Matthew James "Matt" Connealy (born December 11, 1951) is a former member the
Nebraska Legislature
The Nebraska Legislature (also called the Unicameral) is the legislature of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln. With 49 members, known as "senators", the Nebraska Legislature is the sm ...
, and former
executive director
Executive director is commonly the title of the chief executive officer of a non-profit organization, government agency or international organization.
The title is widely used in North American and European not-for-profit organizations, thoug ...
of the
Nebraska Democratic Party
The Nebraska Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of Nebraska. Over 700 Democrats are elected across the state of Nebraska. Jane Kleeb is the chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party and also serves as the Midwest ...
.
Personal life
Born in
Oakland, Nebraska
Oakland is a city in Burt County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,244 at the 2010 census. Oakland continues to build on its strong foundation with its bi-annual Swedish Festival and is known by its proclamation from the Swedish C ...
, he graduated from Decatur High School in 1970. He attended the
University of St. Thomas in
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center ...
, and the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' ...
from 1970 to 1973.
Career
He was elected in 1998 to represent the 16th Nebraska legislative district and reelected in 2002. He sat on the General Affairs committee and was vice chairperson of the Revenue, Urban Affairs, and Building Maintenance committees. Due to term limits approved by Nebraska voters in Initiative Measure 415 in 2001, state senators are limited to two terms, and Connealy was "termed out" in 2006.
Campaigns and elections
He unsuccessfully ran for the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...
in 2004 in . Connealy won a competitive four-way primary on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 with 50.2% of the vote, defeating Janet Stewart, Charlie Matulka, and Phil Chase for the nomination. In the general election,
Republican Jeff Fortenberry
Jeffrey Lane Fortenberry (born December 27, 1960) is a former United States congressman. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 2005 to 2022, representing as a member of the Republican Party.
In October 2021, a federal gr ...
defeated State Senator Matt Connealy 54%-43%. Connealy won only two counties: Thurston and Burt.
In 2006, Connealy unsuccessfully sought elective office as Nebraska Public Service Commissioner for district 3. Connealy was defeated by Tim Schram 56%-44%.
References
External links
''The Washington Post'' 2004 election results*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Connealy, Matt
1951 births
Living people
Democratic Party Nebraska state senators
University of Nebraska alumni
People from Oakland, Nebraska
People from Decatur, Nebraska
Catholics from Nebraska