Mayoral candidates in Lincoln urged to drop the dirty politics, have a real conversation

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Candidates looking to lead Lincoln have been challenged to put attack ads aside and have a conversation with the community on Tuesday.

The first public forum since the primary election is being held at Mount Zion Baptist Church at 6 p.m.

All mayoral and city council candidates who advanced to the general election have been invited to participate.

Almost a dozen organizations have teamed up to put this together, including the League of Women Voters, OutNebraska and the NAACP’s Lincoln branch.

Incumbent Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and former State Sen. Suzanne Geist received the most votes in the mayoral race last Tuesday.

Geist then announced her decision to resign from the Nebraska Legislature to fully concentrate on her mayoral campaign.

Just days before the primary election, Gaylor Baird called on Geist to denounce lies she says are being spread by Together Nebraska, which is a political action committee that supports the former senator.

“Buying elections with seedy attack ads full of lies may work in national politics, but we should reject that approach in our city,” Gaylor Baird said.

She was referencing advertisements that claim the mayor doesn’t even live in Lincoln.

It does not appear that Geist has addressed the issue, but she did release a statement following the election saying, “Lincoln voters have spoken, it is clear they are ready for a change, and it is time to move Lincoln forward.”