Election drama centers on two Democratic primaries
With little at stake in Nebraska presidential contests, the focus Tuesday was on two contested Democratic primaries.
Democrats Tony Raimondo — a former Republican — and Scott Kleeb — who lost the 3rd District House race in 2006 — are battling for the party’s U.S. Senate nod.
And in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, which is composed mostly of Omaha, attorney Jim Esch and economics teacher Richard Carter face off. The winner will likely compete with Republican incumbent Lee Terry in November.
State Democratic chairman Steve Achelpohl expects either Kleeb or Raimondo would “give Mike Johanns a heck of a run in the fall.”
Johanns, a former Nebraska governor and U.S. agriculture secretary, is the heavy favorite to beat political newcomer Pat Flynn of Schuyler.
No delegates are at stake in the Democratic presidential vote because February caucuses awarded 16 of 24 possible delegates to Barack Obama.
Republicans didn’t hold caucuses, but Sen. John McCain already has the delegates needed to win the nomination.
Democrats say that if Obama’s the nominee, he could bring out the vote that’s needed for candidates to win in the Republican-dominated state.
“His coattails would be strong if he’s the nominee,” said Steve Achelpohl, chairman of the Nebraska Democrats. “It looks like it’s shaping up to be a good year for us.”
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Raimondo, a Columbus businessman, had considered a Republican bid but said he couldn’t raise the money needed to beat Johanns.
Then, in December, Raimondo changed parties and jumped in the race as a Democrat in early February, saying he’s a moderate who decided to join the Democrats’ “bigger tent.” He’s given at least $450,000 to his campaign.
Kleeb, a Yale-educated former ranch hand who now teaches college history, joined the race a few weeks later. He had raised $364,000 through April 23, mostly from smaller contributions from some 1,500 individuals, he says.
The primary winners will vie to replace Republican Chuck Hagel, who announced in September that he wouldn’t seek re-election or any public office.
Esch ran in 2006 and lost but enjoys greater name recognition than Carter.
Steven Laird also is seeking the Republican nomination in the 2nd District.
Carter is one of a few military veterans running for office. He’s a captain in the Air Force Reserve and served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Max Yashirin, a 25-year-old Lincoln Democrat, doesn’t face a primary challenger in the 1st District. He’ll tout his service in the U.S. Marines when he takes on Republican incumbent Jeff Fortenberry in the fall.
In the 3rd District, two Democrats, Jay Stoddard of Grand Island and Paul Spatz of Osmond, are vying for the chance to advance to the general election. Neither has reported raising any money, and both are running under-the-radar campaigns so far. Jeremiah Ellison, who also hasn’t run a public campaign, is running against incumbent Republican Adrian Smith.
Republicans hold all major offices in Nebraska except the Senate seat of Democrat Ben Nelson, who isn’t up for re-election.
The number of Democrats registered to vote in Nebraska has risen by nearly 14,000 since the beginning of the year, according to figures from Secretary of State John Gale’s office. Meanwhile, the number of registered Republicans decreased by nearly 5,000 during the same period.
Democrats say it shows stronger support for the party and excitement generated by February caucuses. Republicans brush off the increase as a blip caused more by an election-year oddity than any political shift in the state.
Some Democrats switched to the Republican Party in 2006 so they could vote in the hotly contested primary election for the GOP nominee in the governor’s race.
Gov. Dave Heineman pulled one of the biggest upsets in Nebraska political history when he beat former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, a U.S. representative at the time.
There remain roughly 178,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats in the state.
Gale said he expects just 27 percent of registered voters will go to the polls.
Turnout in recent primary elections has been up and down. The 2006 primary election drew 35 percent of registered voters, compared with 21 percent in 2004.
Democrats Tony Raimondo — a former Republican — and Scott Kleeb — who lost the 3rd District House race in 2006 — are battling for the party’s U.S. Senate nod.
And in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, which is composed mostly of Omaha, attorney Jim Esch and economics teacher Richard Carter face off. The winner will likely compete with Republican incumbent Lee Terry in November.
State Democratic chairman Steve Achelpohl expects either Kleeb or Raimondo would “give Mike Johanns a heck of a run in the fall.”
Johanns, a former Nebraska governor and U.S. agriculture secretary, is the heavy favorite to beat political newcomer Pat Flynn of Schuyler.
No delegates are at stake in the Democratic presidential vote because February caucuses awarded 16 of 24 possible delegates to Barack Obama.
Republicans didn’t hold caucuses, but Sen. John McCain already has the delegates needed to win the nomination.
Democrats say that if Obama’s the nominee, he could bring out the vote that’s needed for candidates to win in the Republican-dominated state.
“His coattails would be strong if he’s the nominee,” said Steve Achelpohl, chairman of the Nebraska Democrats. “It looks like it’s shaping up to be a good year for us.”
———
Raimondo, a Columbus businessman, had considered a Republican bid but said he couldn’t raise the money needed to beat Johanns.
Then, in December, Raimondo changed parties and jumped in the race as a Democrat in early February, saying he’s a moderate who decided to join the Democrats’ “bigger tent.” He’s given at least $450,000 to his campaign.
Kleeb, a Yale-educated former ranch hand who now teaches college history, joined the race a few weeks later. He had raised $364,000 through April 23, mostly from smaller contributions from some 1,500 individuals, he says.
The primary winners will vie to replace Republican Chuck Hagel, who announced in September that he wouldn’t seek re-election or any public office.
Esch ran in 2006 and lost but enjoys greater name recognition than Carter.
Steven Laird also is seeking the Republican nomination in the 2nd District.
Carter is one of a few military veterans running for office. He’s a captain in the Air Force Reserve and served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Max Yashirin, a 25-year-old Lincoln Democrat, doesn’t face a primary challenger in the 1st District. He’ll tout his service in the U.S. Marines when he takes on Republican incumbent Jeff Fortenberry in the fall.
In the 3rd District, two Democrats, Jay Stoddard of Grand Island and Paul Spatz of Osmond, are vying for the chance to advance to the general election. Neither has reported raising any money, and both are running under-the-radar campaigns so far. Jeremiah Ellison, who also hasn’t run a public campaign, is running against incumbent Republican Adrian Smith.
Republicans hold all major offices in Nebraska except the Senate seat of Democrat Ben Nelson, who isn’t up for re-election.
The number of Democrats registered to vote in Nebraska has risen by nearly 14,000 since the beginning of the year, according to figures from Secretary of State John Gale’s office. Meanwhile, the number of registered Republicans decreased by nearly 5,000 during the same period.
Democrats say it shows stronger support for the party and excitement generated by February caucuses. Republicans brush off the increase as a blip caused more by an election-year oddity than any political shift in the state.
Some Democrats switched to the Republican Party in 2006 so they could vote in the hotly contested primary election for the GOP nominee in the governor’s race.
Gov. Dave Heineman pulled one of the biggest upsets in Nebraska political history when he beat former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, a U.S. representative at the time.
There remain roughly 178,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats in the state.
Gale said he expects just 27 percent of registered voters will go to the polls.
Turnout in recent primary elections has been up and down. The 2006 primary election drew 35 percent of registered voters, compared with 21 percent in 2004.
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