Martinez, Danner sweep Douglas County races

Mark Martinez and Makayla Danner captured the top law enforcement offices in Douglas County on Tuesday, both unseating long-serving Republican incumbents in a decisive shift for the Omaha area. Martinez defeated Sheriff Aaron Hanson, while Danner beat Don Kleine, who had held the county attorney post for twenty years.

Martinez, a South High School alumnus and University of Nebraska at Omaha graduate, brings more than thirty years of law enforcement experience to the sheriff's office. His resume includes service with the U.S. Marshals Service. He plans to prioritize strict budget management, citing overruns during Hanson's tenure as a problem that must be corrected.

"You mind your budget," Martinez said. "That's what leaders do, people with experience." He also outlined a more cautious approach to working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Martinez said he would review ICE requests on a case-by-case basis but would not join enforcement actions or raids without a clear necessity.

"I'll listen, but I certainly won't be involved in any enforcement actions, any raids, that's off the table .. until I see an absolute necessity," Martinez said. He attributed his win to a combination of his professional background and his active role on nonprofit boards, which he believes resonated with local voters.

Danner, a Burke graduate and Creighton University scholar, defeated Kleine in the county attorney race. A first-generation college graduate from North Omaha, Danner emphasized her roots in the community she now seeks to serve. She said her experience raising five children helped her understand the importance of listening to people with different perspectives.

"I was a poor kid that grew up in North Omaha," Danner said. "I graduated from Burke and got a full scholarship to Creighton, so that's huge. I'm a first generation college grad, and I came back here because I want to give back to this community." She credited months of door-to-door campaigning for connecting her message with residents across the county.

Danner also noted that her campaign headquarters had previously hosted two unsuccessful campaigns, a streak she said she is proud to have broken. Both Martinez and Danner will now prepare to assume their new roles in the county's legal and public safety systems.