Nebraska Senate candidates trumpet life experiences
Posted: Saturday, May 03, 2008
LINCOLN (AP) -- Money is flowing freely leading up to the Nebraska Senate primary.
Candidates have taken to the airwaves early in their attempts to replace retiring Republican Chuck Hagel.
Television ads for Democrats Tony Raimondo and Scott Kleeb started airing first. Both need statewide name recognition to keep their campaigns alive past the May 13 primary, and Raimondo has three TV ads to Kleeb's two.
Raimondo, 68, and Kleeb, 32, line up on many issues as they vie for the party's nomination along with Democrats Larry Marvin of Fremont and James Bryan Wilson of Lincoln.
Republican Mike Johanns, 57, started running TV ads just last week. The former U.S. agriculture secretary and Nebraska governor is far better-known and better-funded than his only remaining primary opponent, 49-year-old Schuyler businessman Pat Flynn, who isn't running TV ads.
Candidates have spent the race so far stressing their varied experience. Johanns has been a figure in politics since the 1980s at local, state and national levels. Flynn has worked in the insurance business for 26 years. Raimondo has 40 years of business experience and is chairman of Behlen Manufacturing in Columbus. Kleeb has worked with the United Nations, has a degree from Yale, teaches history at Hastings College and was a ranch hand for a few years.
Johanns would be tough to beat in the fall. He's raised more than $2 million, spent nearly $700,000, and has already enjoyed one fundraising visit from President Bush since entering the race in October.
"People know me well in this state," Johanns said. "They've seen me as the governor, as the mayor. The goal here is, we want to be strong in every county in the state."
Kleeb said he raised almost $275,000 in the five weeks after announcing his candidacy in February, about $100,000 more than Raimondo raised his first eight weeks in the race starting earlier the same month. The figures include $100,000 Raimondo contributed to his campaign, and he's said he may invest up to $500,000.
Kleeb said he's sure he'd have the resources needed to campaign against Johanns and hopes for national support, including a visit from the Democratic presidential nominee.
"I would love to bring Senator (Barack) Obama back if he's the eventual nominee," said Kleeb, who along with Raimondo has endorsed the Democrat. Obama visited Omaha in the days leading up to Nebraska Democrats' February caucuses, which he won handily.
As for the "Bush effect," Raimondo says it may turn out to be a disadvantage for Johanns. The former agriculture secretary's connection to the increasingly unpopular Republican president, Raimondo said, would "make it tougher for him to work in the middle."
"Mike's Washington experience is not going to be an asset with the changes in Washington," said Raimondo, a former Republican who changed parties last year to run for Senate.
Johanns said that even if some Nebraskans might not like the president, they're proud a fellow Nebraskan was in the Cabinet.
Flynn jumped into the race in July. He's making his first bid for public office and has faced a steep climb in the Republican primary, raising just over $117,000 and spending most of it.
Other more well-known Republicans -- Attorney General Jon Bruning and former U.S. Rep. Hal Daub -- exited the race after Johanns stepped down as agriculture secretary in September with clear intentions to run for Senate.
Not Flynn. He said he's campaigning to win and has presented a platform of less government intrusion in areas such as health care and education.
"I need your prayers, I need your support and I need your vote," Flynn told a small crowd at a March debate with Johanns.
Johanns said his years as Lincoln mayor, Nebraska governor and U.S agriculture secretary have prepared him to represent Nebraskans in the Senate. He said he found a core group of people in Washington from both parties who are willing to work together.
"I've really worked to govern for Democrats and Independents and Republicans, and I have every intention of doing that if I'm elected to the Senate," Johanns said.
Kleeb, who lost a 2006 bid for the 3rd District House seat, said he has the judgment and life experiences, including international travel, to lead in Washington.
"We've got to return to a system where we've got to have faith and ask more of our elected officials and ask more of ourselves," Kleeb said.
Raimondo touts his 40 years as a businessman and says he has the leadership skills and economic understanding to work as a moderate to break gridlock in Washington. He says that on issues such as education and economic development, "there should be no political brand names."
