estate broker








Dan Welch
City Councilman, attorney








P.J. Morgan
Former Mayor, commercial real estate developer








A few outside the box

Scott Hazelrigg
Director Northstar Foundation, Westside school board, former Executive Director & President of the Board of Trustees of the Strategic Air & Space Museum






John Ewing
Douglas County Treasurer, former Deputy Chief of Police, (at the Fahey retirement announcement)







Shane Osborn
State Treasurer, decorated veteran








Who did we miss? Who has a shot? Who has no shot?
Comment on...

59 comments:

Anonymous said...

Much as I like Hal, I don't think he can win. This is not a GOP town anymore, and Hal can't pull D or I votes.

Plus his fundraising ability ain't what it used to be. Sounds like many of the many guys are desperate for someone else.

That said, go git em Hal!

Anonymous said...

Should have been many of the money guys.

Janelle said...

i've like Ewing, he's done great things at the treasurers office

Anonymous said...

Vokal has won twice in a D district and is a solid choice for Mayor.

Anonymous said...

Chambers bucks!

Kate Witek? could she possibly want to lose again?

Anonymous said...

won't be shane since he doesn't live in the city limits (perhaps no one told him that yet...). he lives in Stone Creek

Anonymous said...

Shane Osborn will be our next US Senator - pretty sure he lives in that district.

Dan Welch rules, Hal Daub drools.

Ricky said...

How about Ernie Chambers?
or

Ricky Fulton?

Anonymous said...

Ricky Bobby?

Anonymous said...

I would like John Ewing, and thats about it. No one else there, republican or democrat, would get any love or support from me. What an incredibly dissapointing group...

Anonymous said...

And I dont even think John Ewing is going to run, he was elected what, two years ago? Not ready for that yet in my opinion

Anonymous said...

I have no shot.

Anonymous said...

Jesus H Christ, this city is so screwed.

Anonymous said...

I know it's early, but I'm throwing in with Van The Man.

He's rockin' that mullet like it's 1986.

God, I love being a Republican!

Street Sweeper said...

Alas, Van is an Independent...

Anonymous said...

I like Hal and like it, or not he tends to get the job done.

Hazelrigg would be an excellent Mayor and has proven leadership qualities. I have never heard his name mentioned, SS, where did you get his name from?

I don't think Dan could get elected due to his pointing out of the elephant in the room ie:pension and union contracts.

The rest seem to have already had their time or need a little more time.

My two cents, or not.

Anonymous said...

Go Hazelrigg!

Anonymous said...

Osborn will not be running for Mayor of Omaha.

Anonymous said...

Osborn will be running for mayor of omaha

Anonymous said...

It's interesting how a person that represents 1/7th of the city thinks they can run and win for mayor. When was the last time a councilman (or councilwoman) won the mayor's race??? Just some food fot thought.

Anonymous said...

To 3rd Floor:
Grandma Seng jumps to mind.

Anonymous said...

I am using this forum to announce my candidacy for Mayor of Omaha.

Street Sweeper said...

I'm leaving this last comment up just to point out that, in the future, these types of comments will be deleted.

-SS

Anonymous said...

3rd Floor,

Your reasoning is whack. Hald Daub, the presumed front runner, currently represents NONE of the city. By your logic, John Ewing is the only one qualified to run, but I'm not sure he's even qualified to talk about it.

Anonymous said...

Hal Daub all the way!

Anonymous said...

I'll tell you who can't be on the list: Jim Esch.

Two weeks ago, he teed off Chambers by bailing from the rally in N.O.

Now he dissed Fahey by not showing up at the event yesterday.

Good effective outreach, Jim.

Word is the press wants to talk w/him to follow-up on 'certain matters'. He's nowhere to be found.

Anonymous said...

Hal can put it on cruise control; he's going to win in a landslide.

In fact, I have a copy of his new campaign commercial. It it, he's featured roaming the streets as his campaign theme song plays.

Anonymous said...

