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Nine candidates for Lincoln City Council — including three incumbents — will vie for the three at-large seats in the upcoming primary election. Two candidates are running for one open seat on the Lincoln Airport Authority. Friday was the deadline for candidates to file for the April 8 city primary election, and the three City Council incumbents face a field of candidates that includes a former mayoral candidate, a former council member, two previous council candidates, a local activist and an electrician.
The three incumbents are Democrats — Bennie Shobe, Sändra Washington and Tom Beckius — who help make up a 6-1 Democrat majority on the officially nonpartisan council. Their challengers include three Republicans and three registered nonpartisans. Because the council is a nonpartisan office, no party labels appear on the ballot, though the two parties do recruit and support candidates.
Voters will select three candidates in the primary and the top six will continue to the general election regardless of party affiliation. Council members are paid $24,000 a year. People are also reading.
.. The challengers are: Jerry Shoecraft Jerry Shoecraft, a Republican who served two terms as an at-large member on the City Council in the 1990s and ran an unsuccessful bid for election to northeast’s District 1 in 2003.
He came to Nebraska from Muncie, Indiana, in the late 1970s and was a Husker basketball standout. He is now the property manager of privately owned student apartments at 1801 R St. called the 50/50.
He and his wife also own Sapp Craft Properties. Stan Parker, 2023 Lincoln mayoral candidate Stan Parker, a Republican, is a former Husker offensive lineman who runs a nonprofit Christian ministry and made an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2022 against Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and former state Sen. Suzanne Geist.
He is the founder of MyBridge, which operates Christian radio stations across the state as well as offering training and education to other nonprofit ministries. Elina Newman, 2023 District 3 Lincoln City Council candidate Elina Newman, a registered nonpartisan , is a first-generation immigrant from Azerbaijan who is a pharmacy technician and teaches psychology. She ran for an at-large City Council seat in 2021 and southwest Lincoln’s District 3 seat in 2023.
Zeb Maher Aurang Zeb, a Republican, is a small-business owner who ran for an at-large council seat in 2021 as a Democrat and ran an unsuccessful bid for the Lincoln Airport Authority in 2019. A Pakistani immigrant who moved to Lincoln in 2003, he flips houses and runs a painting company. Maghie Miller-Jenkins Maghie Miller-Jenkins, a registered nonpartisan, was active in the Black Lives Matter protests and more recently has been involved in pro-Palestinian activities, including appearing before the City Council to urge members to take an official stand against the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
Rene Carrillo Rene Carrillo, a registered nonpartisan, is low-voltage foreman at Commonwealth Electric Co. of the Midwest, according to his LinkedIn account. He also is a member of the local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
The incumbents are: Tom Beckius Beckius , who is seeking a second term and owns several small businesses focused on real estate and construction. He served on the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission before being elected to the council in 2021. Bennie Shobe Shobe , who is seeking a third term on the council.
A native of Kentucky, Shobe moved to Lincoln in 1998 to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is a program analyst with the Nebraska Department of Labor. Sändra Washington Washington , who was appointed to fill an at-large seat in 2019 vacated by Leirion Gaylor Baird when she became mayor. She was elected to her first four-year term in 2021.
She worked with the National Park Service for nearly 25 years, retiring as associate regional director of the Midwest Region for cultural resources, planning, construction, communications, legislation and congressional affairs. The candidates for Lincoln Airport Authority are: Vanessa Emlich, who is a Democrat appointed by Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird in 2023 to fill a vacancy. She's now running for a full six-year term.
She is the director of audit operations for a health care company and has served on the board of the Mental Health Association of Nebraska. Tom Trumble, who is a Republican and a commissioner on the Nebraska Aeronautics Commission with the Nebraska Department of Transportation, according to his LinkedIn account. He worked for Olsson as an engineering airport design consultant for 10 years before he retired, and for JEO Consulting prior to that, according to LinkedIn.
Both candidates for the officially nonpartisan position will advance to the general election. The five-member Airport Authority meets once a month and is responsible for setting policy and overseeing the budget for the Lincoln Airport and its LNK Enterprise Park industrial area. Positions are unpaid.
Mail-in voting fears; city replaces lead pipes; Husker Games coming Top Journal Star photos for February 2025 As icy stalactites hang from the ceiling, Sawyer Downs, 25, and his neighbor Macoy Fergus look for personal effects inside of the Downs home near 25th and L street, which was destroyed in Tuesday's fire, on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Lincoln. The Lincoln North Star team celebrates after defeating Omaha Marian in the A-4 district final on Friday at Lincoln North Star.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln freshman Carter Geddings, a business administration major from Fremont, shoots hoops outside Abel Hall on Tuesday in Lincoln. After the extreme cold last week caused school closures, warmer temperatures returned to Lincoln this week. Lincoln East’s Jadeon Carter celebrates winning the Boys 200 Yard Freestyle Relay on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln.
Lincoln Southeast's Chewy Thoat (33) and Tre Bollen (12) carry the A-6 district plaque to the student section following the Knights' victory over Lincoln Northeast on Monday at Lincoln Northeast High School. Lincoln Pius X's Ellie Wells holds the net after the Bolts defeated Elkhorn North in the B-2 district final on Saturday in Lincoln. Norris High School senior Anneliese Bargen (left) and Raymond Central senior Sarah Lange pose for a portrait on Thursday at the Capitol.
