Daub says he's running for Omaha mayor

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By ANNA JO BRATTON / The Associated Press

OMAHA — Former U.S. Rep. Hal Daub said Thursday he’s running for Omaha mayor, seeking his old job a year after making a short-lived bid for Senate.

Daub, a Republican, formed an exploratory committee so he can start raising money. He said in a telephone interview that he’s in the race for the top job in Nebraska’s biggest city.

“The next mayor will face significant financial challenges,” Daub said, including paying for a new stadium for the College World Series and avoiding a tax hike.

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Hal Daub

Hal Daub

The mayoral primary is April 7 and the general election is May 12. Daub’s entry could set up a rematch with Mayor Mike Fahey, a Democrat. Daub lost the 2001 mayoral election to Fahey.

Fahey is considering a bid for a third term, spokesman Joe Gudenrath said.

Fahey faced a failed recall effort this year organized by people upset over how he handled contract negotiations for a long-term deal on the College World Series.

In May, Fahey and the NCAA signed a memorandum of understanding to keep the series in Nebraska until at least 2035. The event will move from Rosenblatt Stadium to a $140 million, 24,000-seat downtown stadium in 2011.

Several Omaha city councilmen are also considered potential candidates for mayor, as well as state Sen. Brad Ashford.

Daub was mayor of Omaha from 1995 to 2001. He was elected to the House as 2nd District representative in 1980 and re-elected in 1982, 1984 and 1986.

He spent much of 2007 gearing up to run for the Senate seat to be vacated by Republican Chuck Hagel.

But Daub withdrew from the race in September, just 11 days after entering and a few days after Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns resigned to seek the Republican nomination, which he won Tuesday.

Daub said he realized that with Johanns in the race, he couldn’t raise enough money to win.

The campaign cost Daub more than $287,000 of his own money after he vowed to return contributions to donors.