To Peter and Anonymous: First Mayor Seng is a different deal. Lincon has 3 at-large council seats and 4 districts that eachcover a 1/4 of the City of Lincon. Seng had more voter ID than any omaha councilperson. Remember folks R or D on here we know every elected official, but does the average Voter???

On point 2. Hal Daub was a 4 term congressman and 2 time senate candidate that was on the ballot for every omaha resident in 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, and 90. He also was mayor and on the ballot 95, 97, 01. Love him or hate him Hal has very high Name ID.

Ok lets go back in the way back machine Peabody, I think it was Al Veys was the last councilman elected mayor and that was a write-in campaign almost 40 years ago.

Look at all the Councilperson roadkill, Council, Herd, Anzaldo, Callinger, Cleary, and a few others that had visions of Mayorhood. For you Lee Terryites, Lee was the last councilperson to run for a high office off the council and win, HE BEAT MICHAEL SCOTT, NOT HAL DAUB!!

Anonymous said...

Our city needs new young blood and someone with a vision to move us in a positive direction. HAZELRIGG is the man!

Anonymous said...

Scott Hazelrigg would put Omaha on the map as a place for young people to come and prosper!

Anonymous said...

You mean the Susie Buffet a/k/a Bright Futures plant, Scott Hazelrigg???? These guys not only want control of the School Districts but the City of Omaha!!!!

Anonymous said...

Here is how I see it:

- Hal has the name (like him or not) and the money - of which any candidate will need AT LEAST $1-1.5M and likely more. Hal can get this kind of money and will likely keep other Repubs out of the race for this reason alone.

- Scott Hazelrigg is the only other Republican who can give Hal a run and recently ran a private poll to see how he stacked up...but did not release the results. Only Scott knows what kind of $$ he has to raise to win - which I'm sure is steap.

- This is a Republican election to lose now. The Dem's will likely not find a candidate that can match Hal or Scott in money and name recognition. If a Republican is not elected, they will only be able to blame themselves this time around.

- The only reason why Hal could win again is because of Fahey...who made Hal (and most otheres for that matter) look much better than before. The Dem's can thank Fahey for the resurgance of Hal.

Anonymous said...

Good observation, I love Omaha, but Scott Hazelrigg has a record to run from. He has a lot of District 66 voters mad at him for blowing the lid levy's out of the water. Remember 66 uses a caucus system to elect their board members (the same system Obama used to win the nomination). If he stood for a popular vote he would have been crucified.

Remember Taxes are Hal's turf. I can imagine the commercials now showing District 66 seniors selling their homes because Scott Hazelrigg wanted every child in Regency to have a laptop furnished by the taxpayers.

Anonymous said...

The only reason Hal could win again is because of the money connections he has. If Fahey was in then he would take the hat again, Hal wouldn't have a chance.

Anonymous said...

You folks who think Hal is going to cruise to $1 million are nuts. Most money people in the city are looking for someone to run other than Hal or Suttle. We wouldn't be talking about Sigerson, Vokal, Welch, Hazelrigg, Ashford, Osborn, etc. if Hal was the unanimous choice.

Not to mention, this is the guy who had to dig deep into his own pocket for (another) misguided senate run, in addition to being the guy who raised far less than he told the McCain camp he would raise. From a money perspective, this isn't Hal's town anymore.

Anonymous said...

Fahey's hat has a permanent hole in it. It got there when he shot himself in the foot while being an ASS to David Sokol.

Anonymous said...

ummm, asecurityguard, Daub raised $3/4 of a million for McCain in ONE EVENT. No other candidate will be able to raise money like him.

Anonymous said...

...sorry asecurityguard, meant to direct that to buck turgidson.

Anonymous said...

Sure anonymous, after he told McCain he'd raise $1.5.

The next republican in the mayoral primary will be very competitive with Hal on the money front.

Anonymous said...

To Buck: When the voters find out who is donating that money they won't vote for that Republican.

Anonymous said...

Sweeper: You need a new picture of Jim Vokal....He looks like Pete Ricketts with anorrexea.

Anonymous said...

3rd floor watcher--FYI Regency isn't in District 66.

Anonymous said...

