Exclusive: Ashford ‘Strongly Considering’ 2013 Mayor’s Race
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State Senator Brad Ashford tells Nebraska Watchdog he is “strongly considering” a run for mayor of Omaha next year.
In an exclusive interview with Nebraska Watchdog, Ashford—who has not officially declared— sounded like a candidate.
“I’m prepared to run; I’m prepared to be mayor.”
Ashford, who says he is “drawn to city issues” looked at the mayor’s race four years ago but backed away. He says while he “really wanted to run” in 2009 he didn’t because he couldn’t run against his friend, Hal Daub.
As it turns out Daub—who lost the 2009 race to then candidate and now Mayor Jim Suttle—is currently running for the University of Nebraska’s Board of Regents against Ashford’s wife, Ann Ferlic Ashford.
Senator Ashford is term limited out of the Legislature at the end of 2014. He says he wants to “continue in public service.”
Ashford recently switched parties, from Republican to independent. Several years ago, before he was a Republican, Ashford was a Democrat.
There is no indication that Mayor Suttle, who survived a recall challenge in January 2011, will not run for re-election.
The other name often mentioned is Omaha businessman Dave Nabity. Nabity, who ran and lost for Governor in 2006, raised money for the recall effort.
Reported by Joe Jordan, joe@nebraskawatchdog.org
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Posted under News, Omaha City Hall, State Politics.
Tags: Brad Ashford, Dave Nabity, Jim Suttle, Joe Jordan, Nebraska Watchdog
11:58 am on February 2nd, 2012
This is Omaha’s biggest grandstander. He loves taxes, hates 2nd amendment rights, and is pro-choice.
12:11 pm on February 2nd, 2012
Is this the same Senator Brad Ashford who along with his five fellow Socialists senators on the Judiciary Committee made Nebraska a DeFacto Sanctuary State by REFUSING to ADVANCE any of the immigration ENFORCEMENT bills to the floor for a full debate and vote…who declared that illegal immigration was a Federal issue? By-passing the majority voice of Nebraskans while blaming his inaction on citizens who couldn’t garner the support of the Judiciary Committee members who are PRO-illegal alien ? Even though since 2006 Nebraskans have been taking off of work, driving in blizzards and other inclement weather to show up at public hearings on immigration ENFORCEMENT bills – being subjected to the nasty, angry and hateful comments from senators on the Judiciary Committee.
The same Ashford who started out as a Democrat, then Republican and now an Independent? Who enjoyed the benefits and support of Republican party members donations to push his PRO-illegal alien agenda while Chairman of the Judiciary Committee? Senator Ashford who while on the floor last year with the newly elected senators told them not to pay attention to the people outside of the glass looking in (meaning citizens who were emailing or calling in with opinions on various bills)? Senator Ashford who stood on the floor and threatened to table/kill LB403 if the repeal of the In-state Tuition/Dream Act wasn’t taken out of it?
Voting for Senator Brad Ashford for ANY office is as bad as voting for Obama.
12:26 pm on February 2nd, 2012
Who is Susan Smith?
12:31 pm on February 2nd, 2012
Susan — chill, baby. Why would we punish children for the sins of their parents? If these children are working toward legal citizenship, let them be.
Meanwhile, have you raised your voice at Sen. Donothing Johanns (former Democrat, by the way) who sits and fiddles the party line rather than working both sides of the aisle in order to solve the immigration issue?
12:37 pm on February 2nd, 2012
I got a chill when reading this article.
If Ashford claimed that the CIR needed to be dissolved, then that might win him the support he is looking for.
It might be pro support for term limits in Nebraska after all.
1:30 pm on February 2nd, 2012
Id give Brad a chance. Can’t do worst than Suttle.
1:38 pm on February 2nd, 2012
He may be ready to be mayor, but, is Omaha ready for him? I don’t think so.
1:41 pm on February 2nd, 2012
Who is “Omaha”?
2:29 pm on February 2nd, 2012
A mayor’s race of Suttle and Ashford is like a beauty contest that has only two contestants–and both are uggglieee.
3:20 pm on February 2nd, 2012
Brad is incredibly qualified. He led the Omaha Housing Authority out of bankruptcy, pioneered the Qwest Center and is tough on gun violence, which is a Major problem in Omaha. As far as “Idiot” saying he loves to tax… If you look at his record, you would realize you are just dead wrong. He is fiscally conservative and has been a leader in Lincoln in some of the most fiscally conservative years in this State’s history. Immigration is not an issue that is addressed by City government.
3:50 pm on February 2nd, 2012
Only mayor worse than Brad Ashford would be another four years of Jim Suttle…both incompetent Democrats owned by city unions. FWIW, I know Brad tried to pass as a Rep for awhile but his liberal Dem roots finally won out.
6:42 am on February 3rd, 2012
FYI, whenever someone identifies themself as a “moderate,” you can take it to the bank that they’re a huge Liberal.
