Christian Espinosa TorresCandidate

Christian Espinosa Torres

CountyDemocrat

NE-Douglas County County

Mexican·Chair, Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative Board

Why This Race Matters

Christian Espinosa Torres is running against Tony Vargas (D, former state senator).

Open-seat race for Douglas County Treasurer after John Ewing resigned to become Omaha mayor — the first new treasurer in 20 years. Espinosa Torres faces Tony Vargas, a high-profile former state senator who twice ran for Congress (NE-2), creating a rare Latino-vs-Latino Democratic primary for a county office in Nebraska.

Espinosa Torres was first to announce in August 2025. Vargas announced days later with endorsement from outgoing treasurer/new Mayor John Ewing. Vargas has higher name recognition from two congressional campaigns but Espinosa Torres emphasizes 20+ years of economics and fiscal management experience. Vargas formally filed in January 2026. Both candidates are Democrats and Latino.

Key dates to watch: Primary on May 12, 2026 and General Election on November 3, 2026.

About

Christian Espinosa Torres is a 45-year-old public servant running to become Douglas County Treasurer in 2026. He currently serves as Assistant Director of the City of Omaha Human Rights and Relations Department, where he oversees the Small and Emerging Business Program and Economic Sustainability Program. A scholar of Latino civic engagement, he earned his Master's degree researching how Latino communities in Omaha organize politically. This marks his first bid for elected office.

Family & Heritage

Mexican heritage. Worked at the Mexican Consulate in Omaha in the protection department, serving the immigrant community. His academic research focused on how Latino immigrants and native-born Latinos in Omaha have organized civically and politically, particularly following the 2006 immigration marches when 15,000 people protested in Omaha.

Political Career

Before Politics

Assistant Director of Omaha Human Rights and Relations Department (2017-present, overseeing Small and Emerging Business Program and Economic Sustainability Program); Congressional staffer for Rep. Brad Ashford (D-NE), handling small business, economic development, civil rights, immigration, education, and labor issues; Director of get-out-the-vote program at Heartland Workers Center; Researcher at UNO Office of Latino-Latin American Studies; Protection services at Consulate of Mexico in Omaha

Education

BS in Economics; MA in Sociology, University of Northern Iowa (2017); Thesis: "The civic and political engagement of Latinos in Omaha, Nebraska"

Key Issues & Priorities

*Fiscal responsibility, transparency, and integrity in managing public funds
*Making the Treasurer's Office more accessible through interactive website showing where tax dollars go
*Eliminating credit card transaction fees for county tax payments
*Wise economic investment across all Douglas County communities
*Community engagement and inclusive decision-making

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