Welcome To The DCDP LGBTQIA Caucus Website and Blog


OMAHA, NE – Here is a list of Democrats running for office in Douglas County, Nebraska.   They will be on your specific ballots when you vote.  These Democrats run on a wide range of issues. Let’s keep Omaha and Douglas County Blue!!!

President – Barack Obama and Joe Biden

US Senate – Bob Kerrey

2nd Congressional District – John Ewing

Board of Regents – Larry Bradley

County Clerk – Tom Cavanaugh

County Commissioner #1 – Mike Boyle

County Commissioner #3 – Christopher Rodgers

County Commissioner #5 – Marc Kraft

Learning Community #4 – Amy Friedman

MCC – Board of Directors #1 – Linda McDermitt

MCC – Board of Directors #2 – Fred Conley

MCC – Board of Directors #4 – Stephen Brock

MUD – Jim Begley

NRD #3 – Brandon Clark

NRD #7 – James Powers

OPPD – Thomas Barrett

OPPD – NP Sandy Dodge

OPS #2 – Freddie Gray

OPS #6 – Mary Morissey

OPS #8 – Danyelle Baratta-Krause

OPS #10 – Nicole Nash

OPS #12 – Patrick Bourne

OPS #12 – Jennifer Tompkins-Kirshenbaum

Register of Deeds – Diane Battiato

State Board of Education – Rebecca Valdez

State Senate #5 – Heath Mello

State Senate #7 – Jeremy Nordquist

State Senate #9 – Sara Howard

State Senate #11 – Brenda Council

State Senate #13 – Tanya Cook

State Senate #31 – Rick Kolowski

State Senate #39 – Judy Domina

Bennington Board of Education – Douglas Laaker and Brad Renter

Bennington City Council – Mary Johnson and Gary Sather

Ralston City Council – Maureen Konwinski and Ben Preis

Valley Mayor – Carroll Smith

Valley City Council – Rodney Marshall and Bryon Ueckert

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OMAHA, NE – The political campaigns for 2012 are really heating up as we approach October.  Will these debates bring some October surprises? Keep track of the political debates in the area with this article. I will try to update with new events, including state legislature debates, as soon as I hear about them!

Presidential Debates: Obama vs Romney
October 3rd, 9pm-10:30pm EST covering Domestic Policy.
October 16th, 9pm-10:30pm EST in a town meeting format covering foreign and domestic policy.
October 22nd, 9pm-10:30pm EST covering Foreign Policy.

Vice Presidential Debates: Biden vs Ryan
October 11th, 9pm-10:30pm EST covering Foreign and Domestic Policy

Nebraska Senate Debates: Kerrey vs Fischer
September 30th, 6pm CST on KETV, rebroadcast of debate from Sept 28th.
October 1st, 7pm CST in Lincoln

Nebraska 2nd Congressional District: Ewing vs Terry
October 18th, Omaha Press Club, please check out the FaceBook event.  11:15 am to 1pm CST

Fellow Nebraskans, if you still need to register to vote, you have until October 19th. Please register to vote, this is your power to help make the system work for you.  You must register to use that power, to use that right.  If you are a Douglas County resident, visit this page for voter registration info.  Visit this page for early voting info. You can print out the forms and fill them out yourself, its easy!

***Are you interested in helping to bring a Stonewall Democrat chapter into the Omaha area?  Please contact Ken Riter, 4o2-686-6389.  Please leave a message if their is no answer, I go to school full time and work part time.  I want to create this chapter, we need this chapter to help keep the rights we’ve won and to help us gain what we deserve as Americans. We need this chapter to help ensure the local Democratic Party stays LGBT friendly and elects LGBT friendly candidates.  But, I need people to participate in order to form this organization.


OMAHA, NE – Members of the LGBT Community met with John Ewing, candidate for Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District on Wednesday, August 8th.  Many of the issues discussed related to LGBT issues, marriage equality, education, jobs and Lee Terry’s consistent lack of leadership. The meeting was organized so John Ewing could have a chance to listen to members of the LGBT Community and their concerns. Sadly, one attendee mentioned that this was the first meeting any Congressional candidate had with the LGBT Community since Peter Hoaglund. I think this demonstrates the kind of leadership we will see when we elect Ewing to office, a candidate who will make that effort to listen to his constituents.

John Ewing did mention that the most important things he wants to do in office for Omaha is ensure people are treating with respect and dignity, as well as bringing jobs to the area. If you missed this chance to meet John Ewing there will be a  Joint Obama-Ewing Block Party near the Ewing HQ at 343 N 76th St in Omaha. That is near 76th and Cass, right behind the KwikShop! Don’t forget to like John Ewing’s FaceBook Page!

John Ewing Supports LGBT Issues, Please Support Him Today!

John Ewing Supports LGBT Issues, Please Support Him Today!


OMAHA, NE – With the 2012 elections beginning to heat up, its important for members of the LGBT Community and Democrats to be out volunteering and doing what they can for the candidates who will do the most for them. This election cycle, with Barack Obama, Bob Kerrey and John Ewing on Nebraska 2nd Congressional District ticket, we have, arguably, the most progressive ticket we have ever had and will most likely see in a while.

