Stunning numbers

Now I have to wonder if some of the Democrats who said they would only run if Hagel retired are reconsidering being that there will be a really bloody primary even if he does run.

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by: NYPopulist @ Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 17:40:57 PM UTC

Quick thought

We might have to wait a little while for the primary campaign to develop.  Bruning's credibility as a "true conservative" will be called into question, because Bruning wrote some "flaming liberal" columns while he was a law student in the early '90s.  It remains to be seen whether or not that could sink him, but I think there's a definite vulnerability there.

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by: James L. @ Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 17:47:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Democrats...

Are there any strong Democrats considering a race?

BlueSunbelt.Com Netroots for the Sunbelt states robwire.com My personal blog

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by: rob @ Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 19:06:58 PM UTC

A couple...

But both have said they will only jump in if Hagel isn't running.

Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey has been approached by Schumer, Reid, and Ben Nelson to run, said he'd seriously consider it if it were an open seat.

Bob Kerrey has been making some rumblings in the last week about running... again, only if Hagel does not run. In fact, Kerrey basically endorsed Hagel in the same breath. But he also said he's 99% certain that he won't run.

A lot of netroots folks around keep talking about Scott Kleeb, but every rumor I'm hearing is that Kleeb's looking for a rematch in NE-03. But, again, these are just rumors, and if Fahey and Kerrey both say "no," I could see Kleeb stepping up and running. The caveat? Like the other two, there's no way he would run against Hagel.

So, right now, our nightmare scenario is that Hagel isn't pushed out of the race, loses the primary to Bruning, and we're left with a sacrificial lamb candidate like we had in David Hahn for the 2006 Governor's race.

We've got a long way to go, though. If those three decline to run, I'd love to see a fresh face step up and take on the Republicans like Kleeb and Esch did in 2006. Who knows, it may be the best thing that ever happened to us, to have a slimy egotistical jerk like Bruning win the Republican nomination.

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by: DaveSund @ Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 19:31:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I have a Diary about the GOP feeding on itself in primaries

here at Swing State, but it was focused on the House and no one commented on it, so it was apparently ignored by one and all.  Perhaps it merited more attention than it received?

"My name's Dr. Multimillionaire and I kicked your ass." -- Rep. Steve Kagen D-WI to Karl Rove

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by: walja @ Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 19:30:16 PM UTC

Okay, something I completely forgot about...

Nebraska election law allows "Nonpartisan" voters, i.e. Independents, to vote in the primary election for all federal offices.

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by: DaveSund @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 02:18:42 AM UTC