Christian Mirch
Christian Mirch | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Nebraska Public Service Commission from the 2nd district | |
| Assumed office January 27, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Crystal Rhoades |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 30, 1987 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Emma |
| Children | Oliver, Lincoln |
| Education | Creighton University (B.S.) (J.D.) |
Christian Heyer Mirch (born March 30, 1987) is a Republican politician currently serving as a member of the Nebraska Public Service Commission from the 2nd district. He was appointed in 2023 by Governor Jim Pillen to serve out the remaining four-year term following his predecessor's resignation.
Early career
[edit]Mirch grew up in Douglas, Wyoming, and graduated from Douglas High School in 2005.[1] He attended Creighton University while working as a police officer for the Omaha Police Department, and graduated in 2011. He later attended the Creighton University School of Law, graduating in 2019, after which he clerked for Justice Michael G. Heavican of the Nebraska Supreme Court.[2] In 2020, Mirch ran for the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District as a Director from Subdistrict 3 but lost to Larry Bradley, receiving 43.1% of the vote to Bradley's 56.9%.[3]
In 2022, Mirch ran for the Nebraska Legislature in District 6 against incumbent Senator Machaela Cavanaugh, who affiliated with the Democratic Party, and Elizabeth Hallgren. Mirch advanced to the general election against Cavanaugh, winning 38.8% of the vote to Cavanaugh's 48.9% in the primary election.[4] In the general election, Cavanaugh defeated Mirch by a wide margin, winning 56% of the vote to his 44%.[5]
Nebraska Public Service Commission
[edit]In 2023, after Public Service Commissioner Crystal Rhoades resigned from the Commission upon her election as Douglas County Clerk of the District Court, Governor Jim Pillen appointed Mirch to serve out the final four years of Rhoades's term.[6] Mirch's appointment gave Republicans control of all five seats on the Commission.[7]
Several months into Mirch's tenure, he and fellow Commissioner Kevin Stocker were censured by the Public Service Commission for unspecified misconduct. Both alleged that the censure was a "politically motivated attack" and had targeted them as a distraction "from the commission's repeated failures and dereliction of duty" regarding emergency line outages.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ Heltzel, Kate, ed. (2023). Nebraska Blue Book, 2022-23. Office of the Clerk of the Nebraska Legislature. p. 678. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
- ^ "Christian Mirch". Nebraska Public Service Commission. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
- ^ Robert B. Evnen. Official Report of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers, General Election, November 3, 2020 (PDF).
- ^ Robert B. Evnen. Official Report of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers, Primary Election, May 10, 2022 (PDF).
- ^ Robert B. Evnen. Official Report of the Nebraska Board of Canvassers, General Election, November 8, 2022 (PDF).
- ^ "Governor Pillen Appoints Public Service Commissioner for District 2". January 27, 2023.
- ^ "Mirch appointed to fill Omaha-area vacancy on Public Service Commission". Nebraska Examiner. 2023-01-30. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
- ^ Chris Dunker and Andrew Wesley (October 3, 2023). "Nebraska Public Service Commission votes to censure two members". Omaha World-Herald.