"I just believe with a passion that my experience is what we need," Raimondo said.
Steve Larrick is the Green Party candidate.
Candidates have taken to the airwaves early in their attempts to replace retiring Republican Chuck Hagel.
Television ads for Democrats Tony Raimondo and Scott Kleeb started airing first. Both need statewide name recognition to keep their campaigns alive past the May 13 primary, and Raimondo has three TV ads to Kleeb's two.
Raimondo, 68, and Kleeb, 32, line up on many issues as they vie for the party's nomination along with Democrats Larry Marvin of Fremont and James Bryan Wilson of Lincoln.
Republican Mike Johanns, 57, started running TV ads just last week. The former U.S. agriculture secretary and Nebraska governor is far better-known and better-funded than his only remaining primary opponent, 49-year-old Schuyler businessman Pat Flynn, who isn't running TV ads.
Candidates have spent the race so far stressing their varied experience. Johanns has been a figure in politics since the 1980s at local, state and national levels. Flynn has worked in the insurance business for 26 years. Raimondo has 40 years of business experience and is chairman of Behlen Manufacturing in Columbus. Kleeb has worked with the United Nations, has a degree from Yale, teaches history at Hastings College and was a ranch hand for a few years.
Johanns would be tough to beat in the fall. He's raised more than $2 million, spent nearly $700,000, and has already enjoyed one fundraising visit from President Bush since entering the race in October.
"People know me well in this state," Johanns said. "They've seen me as the governor, as the mayor. The goal here is, we want to be strong in every county in the state."
Kleeb said he raised almost $275,000 in the five weeks after announcing his candidacy in February, about $100,000 more than Raimondo raised his first eight weeks in the race starting earlier the same month. The figures include $100,000 Raimondo contributed to his campaign, and he's said he may invest up to $500,000.
Kleeb said he's sure he'd have the resources needed to campaign against Johanns and hopes for national support, including a visit from the Democratic presidential nominee.
"I would love to bring Senator (Barack) Obama back if he's the eventual nominee," said Kleeb, who along with Raimondo has endorsed the Democrat. Obama visited Omaha in the days leading up to Nebraska Democrats' February caucuses, which he won handily.
As for the "Bush effect," Raimondo says it may turn out to be a disadvantage for Johanns. The former agriculture secretary's connection to the increasingly unpopular Republican president, Raimondo said, would "make it tougher for him to work in the middle."
"Mike's Washington experience is not going to be an asset with the changes in Washington," said Raimondo, a former Republican who changed parties last year to run for Senate.
Johanns said that even if some Nebraskans might not like the president, they're proud a fellow Nebraskan was in the Cabinet.
Flynn jumped into the race in July. He's making his first bid for public office and has faced a steep climb in the Republican primary, raising just over $117,000 and spending most of it.
Other more well-known Republicans -- Attorney General Jon Bruning and former U.S. Rep. Hal Daub -- exited the race after Johanns stepped down as agriculture secretary in September with clear intentions to run for Senate.
Not Flynn. He said he's campaigning to win and has presented a platform of less government intrusion in areas such as health care and education.
"I need your prayers, I need your support and I need your vote," Flynn told a small crowd at a March debate with Johanns.
Johanns said his years as Lincoln mayor, Nebraska governor and U.S agriculture secretary have prepared him to represent Nebraskans in the Senate. He said he found a core group of people in Washington from both parties who are willing to work together.
"I've really worked to govern for Democrats and Independents and Republicans, and I have every intention of doing that if I'm elected to the Senate," Johanns said.
Kleeb, who lost a 2006 bid for the 3rd District House seat, said he has the judgment and life experiences, including international travel, to lead in Washington.
"We've got to return to a system where we've got to have faith and ask more of our elected officials and ask more of ourselves," Kleeb said.
Raimondo touts his 40 years as a businessman and says he has the leadership skills and economic understanding to work as a moderate to break gridlock in Washington. He says that on issues such as education and economic development, "there should be no political brand names."
"I just believe with a passion that my experience is what we need," Raimondo said.
Steve Larrick is the Green Party candidate.
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