District details
Either Republican Gilbert Ayala or Democrat Margo Juarez will replace Sen. Mike McDonnell, who switched parties to become a Republican after being the lone Democrat to vote for a 12-week abortion ban and a law that restricted gender affirming care for minors.
This is Ayala’s third time running for the Legislature after two unsuccessful tries. Juarez is a member of the Omaha Public Schools board. Ayala said he is semi-retired. He told the Omaha Daily Record in 2021 that he worked as a shift supervisor for CVS and an employee at Domino’s Pizza. He said he is running for election to uphold conservative values and would like voters to know he is honest and straightforward. The Nebraska Farm Bureau and Nebraska GOP both endorsed Ayala.
Juarez was appointed to the OPS board in 2021. Voters elected her to the position the following year. She said she is retired but works part-time at a local community center and remains active in the community – including with the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance and Assistance League of Omaha. She said she is running to advocate for public schools. The Nebraska teachers union and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska endorsed her.
On the issues
Ayala said his top priorities are to lower taxes, support economic growth and value public safety, and he said he would specifically lower property taxes by freezing the state budget for two years.
If elected, Juarez said she would support affordable housing and be an advocate for families, children and the elderly.
Ayala and Juarez have different beliefs about transgender individuals. Specifically, Ayala told the Flatwater Free Press he would strongly support legislation similar to the Sports and Spaces Act, which would only allow people to play on sports teams or use a bathroom if the designation matched their sex at birth. He said he is running for office to uphold conservative values. Juarez said she would strongly oppose that legislation and said Nebraska needs to accept diverse populations.
The two candidates also disagree about abortion bans. Juarez supports a 24-week ban and said she supports a woman’s right to choose. Ayala supports the current law, which implemented a 12-week ban. But he also said he would vote for a shorter ban too.
Ayala said he strongly agreed with the school choice bill passed earlier this year. Juarez said she is fine with choice but opposes using taxpayers dollars to fund education at private schools. “When private schools accept ALL students, then I will reconsider,” she said.
Location
The district covers much of south Omaha between 72nd Street and Interstate 480.
In the primary
Juarez received 61 more votes than Ayala, meaning she earned about 38% of the vote to Ayala’s 36%. A third democratic candidate received 26% of the vote and later endorsed Juarez.
