Nebraska State Senator Suzanne Geist has resigned to focus on her race for mayor of Lincoln. Geist finished 2nd yesterday to incumbent Democrat Leirion Gaylor Bair in the mayoral primary 49-33%. The general election is May 4.
Geist, a conservative who’s already spent over a million dollars in the race, said in announcing her resignation that she gives 100% to everything she does and now needs to give full attention to the race.
Geist’s resignation takes effect at the end of the day today and Governor Jim Pillen says he will name her successor this afternoon. The appointee will serve the final 20 months of Geist’s term.
The governor said it’s imperative to have the seat filled “every single minute of the Legislative session, so that we can continue to work to protect kids, cut taxes, grow agriculture, and defend conservative values.”
Pillen’s announcement that he would name the new senator the next day drew criticism from Democrats in the officially nonpartisan legislature
Democratic Senator Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha says she can’t remember the last time there was a gubernatorial appointment to a legislative seat without an application period first, adding that it’s “disrespectful (and) just reeks of cronyism.”