The Nebraska Democratic Party supports the appointment of Machaela Cavanaugh to the now vacant District 6 legislative seat. We hope Gov. Ricketts looks beyond Republican candidates and considers who is best to serve the district.
Cavanaugh Seeks to Fill Vacant Seat in the Unicameral
OMAHA, NE — Machaela Cavanaugh, an Omaha native with an extensive record in public affairs and community engagement, has submitted her application to fill the vacant District 6 seat in the Nebraska Legislature. Governor Pete Ricketts announced on September 6 that he is seeking qualified applicants to fill the vacancy.
Legislative District 6 includes voters from Central and West-Central Omaha.
“I have met with hundreds of District 6 voters during the past month, and it is clear they want a voice in the legislature who will champion their priorities: tax relief, investments in education, quality child care, protecting our seniors, and growing the good-paying jobs of the future,”Cavanaugh said.
“I believe this is an important time for the people of District 6 and the State of Nebraska. The only way we can make lasting progress on these issues is to have a State Senator who truly puts problem solving over partisanship.”
Cavanaugh announced her candidacy for the District 6 seat in early August. She is the only applicant for appointment who publicly stated her interest in serving District 6 prior to Ricketts’ announcement that an appointment to fill the vacancy was necessary.
Cavanaugh works at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska. Prior to her work with the Buffett Institute, Cavanaugh served as the Director of Development for Opera Omaha and the American Province of the Servants of Mary, and as a Staff Assistant for U.S. Senator Ben Nelson.
Cavanaugh graduated from Marian High School and obtained her Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn.
Cavanaugh serves on the Board of Directors of Inclusive Communities and is a member of the Preschool Advisory Committee at Morning Star Preschool. She resides in the Peony Park Neighborhood with her husband, Nick Brotzel, and their daughters, Della and Harriet.
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