Exclusive: Council Fight Finds Democrats With Elephant’s Memory
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Nebraska Watchdog has learned that Omaha Democrats have two words for Republicans that are expecting party politics to rear its ugly head in the fight over the next member of the Omaha City Council.
The two words: Stu Dornan. 
The memory of Dornan’s name is surfacing as the Democratic controlled council prepares to select a successor to Republican Chuck Sigerson. Sigerson, who suffered a heart attack and stroke in August, is resigning effective March 1st.
Some Democrats are thinking payback.
In 2003, Douglas County Attorney Jim Jansen, a Democrat, stepped down to join a private law firm. Jansen publicly backed fellow Democrat Don Kleine, Jansen’s 
chief deputy for 12 years, to get the job.
But the post went to Republican Stu Dornan as Democrats screamed foul.
Back then the Douglas County Board, which appointed Dornan, was made up of five Republicans and two Democrats. The vote for Dornan was 4-3. Only one Republican, Mary Ann Borgeson voted for Kleine.
Several Democrats, including Jansen, complained that if the board had based its selection on qualifications and not politics, Kleine (who was considered by many to be the best prosecutor in Nebraska) would have won hands down.
At the time Republican Party leader David Kramer, who helped recruit Dornan, was quoted by the Omaha World Herald as saying, ”It is my job to see that Republicans are elected and (picked) when there are opportunities to get appointed.” Kramer also told the newspaper that Dornan was highly qualified.
Three years later, in the 2006 general election, Kleine defeated Dornan at the ballot box.
If a Democrat is named to Sigerson’s heavily Republican northwest Omaha district, most insiders on both sides think it’s a three year deal; that come the 2013 city election the GOP will win the seat back.
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Reported by Joe Jordan, joe@nebraskawatchdog.org
Posted under Blog, Omaha City Hall, Omaha Government.
Tags: Chuck Sigerson, David Kramer, Don Kleine, Joe Jordan, Nebraska, Stu Dornan, Watchdog
9:36 am on February 12th, 2010
How about Chuck making the selection on who should succeed him and the board giving an up or down vote? The way it is now would be like the whole Congress picking a successor to one of our Reps.
The only other way would be to have a special election in the district. That would eliminate the outside influence of the parties if it was handled correctly.
12:21 pm on February 12th, 2010
I like that idea John. Let Chuck have some input otherwise special election.
2:12 pm on February 14th, 2010
Oh please not Stu Dornan…take Dave Friend first he is smart, he can explain things so people will understand them and he is a straight shooter…you will always know where Dave stands and he says it to your face…Dornan is just another lawyer and payback from his friends
2:37 pm on February 15th, 2010
How about an independent, someone who will represent the people, not the party.
1:30 pm on February 25th, 2010
Jayzzee, I think that you mis-read the article. They are not saying that Stu Dornan is in pursuit of the position, they are saying that they will put a Democrate in there for the sole reason of being a democrate. Lets call it pay-back. Stu Dornan is not even in Chuck Sigersons’ district.