To anonymous: Really, there are dozens of homes on Brentwood rd, Fieldcrest Dr and Broadmoor Rd in Regency that are in District 66!!! Go get the map. Plus the portion of of regency that is in OPS, most of those kids go to Westside on the option program. Scott Hazelrigg gives Laptops to Rich OPS kids with Westide retirees tax money!!!!

Anonymous said...

FYI Scott Hazelrigg was on the Board when Westside allocated $3,311,511 on the laptop program for 1,930 Apple iBook computers for students. That comes to $1,715.80 a laptop. Seems to me they could have bought A windows model for a 1/3 of the price.

They now want to give free laptops to eigth graders. I guess not only can you write those 40 page indepth 8th grade term papers you can catch the newest Hanna Montana video on You Tube at School.

Anonymous said...

Scott Who? Come on. Half of the business community hasnt even heard of him and certainly his name ID is under 15% citywide. How does a guy who has no City experience and has been running non-profits all of his "business career" think he can pull this off? This election will be about experience and vision and Scott has showed neither in his "career".

Anonymous said...

Hazelrigg would be a puppet. If he gets in, watch where the money comes from!!! Him and Susie Buffet are BFFs. That liberal power hungry crowd has run OPS into the ground and now they have set their sights on city hall.

Anonymous said...

Hazelrigg polled below 5% to Daub's 92% name recognition on his poll. Hazelrigg would be a nice foil, but there's no way they would put up such a lightweight with no experience up against Daub. This is Hal's year.

Anonymous said...

Like it or not, Hal has the edge of Republicans. Only other Republican out there that would have a chance is Vokal because he has won twice in a democrat district and would win that area with the help of dems. He is very popular in his district with both dems and especially Rep's. May have to wait one more time because of Hal, but regardless, he'd be tough in a General against any Dem. That is why they put the Top Dem Pitbull (ban them), Boyle, against him last time, to take him out permanently in fear of him taking higher office.

Anonymous said...

Jim Vokal needs to eat a sandwhich or something.....Looks like Maria Schriver Note to Jim...put on 20lbs for the council race.

Anonymous said...

David Sokol for Mayor!!!

Anonymous said...

Isn't David Sokol a resident of Jackson Wyoming?

Anonymous said...

Doesn't matter, Mike Fahey resides at the Lake of the Ozarks!!!! The law was changed to allow the chief of staff's residence to be the deciding factor.

Anonymous said...

Suttle is a back-stabbing double dealing clown. I want him to run for mayor so everyone can see what a joke he is, evident by his Rosenblatt plan and his plan to require us all to get permits to install a light switch in our own homes.

Plus maybe he will have some very tough questions to answer publicly. I can think of several, and I should know :) {Hear me knockin' Jim?}

Anonymous said...

Dan Welch all the way. This town needs someone young...not to mention freaking HOT!!!! Marry me!!

Anonymous said...

I would like to see Ashford for Mayor....he is ACTUALLY the only one with the experience to compete with Daub....Hazelrigg is a joke...

Anonymous said...

Argyrakis is the only Democrat in the race. Suttle moved to Council Bluffs to pay lower taxes.

Anonymous said...

"Jimmy" Vokal voted for the police spiked pension plan, fifty plus dogs have been shot by police during his term, most in his district, with no action on his part. Rest assured I will be on 72nd & Dodge, 90th & Dodge and every other busy street corner with this message. Now he is pandering to North Omaha on CTI though his conduit, Frank Brown. This man is disgusting and makes me want to vomit. Please, people, don't vote this man into office.

Anonymous said...

"Jimmy" Vokal voted for the police spiked pension plan, fifty plus dogs have been shot by police during his term, most in his district, with no action on his part. Rest assured I will be on 72nd & Dodge, 90th & Dodge and every other busy street corner with this message. Now he is pandering to North Omaha on CTI though his conduit, Frank Brown. I find this man (Vokal) disgusting and he makes me want to vomit. Please, people, don't vote this man into office.

Street Sweeper said...

Anony,
You might want to put your comments on today's post instead of one from a few months ago...