Suzanne Geist
Member of the Nebraska Legislature
from the 25th district
In office
January 4, 2017 – April 6, 2023
Preceded byKathy Campbell
Succeeded byCarolyn Bosn
Personal details
Born
Suzanne Henderson

(1961-11-21) November 21, 1961 (age 62)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationUniversity of Nebraska, Lincoln (BA)

Suzanne Geist (née Henderson; born November 21, 1961) is an American politician who served as a member of the state legislature in the U.S. state of Nebraska from 2017 until her resignation in 2023.[1] She graduated from Pine Bluff High School in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1980. Afterwards, she attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism and broadcasting in 1984.[2]

In 2016, Geist was elected to represent the 25th Nebraska legislative district, which encompasses the northeast quarter of Lancaster County including the city of Waverly and the eastern portions of the city of Lincoln.[3]

Geist was a candidate in the 2023 Lincoln, Nebraska mayoral election.[4] One day after the primary election, she announced that she would resign as a state senator the subsequent day in order to focus her attention on the mayor's race.[1] She proceeded to lose the general election on May 2, 2023.[5]

Anti-abortion advocacy

Geist co-sponsored a ban of abortion without exception for rape or incest in 2022 in the Nebraska Legislature.[6][7] In 2022, she was the sponsor of a bill that would restrict medical abortion, including prohibiting delivery by mail and establishing misdemeanor criminal offenses for doctors violating the provisions.[8] Neither of these bills passed within the legislature.

Nebraska's current law banning a subset of abortion procedures referred to in the law as "dismemberment abortion" was sponsored and prioritized by Geist in the 2020 legislative session.[9]

Geist attended "Statesmen Academy" training from the Family Policy Foundation, an anti-abortion group which trains politicians to participate in American culture war.[10]

Electoral history

2016

Nebraska's 25th Legislative District Election, 2016[11][12]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Suzanne Geist 4,004 36.05%
Democratic Jim Gordon 3,592 32.34%
Republican Les Spry 1,696 15.27%
Republican Dale Michels 1,441 12.97%
Independent David Tagart 351 3.16%
Total votes 11,106 100.00%
General election
Republican Suzanne Geist 12,899 55.61%
Democratic Jim Gordon 10,258 44.23%
Total votes 23,194 100.00%
Republican hold

2020

Nebraska's 25th Legislative District Election, 2020[13][14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Suzanne Geist (incumbent) 10,407 71.34%
Democratic Stephany Pleasant 4,151 28.45%
Total votes 14,588 100.00%
General election
Republican Suzanne Geist (incumbent) 16,443 66.53%
Democratic Stephany Pleasant 8,207 33.21%
Total votes 24,716 100.00%
Republican hold

2023

Lincoln, Nebraska, Mayoral Election, 2023[15][16]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Leirion Gaylor Baird (incumbent) 29,216 49.80%
Republican Suzanne Geist 19,377 33.03%
Republican Stan Parker 10,071 17.17%
Turnout 58,664 33.38%
General election
Democratic Leirion Gaylor Baird (incumbent) 44,496 54.65%
Republican Suzanne Geist 36,727 45.11%
Turnout 81,415 46.11%
Democratic hold

References

  1. ^ a b Aaron Sanderford (April 5, 2023). "State Sen. Suzanne Geist resigns from Nebraska Legislature to run full-time for Lincoln mayor". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  2. ^ "Suzanne Geist's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  3. ^ "Legislative District 25 LB 703 - (2011)" (PDF). Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Legislature.
  4. ^ "State Sen. Suzanne Geist announces GOP bid for Lincoln mayor".
  5. ^ https://www.lancaster.ne.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18472/Lincoln-General-Election-Day-1010?bidId=
  6. ^ Scheffler, Aaron. "Senator Albrecht Updates Constituents On Sponsored, Co-Sponsored Bills During Second Session Of 107th Nebraska Legislature". Wayne Daily News.
  7. ^ Hammel, Paul (April 6, 2022). "'Trigger' abortion bill fails by two votes to overcome eight-hour filibuster". Nebraska Examiner.
  8. ^ "LB1086 - Adopt the Chemical Abortion Safety Protocol Act". Nebraska Legislature.
  9. ^ "LB814 - Prohibit dismemberment abortion". Nebraska Legislature.
  10. ^ Rabey, Steve (August 2, 2023). "Two little-known groups are training conservative legislators and school board members". Baptist New Global.
  11. ^ "Primary Election Results: May 10, 2016". Lancaster County Election Commissioner.
  12. ^ "General Election Results: November 8, 2016". Lancaster County Election Commissioner.
  13. ^ "OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS: Primary Election May 12, 2020". Lancaster County Election Commissioner.
  14. ^ "Lancaster County Nebraska Official Final Results: November 3, 2020 General Election". Lancaster County Election Commissioner.
  15. ^ "Summary Results Report - Updated April 7th: OFFICIAL Final Results". Lancaster County Election Commissioner.
  16. ^ "Summary Results Report - Monday, May 8th: City of Lincoln General Election OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS". Lancaster County Election Commissioner. Retrieved May 8, 2023.


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