Jim Suttle
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Jim Suttle
| image= US Navy 110907-N-YM440-244 Rear Adm. McAneny receives a Navy Week proclamation from Omaha Mayor Croped (cropped).png
| image_size =
| order=
| office= 50th Mayor of Omaha
| term_start =June 8, 2009
| term_end =June 10, 2013
| deputy =
| predecessor = Mike Fahey
| successor = Jean Stothert
| office2= Member of the Omaha City Council
| term_start2 =June 6, 2005
| term_end2 =June 8, 2009
| predecessor2 = Marc Kraft
| successor2 = Pete Festersen
| birth_date= {{birth date and age|1944|6|13}}{{fact|date=July 2021}}
| birth_place = Morrison, Colorado, U.S.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| party = Democratic
| spouse = Deb Suttle
| relations =
| children = 2
| residence =
| alma_mater = West Virginia University{{cite news |url=http://www.omaha.com/article/20130322/NEWS/130329853/1694 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131205161225/http://www.omaha.com/article/20130322/NEWS/130329853/1694 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 5, 2013|last=Perez Jr.|first=Juan|title=Mayor Jim Suttle keeps leadership approach |publisher=Omaha.com |date=March 22, 2013|accessdate=February 20, 2025}}
| occupation =
| profession = Engineer
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
James H. Suttle (born June 13, 1944{{fact|date=July 2021}}) is an American corporate executive, engineer, and politician who served as the 50th mayor of Omaha, Nebraska from 2009 to 2013.
Early career
Suttle attended West Virginia University, graduating with his bachelor's degree and master's degree in civil engineering. He worked for Henningson, Durham & Richardson, an Omaha-based engineering firm until 1981, when newly elected Mayor Mike Boyle appointed him as the city's public works director.{{Cite news |last=King |first=Larry |title=4 Permanent Cabinet Posts Are Filled by Mayor Boyle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166309312/ |access-date=February 20, 2025 |date=June 8, 1981 |page=1 |work=Omaha World-Herald}} He served as public works director until 1987,{{Cite news |title=Mayor Simon Picks Lou Lamberty As Omaha Public Works Director |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166309370/ |access-date=February 20, 2025 |date=December 10, 1987 |work=Omaha World-Herald}} when he returned to HDR.{{Cite news |last=Morton |first=Joseph |title=Ex-official Suttle to challenge Kraft |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166309276/ |access-date=February 20, 2025 |date=October 28, 2004 |page=3B |work=Omaha World-Herald}}
City Council
In 2005, Suttle announced that he would challenge City Councilman Marc Kraft, a Republican, in the 1st district, which was based in the neighborhoods of Benson, Dundee, and Florence. Suttle, a Democrat, challenged Kraft, a Republican, along with Republican businessman Rick Bettger. In the primary election, Suttle placed first with 39% of the vote, leading Kraft, who won 36%, and Bettger, who won 24%.{{cite web |title=City of Omaha Primary Election, April 5, 2005, Official Results |author=Douglas County Election Commission |date=April 13, 2005 |url=https://www.votedouglascounty-ne.gov/elections/2005/Primary/SP05ResultsSummary2005-04-05.htm |access-date=February 20, 2025}} In the general election, Suttle narrowly defeated Kraft, winning 53% of the vote to Kraft's 46%.{{cite web |title=Omaha City General Election, May 10, 2005, Official Results|author=Douglas County Election Commission |date=April 13, 2005 |url=http://votedouglascounty-ne.gov/elections/2005/General/SG05ResultsSummary2005-05-10.htm|access-date=February 20, 2025}}
Mayor of Omaha
When Mayor Mike Fahey announced that he would not seek re-election in 2009, Suttle ran to succeed him, running against Hal Daub, the former Mayor and a former member of Congress, and fellow City Councilman Jim Vokal. At the primary election, Daub and Suttle placed first and second, winning 33% and 32% of the vote, respectively.{{cite web |title=Official Results, Douglas County, Nebraska, April 7, 2009|author=Douglas County Election Commission |date=April 17, 2009|url=https://www.votedouglascounty-ne.gov/elections/2009/Primary/SP09ResultsSummary2009-04-07.htm|access-date=February 20, 2025}} In the general election, despite Daub's higher name recognition,{{cite news |last=Tysver |first=Robynn |title=Undecided voters, mayor's race up to you |newspaper=Omaha World-Herald |date=May 3, 2009 |pages=1A, 2A |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166041921/ |access-date=February 20, 2025}} Suttle narrowly defeated him, winning 50% of the vote to Daub's 48%.{{cite web |title=Official Results, Douglas County, Nebraska, May 12, 2009|author=Douglas County Election Commission |date=May 21, 2009|url=https://www.votedouglascounty-ne.gov/elections/2009/General/SG09ResultsSummary2009-05-12.htm|access-date=February 20, 2025}}
In fall of 2010, shortly into Suttle's second year in office, an opposition campaign organized a recall campaign against him, citing his decision to raise taxes during a recession.{{Cite news |last=Goodsell |first=Paul |title=Suttle recall effort might take a page from 1987 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166305529/ |access-date=February 20, 2025 |date=September 22, 2010 |pages=1A, 2A |work=Omaha World-Herald}} The organizers ultimately gathered enough signatures to place a recall election on the ballot in 2011.{{Cite news |last=Olson |first=Eric |title=Judge: Omaha mayor recall can proceed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star/166306504/ |access-date=February 20, 2025 |date=December 24, 2010 |page=B2 |work=Lincoln Journal Star}} Suttle narrowly defeated the recall, with voters opposed to the recall outvoting supporters with 51% of the vote.{{cite web |title=Official Results, 2011 City Of Omaha Mayoral Recall Election, January 25, 2011|author=Douglas County Election Commission |date=February 4, 2011|url=https://www.votedouglascounty-ne.gov/elections/2011/Recall/S11ResultsSummary.htm|access-date=February 20, 2025}}
Suttle ran for re-election in 2013, and faced several prominent challengers, including City Councilwoman Jean Stothert, businessman Dave Nabity, State Senator Brad Ashford, and former City Councilman Dan Welch. Suttle placed a distant second in the primary election, winning 24% of the vote to Stothert's 32%.{{cite web |title=Official Results, 2013 Primary Election, Douglas County, Nebraska, April 2, 2013|author=Douglas County Election Commission |date=April 12, 2013|url=https://www.votedouglascounty-ne.gov/elections/2013/Primary/P13ResultsSummary2013-04-02.htm|access-date=February 20, 2025}} At the ensuing general election, Suttle was defeated in a landslide, winning just 43% of the vote to Stothert's 57%.{{cite web |title=Official Results, 2013 General Election, Douglas County, Nebraska, May 14, 2013|author=Douglas County Election Commission |date=May 24, 2013|url=https://www.votedouglascounty-ne.gov/elections/2013/General/G13ResultsSummary2013-05-14.htm|access-date=February 20, 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130601095600/https://www.mayorsuttle.com/ Jim Suttle for Mayor website (circa 2013]
{{S-start}}
{{Succession box|title=Mayor of Omaha
|before=Mike Fahey|after=Jean Stothert| years=2009-2013}}
{{S-end}}
{{Mayors of Omaha}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Suttle, Jim}}
Category:21st-century mayors of places in Nebraska
Category:Omaha City Council members
Category:Mayors of Omaha, Nebraska