GOP state Sen. Suzanne Geist resigns from Nebraska Legislature

LINCOLN — State Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln announced Wednesday that she was resigning from the Legislature, telling supporters in a campaign video that she is “all in” on her May 2 general election race to unseat Nebraska’s top Democrat, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird.

Geist finished second to Gaylor Baird in Tuesday’s three-way primary election. Gaylor Baird received 49% of the vote. Geist tallied 34%. Nonprofit executive Stan Parker received 17%. Those totals are likely to tilt more the mayor’s way after a Wednesday afternoon count of 5,500 early votes by the Lancaster County Election Commission.

In the video, Geist said she had let Gov. Jim Pillen and the Clerk of the Legislature know she was stepping down. She said on the floor Wednesday afternoon she would be stepping down as of 11:59 p.m. Thursday.

“I’m going all in on this race, spending full time running for mayor of Lincoln,” she said. “We have only four more weeks to go. We’re going to take this city. We’re going to make Lincoln a better, safer more affordable city for everyone.”

Until Pillen appoints a replacement, Geist’s absence could complicate the Republican legislative majority’s ability to overcome an ongoing filibuster by State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh and others, based on her objection to efforts to pass anti-trans legislation. It takes a minimum of 33 votes to end debate. Several controversial bills received just 33 votes.

The last Republican mayor of Lincoln was Mike Johanns, who served two terms in the 1990s, resigning in late 1998 to run for governor.

Gaylor Baird’s campaign had no immediate comment on Geist’s decision. The mayor said Tuesday she was pleased that Lincoln voters rejected negative ads and mailers about the city, funded largely by a handful of GOP donors backing Geist.

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