RISE’s Jasmine Harris is running again for mayor of Omaha, Nebraska
OMAHA — Jasmine Harris, a nonprofit executive who has spent years helping Nebraskans reenter society after being released from prison, is trying for a second time to become Omaha’s mayor.
The director of public policy and advocacy for RISE, a justice-focused nonprofit, announced her campaign plans Tuesday in downtown Omaha, saying she wants to ensure the city and mayor of Omaha work better for the people of Omaha rather than special interests.
Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has announced her candidacy for a record-breaking fourth term. (Courtesy of Mayor Jean Stothert)
Harris said she will prioritize making people in every community in Omaha safer and healthier. She said she wants to make housing more affordable and economic development more equitable.
“I can’t stand idly by when I see an opportunity to address critical issues that prevent ordinary people in our city from thriving,” Harris said.
Telling people her budget will show her priorities
She said Omaha voters will be able to judge her priorities based on her budget. She said she would ensure there are more “checks and balances” on tax increment financing and other incentives for development.
She criticized the lack of progress on the Crossroads Mall redevelopment and said she shared public concerns about the cost of the streetcar project.
“We must ensure these projects serve daily lives and build our neighborhood economies and businesses,” she said.
Democrat Harris is entering the 2021 race.
The option on the left may also be the option on the right
She is the second Democrat to run in the official nonpartisan primary election on April 1, joining Democratic Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing.
Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing is pictured. (Courtesy Douglas County Treasurer’s Office)
Right-wing voters may also have options, with Republican Stothert seeking a fourth term and Republican state Sen. Mike McDonald, a former leader of the Omaha fire union, considering a run.
The two candidates with the highest number of votes will advance to the May 13 general election.
Harris and her campaign say they see a path driven by the energy of progressive voters and Stothert’s openness to change after three terms in office.
She pushed back against claims by some Democrats that her entry into the race could split the Democratic vote and open a path to the general election for McDonough, should he run.
Harris finished third in the 2021 mayoral primary, narrowly trailing centrist candidate RJ Neary by 1,100 votes. She said the intensity of the competition was a key reason for her to compete again.
She also told a story about her teenage daughter, who went to a basketball game in Chicago and asked if they would ever leave Omaha one day. Harris said she wants to help make Omaha a city her daughter would want to stay.
“You know, if eight years as president is good enough and eight years as governor is good enough, then eight years is good enough for other elected offices,” Harris said.
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