Barack Obama, who has supported LGBT issues from the onset, has helped pass LGBT inclusive hate crimes legislation, repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and now openly supports Marriage Equality is at the top of the election ticket again. Obama has also helped pass other legislation that will benefit the LGBT Community, especially the Affordable HealthCare Act.  If you, as a member of the LGBT Community want to keep the rights we have won, the healthcare we deserve and have the best chance of more legislation to come, we need Obama in the White House for another 4 years. Don’t expect Romney to support LGBT issues, he will to try repeal everything we have accomplished in the last 3 years. Romney is too busy hiding his tax returns to care about LGBT people.

Bob Kerrey, candidate for US Senate, is also a supporter of LGBT issues and has made statements publicly in the past.  Most recently, he aligned himself with Obama on the issue of Marriage Equality.  Bob Kerrey has also been vocal about the need to reach across the aisle. We need someone like Bob Kerrey if we are going to convince any more Republicans to come to our side of the fence on our important LGBT issues.  Deb Fischer is too busy signing too many pledges to care about reaching across the aisle, and she is to worried about her entitlements to welfare ranching to care about LGBT issues. I’ve always thought there was something fishy about that Deb Fisher!

John Ewing, candidate for US House of Representatives, is another big supporter of LGBT issues. If you are not sure of his stance, I would definitely suggest you try and speak to him at his office if you can catch him there.  Otherwise, I can tell you, I have a spoke to him, and he is a supporter. In fact, I am very confident that we as a community can get him to sponsor at least a bill or two (especially bullying)  if elected to Congress, but first, we have to get him there. John Ewing attended Heartland Pride on that very hot Saturday and distributed flyers showing LGBT issues he supports. John Ewing also supports HealthCare reform, and received a very special endorsement from the Obama, “Have His Back“. This means whatever legislation Obama supports going through Congress, John Ewing will support it so we can finally get rid of this do nothing Congress and get things done in DC!!    Lee Terry is too busy nodding his head to big oil, telemarketers, and other big corporations to worry about Omaha’s little LGBT community.

John Ewing's Flyer at Heartland Pride

John Ewing supports LGBT issues.

What I’ve just shown you are reasons to register and vote, but just as important is helping out these campaigns by volunteering when you have time, canvassing when you can, phone banking when you can.  Help our supportive candidates get to a place they will need to be to do our community the most good!

The Obama For America (OFA) campaign has to very good offices, one in Council Bluffs at 1851 Madison Ave . The Council Bluffs OFA office is open M-F 9am-10pm, Sat 9am-7pm and Sun throughout the course of the day.                                                                                                                                                   The Omaha OFA office is by 343 N 76th st, that is near 76th and Cass, behind the KwikShop. That office is open M-F 10am-8pm and Sat 1pm-8pm.

The Bob Kerrey office is located by 145th and F. The office is open from 10am-8pm M-F. The John Ewing office is right next door to the Omaha Obama for America office and is manned from about 10am-8pm M-F.

The Greater Omaha LGBT Democrats is a group organizing to help LGBT candidates in the our area win their elections.  If you have questions or would like be involved please contact the group’s Facilitator Ken Riter at 4O2-686-6389, please leave a message.


Gwen Howard

Gwen Howard (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

OMAHA, NE – On April 22nd the Greater Omaha LGBT Democrats had their most productive meeting so far.  The group of people in attendance discussed many things to move the group forward, including attending the Douglas County Democratic Convention to formalize the LGBT Caucus at the County level, including writing bylaws to establish the group in the County party and most importantly to put a priority on getting Gwen Howard to the November election. It was decided to organize events around Gwen Howard’s campaign and two events that came out of the discussion is a table for Gwen at the bar scene and marching with Gwen’s campaign in the Cinco de Mayo parade.

The first event is the Cinco de Mayo parade, Saturday May 5th.  Instead of marching as a separate group, the LGBT Democrats will march with the Howard campaign. It will be a great time to meet Gwen as well as members and volunteers of her campaign.  The Cinco de Mayo parade starts at 10am, but the lineup will begin at 9:30am near Highland Park, 25th and D.  Also, Gwen Howard WILL BE at the parade event!

The other event, LGBT Democrats for Gwen Howard, is at The Max, 1417 Jackson St on Friday, May 11th from 7pm to 10pm. It is a very important event because it is the Friday before the May 15th Primary and is a great chance to find out more about Gwen’s positions on issues that concern our LGBT Community.

On Gwen Howard’s campaign website is important information on her stance on various issues affecting the US, including the LGBT Community. Gwen points out that “she has introduced more successful legislation in 7 years than Congressman Lee Terry has in 7 terms“. We need a capable person who supports LGBT issues so we can finally get legislation passed like ENDA and the repeal of DOMA.  With at least 7 people running for Congress in Nebraska’s 2nd District, Gwen Howard is the only candidate who even acknowledges the issues of LGBT Nebraskans. On her campaign site she says. “We should respect the rights of all Nebraskans, including members of the GLBT community.  These Nebraskans should be treated as equal members of our society and allowed to contribute and participate fully in our economy and community. Gwen Howard will vote to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and repeal DOMA.

Not only does Gwen Howard support direct LGBT issues, she also supports legislation that affects women, working families, students, and housing for example. These aren’t primarily LGBT issues, but they definitely affect those in the community.

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