Senator Mike McDonnell Contact information

Mike McDonnell (born January 15, 1966) is an American politician who serves in the Nebraska Legislature, representing the 5th district. He was a Democrat before switching to the Republican Party in 2024 due to allegedly being unfairly disciplined by his party for being pro-life.

Early Life and Education: McDonnell was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He graduated from Daniel J. Gross Catholic High School in 1984. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 1992, an associate’s degree in fire protection technology in 1996, and a master’s degree from Bellevue University in 2014.

Career: McDonnell was a former chief of Omaha Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 385 for the City of Omaha under Mayor Al Veys. On November 8, 2013, Mike retired as Fire Chief from the Omaha Fire Department after 24 years of service to the citizens of Omaha. He also served with union groups Omaha Federation of Labor and AFL-CIO.

Nebraska Legislature: In 2016, he ran for the Legislature against Republican Gilbert Ayala. Ayala finished second in the nonpartisan primary, which saw McDonnell and Gilbert Ayala advance to the general election. McDonnell defeated Ayala in the general election with nearly 70% of the vote and In 2020 reelection he defeated Ayala with 63.2% of the vote.

Abortion: McDonnell, in an interview at the Capitol, said he was upfront when he ran for the Legislature in 2016 about being anti-abortion and about his Catholic faith. He said he has been a Democrat since 1984. He also said his support of the “heartbeat bill” would remain the same whether he was the bill’s 15th vote, 49th vote or 33rd vote. He backed legislation last year that would have banned abortion outright, that legislation failed to pass. In response, he is being denied a voting role in the Douglas County Democratic party by a vote of 17-3, as members believe some of his beliefs don’t align with the party’s values.

LGBTQ Rights: LGBTQ Nebraskans and allies have criticized Senator McDonnell for being the only Democrat in the Nebraska Legislature to support LB574, the “Adopt the Let Them Grow Act”, which bans gender-altering procedures for those under 18 year old.

Possible Run for 2025 Omaha Mayoral Bid: Political insiders have stated McDonnell is strongly considering a mayoral run in 2025, though he has not confirmed nor denied a mayoral campaign.