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Governor Ricketts and Wisconsin Governor Walker hold rally for Mayor Stothert

Posted at 3:23 PM, Apr 24, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-24 19:56:45-04

Governor Pete Ricketts and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker held a news conference and rally in support of Mayor Jean Stothert's bid for reelection.

About 100 people attended the event at DC Centre in Northwest Omaha. 

Governors Walker and Ricketts have praised Mayor Stothert for a variety of issues like reducing government spending without raising taxes, revamping union contracts, and adding police officers. 

Both Gov. Ricketts and Gov. Walker call voting for Stothert common sense. Stothert says her leadership will keep Omaha moving forward. 

"I go out on a daily basis to the voters. What they want is they want the city well run,” she said. “They want somebody that can make executive decisions on best interest of the tax payers. My opponent has never made an executive decision. He’s never had an executive position. He’s been one of 49 legislators." 

Sthothert says being alongside Gov. Ricketts and Gov. Walker shows their unity with Midwest roots and common sense. 

"Do you want Midwestern common sense to rule the day?” Walker said. “Or do you want East Coast radicals to make decisions about what happens in Omaha? I firmly believe the voters here, like much of those out in the Midwest, want common sense to prevail. We like Midwestern common sense. We don't need the attention from East Coast" 

The event drew a contrast between Sen. Bernie Sanders’ rally last week. The Stothert campaign has made a point to say they value the smaller event that they hosted Monday over Sanders’ rally that filled Baxter Arena. 

Sanders was in Omaha on behalf of challenger Heath Mello. 

Earlier Monday, Mello laid out a plan to address the wage gap. He cited research that says women make 79 cents for every dollar a man makes in Omaha. 

Mello also says this wage gap exists at city hall. He says his plan will stop city departments from asking about wage history when hiring and encourage private employers to do the same. 

Mello went on to say that unveiling his plan to close the wage gap Monday was strategic..

 

"I think it speaks volumes in regards to what Mayor Stothert, who she is bringing in to campaign with her to talk about their very similar governing styles and the admiration she has for the way he's governed Wisconsin,” Mello said. “Gov. Walker repealed Wisconsin’s equal pay law. That frankly for me is just unbelievable and unacceptable."