The two students were selected to take part in the prestigious U.S. Senate Youth Program in Washington, D.
C. Omaha Westview's Kalynn Lyons (left) wrestles to win against Bennington's Maycee Peacher during the Class A 130-pound championship match at the state wrestling tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at CHI Health Center Omaha.
Nebraska’s Jessica Petrie (left) and Washington’s Elle Ladine vie for possession of the ball on Feb. 23 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Lincoln East’s Jadeon Carter (front) and Bellevue’s Alexander Jones compete in the Boys 500 Yard Freestyle on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln.
Lincoln Pius X's Joe Andreasen celebrates his win against Sidney’s Patrick McCartney wrestles during the Nebraska Class B 190-pound championship match on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at CHI Health Center in Lincoln. Jed Stonacek (from left), Kelli Dorsey and Brian Dorsey wade out of the water at Holmes Lake during Saturday's Polar Plunge.
The annual event challenges costumed participants to plunge into the cold water to raise money from family and friends for Special Olympics Nebraska. Prizes were awarded for creativity and money raised. Lincoln Fire and Rescue personnel battle flames as they respond to a three house fire near South 25th and L streets on Tuesday, Feb.
18, 2025, in Lincoln. People gather during a Presidents Day protest Monday at the Capitol. Rev.
Wheeler Parker Jr., cousin of Emmett Till and the last living eyewitness to Till’s abduction, poses for a photo at City Impact on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in Lincoln.
Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr., cousin of Emmett Till and the last living eyewitness to Till’s abduction, as the keynote speaker for its 2nd Annual Black History Month event and program, “We're Not Done Yet!” Lincoln Northeast’s Elijah Harris and Papio South’s Jayden Herrera reach for the ball in front of Papio South’s Grant Beckenhauer, Lincoln Northeast’s Lazerek Houston and Papio South’s Levi Webb on Friday, Feb.
14, 2025, at Lincoln Northeast High School in Lincoln. The Church of Blues Duo performs during Lincoln Exposed on Wednesday in Lincoln. Elvis tribute artist Taylor Salamon (from left) of Colorado Springs, Colorado, (from left) speaks with fellow Elvis performers Ryan Rose, of Tipp City, Ohio, and Benjamin Johnson of Missouri during the Nebraska Elvis Festival held at The Graduate Hotel on Friday.
Nebraska's Brice Williams (right) attempts a 3-pointer against Maryland's Derik Queen on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Lexis Funk (left) and Aud Koch clear snow from the west steps of the Capitol on Wednesday.
Frigid temperatures kept Civil War reenactors from standing guard near the Abraham Lincoln statue as they normally do on the anniversary of 16th president's birthday. Wednesday would have been the 216th anniversary. The cold also drove people to Lincoln's homeless shelter.
The People's City Mission reported it had 430 people spending Wednesday night in the shelter, which was built to house up to 280 guests, meaning many slept on mattresses on the floor. Moore Middle School student Charani Kummiti competes in the 2025 LPS Spelling Bee at Culler Middle School on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Lincoln.
Nebraska’s Balvin Israel lands during the Men’s Triple Jump on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln. Savannah Gardner laughs while barreling down the Holmes Lake dam Wednesday.
Dick Wolf (from left), Pat Wolf, Mary Ann Bendezu and Don True practice lunging with their foils during an introductory fencing class at Aging Partners Victory Park Senior Center on Friday. Attendees of Nebraska Walk for Life, including Sen. Tanya Storer of Whitman (center), recite the Pledge of Allegiance on Saturday, Feb.
1, 2025, at the Capitol. Nebraska’s Juwan Gary dunks the ball on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.
Kristi Sittner sets up her booth in preparation for the Nebraska Builders Home and Garden Show on Thursday at the Sandhills Global Event Center. Sittner is the owner of “Tailored Landscapes,” and said she thinks people are often “pleasantly surprised when they find something to shop for” due to many of the booths being construction-based. The show runs through Sunday at the center, South 84th Street and Havelock Avenue.
Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.
m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.
m. Sunday. Admission is $10 per person with 10% of ticket prices going to the Food Bank of Lincoln.
New head volleyball coach Dani Busboom Kelly (right) speaks to fans during a welcome celebration held on Thursday at the Devaney Sports Center. Lincoln North Star's Sarah Gatwech (second left) celebrates after defeating Lincoln Southwest in the Heartland Athletic Conference championship Saturday at Lincoln North Star High School. Loralei Jeffery shows her mother Sara (right) an egg that was laid earlier in the morning on Tuesday.
The Jeffery family coop gives the family a steady supply of eggs. Heather Circo holds a sign towards oncoming cars during the National Day of Protest on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln.
Former Nebraska head volleyball coach John Cook (center) raises his fist as he is recognized for his service during a welcome celebration held on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, at the Devaney Sports Center. Lincoln Northeast's Lazerek Houston (center left) celebrates the win against Lincoln North Star with teammate Quincy Montoya on Saturday at North Star.
Michigan's Syla Swords (left) defends against Nebraska's Britt Prince on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Contact the writer at mreist@journalstar.
com or 402-473-7226. On Twitter at @LJSReist. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
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