I’ll always remember Ashford as the guy who was too stupid to remember to take the money from an ATM after stopping for some cash. Oof course it was gone when he went back to get it, then whined publicly about it until Commercial Federal gave him replacement money to make him finally shut up. If he’s incapable of operating an ATM, how good can he be running a city?
11:44 am on February 3rd, 2012
I’ll vote for Brad. He’ll be a great leader for Omaha. I mean, he can’t do any worse than Daub. A vote for Daub was a vote Bush and we all know what an ABSOLUTE MORON GEORGE WACKO BUSH IS!!!
Have a nice weekend losers now go eat yer gerber.
12:47 pm on February 3rd, 2012
Patrick: I know where George Bush went to college and even know his grades (better than Al Gores). I know he served as a fighter pilot in the National Guard. I know he was a successful business man and still is. Yet somehow he is, according to you, an absolute moron. As someone with an anti Bush anything syndrome you are evidently a progressive/liberal. In all fairness to we, the great unwashed, inform us a little on the background of the current POTUS just for comparison sakes. Things like his grade point average in college, the name of one of his girl friends in high school or college, the name of one person at Columbia who will state with certainty that he attended that college, whose social security number is he using, who wrote his memoirs, who sold him his home in Chicago and the adjoining lot, why he and his wife both no longer can practice law, an intellectual who can’t pronounce corpsman even when its placed for him to read on his ever present telepromter of the United States. Of course we know he can speak Austrian, knows that 10,000 people died in a tornado in Kansas, that Sioux Falls is in Iowa, Hawaii is part of Asia and that there at least 57 states in the US. Please, please mull this over and post a comment.
10:02 pm on February 3rd, 2012
susan smith: you said it all brad ashford is a joke surprise he is now an ‘independent’ Omaha needs a real strong leader for mayor not more of this liberal lying garbage we have had Fahey cost us a fortune so is suttle give me somebody who has a brain and some new ideas. sorry brad not you
1:13 am on February 4th, 2012
Ashford didn’t lead OHA out of bankrupcy, OHA never was in bankrupcy. He was in charge when they satisfied the Hawkins lawsuit. Oh, and the decisions made then are the reason OHA is being watched so close by HUD. OHA loses a ton of money managing the Hawkin’s units. He was full of baloney on that whole deal and now OHA is paying the price.
8:11 pm on February 4th, 2012
Brad Ashford is one of the strongest supporters of Planned Parenthood and abortion rights. Through his support, many babies have been killed.
This disqualifies him from holding office in my mind. I would never vote for someone who says its OK and legal for certain innocent human beings can be killed. I don’t care if Brad Ashford was running for dog catcher, there are just some basic human rights that rise above partisanship, above city politics, fixing potholes, merging local governments, tax policy, etc. Vote No on Ashford!
8:36 pm on February 5th, 2012
I didn’t think there could be anybody worse than Suttle…………I was wrong!
11:12 pm on February 5th, 2012
Brad Ashford introduced Housing In Omaha to Omaha housing authority while he was director of OHA. HIO has apparently been sustained financhially by Federal funds through OHA with no accountability. Fank Brown, one of his colleagues was the front person for HIO and OHA Board members that had inapropriate business interest in contracts with OHA. Frank Brown, according to an OHA Finance Manager received one half million dollars from OHA without providing a service in return. The Contracting manager at OHA protested and was dismissed for protesting about apperance of theft and granting contracts to cronies and friends by avoiding the vetting process of OHA that was was covertly ran by Frank Brown a crony of Brad Ashford. Frank Brown appeared to be the “bag man” for corruption at OHA. Mr. Brown nor HIO have accounted for imbezzled funds. OHA and HIO are being investigated by FBI and OIG and discrimination complaits have been filed but political influence seems to determine how the judge in charge rules on thge cases.
12:35 am on February 6th, 2012
Go Brad Go! I am very excited to support Ashford for Mayor – I think he is a smart dedicated leader who has taken on Omaha’s greatest issues for over 20 years. I think his time might be now!
1:52 pm on February 6th, 2012
James, your’e just plain wrong. Look at OHA’s status with HUD before and after Ashford’s term. Also, when Ashford entered Brown was in the de facto leader of OHA and his influence was greatly diminished under Ashford. OHA is ripe with incredible challenges and Ashford did a great job while he was there. Ashford tackles tough issues and finds resolutions, it p—– some people off, but I’d rather know where someone stood on the issues rather than support someone who just votes against everything and stands for nothing. I love the fact people are upset with him on this thread because that means he is actually addressing the issues. He is a great mediator and will always vote for something he believes in rather than folding to a party, a lobbyist or a financial supporter. His record speaks for itself.
9:15 pm on February 6th, 2012
@ Tackles, you are just plain wrong. Ashford pushed the HIO projects to settle the Hawkins lawsuit. And that decision is why OHA is on HUD’s list. They were so poorly setup, that OHA has had to subsidize them or lose these units back to the investors of the project. He was clueless then and now OHA is paying the price for his leadership.