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Breaking: Bob Kerrey Won't Run For Senate
Former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE) announced today that he will not run for the Senate seat of retiring Republican Chuck Hagel. In a statement released by the Nebraska Democratic Party, Kerrey cited family reasons for his decision.
Kerrey was widely seen as the strongest possible Democrat for the race. His decision leaves former Gov. Mike Johanns (R) as the favorite.
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Family reasons? Does this mean that the President's wiretapping program is doing its job or should we be saying a prayer of healing for someone?
October 24, 2007 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Awful news for Democrats. This race would have been at the top of their pick-up opportunities, and now will not. In the context of the NC recruitment failures and the new ME poll showing Collins crushing Allen, the tide is turning against Senate Democrats. Nebraska is ranked fourth in Campaign Diaries's latest Senate rankings but you can be sure this will drop significantly after this.
October 24, 2007 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Damn! I was hoping we would be rid of 'm.
October 24, 2007 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bob Kerrey running again in Nebraska was always a long shot. The State has shifted to the right since he was last a Senator here. His roots are more New York than Nebraska these days and that would have been used against him. Plus, he has a child that is only about 5 so this is a case where mom may well have put the foot down.
This is the right decision for the right reason.
October 24, 2007 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm glad he's not running. i couldn't have borne the spectacle of this phony dem, selling us out a la lieberman, and demanding our support because he's our "only hope." On the contrary, where pickup chances are slim we should be running totally different campaigns: kamikazi campaigns in which we choose the best, brightest, most powerful and most populist speaker we can find and have them hammer away at the republican nominee for the benefit of the democratic national party. Even if they lose their job is to raise local consciousness about what a lousy choice the republican is so that if and when a republican gets in he's already poisoned locally and nationally. I want to take back the Senate but I am sick and tired of phony dems like Kerrey whose main function seems to be to constantly appeal to an invisible republican middle.
aimai
October 24, 2007 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
I understand what it takes for a "Democrat" to be elected out of Nebraska, but it's no longer worth it. We'll look for gains elsewhere. No more blue dogs.
Go home, Bobby ... most of us with a lick of common sense didn't want you in the first place. And I'm sure your pal Lieberman will be happy to still share with you his inside investment information and other Congressional perks.
October 24, 2007 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm a Dem and glad Kerrey isn't running. I actually believe it IMPROVES the Dems chances of winning there. The mayor or former mayor of Omaha has a good chance.
October 24, 2007 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
BFD.
I used to have a lot of respect for Kerrey. But his views on foreign policy have morphed into something not too far afield of Dick Head Cheney's.
Any state that would elect a hair piece is pretty hopeless anyway.
Dems should look elsewhere.
October 24, 2007 12:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
aimai:
Exactly. Win or lose, we need to hammer away with the most liberal candidate we can get.
October 24, 2007 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Go Aimai go! Maybe we can recruit you to run in Nebraska!
October 24, 2007 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good -- doesn't anyone remember how eager Bob Kerrey was to oust Saddam Hussein? Doesn't anyone remember how he never meant a neocon talking point on "tyranny" and "liberation" and the "good folks" at the Iraqi National Congress that he didn't regurgitate? Rose colored glasses indeed!
October 24, 2007 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not surprised Kerrey opted out considering how long he dithered over making an announcement. If Mike Fahey gets in, this could still end up being mildly competitive. I wish there were some kind of voodoo rites that could bring James Exon back from the dead.
I ultimately think Fahey will say no and Scott Kleeb will be the nominee though. I think he'd run fine statewide but for now this has to be considered a Republican hold.
October 24, 2007 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Marc, local Republicans have been taking pot shots at Mike Fahey over his handling of a new stadium so Omaha can secure a 20-year contract extension for the College World Series. In particular, a 2% entertainment tax to pay Omaha's portion of construction costs. This might be to tarnish his name for a possible Senate run or Republican positioning for a run at the Mayor's office in November 2009.
The risk these pot shots could have is to cause the NCAA to look elsewhere for a site for the College World Series. Scott Kleeb did run a good race in the 3rd Congressional District in 2006.
Like you, I never did consider this that good of a pick-up opportunity.
October 24, 2007 6:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd go for Scott Kleeb, but we might have to twist his arm because tonight on tv he said he wouldn't run.
No thanks to Bob Kerry or Mike Fahey. Kerrey is a DINO just like Ben Nelson so he might have had a slim chance in good old, dependably red state NE.
Mike Fahey has many people angry because of his proposal to build a new baseball stadium paying for it, at least in part, by adding a 2% entertainment tax in an already overly taxed city.
Rather than remodel the current stadium he wants to move it downtown probably from pressure from downtown businesses. I also question who benefits other than downtown businesse meaning who owns the land where he plans to build the stadium. Bet Fahey is getting lots of contributions from business and the land owner about now.
Scott Kleb would have won in western NE last election if it hadn't been for Republican dirty tricks using phone calls.
October 25, 2007 2:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bob Kerrey is nothing like Ben Nelson, and his decision is a huge loss to the state. Also, this means that Sen. Hagel's replacement will also be a Republican, quite possibly a far-right Republican, since whoever wins their primary will easily win the general election. The Democrats have no one with Kerrey's stature or appeal, mostly because Democrats can't get elected to lesser offices in the state. Scott Kleeb? Don't make me laugh. What experience does he have? And if he's a progressive liberal, he's been hiding it well.
October 25, 2007 9:39 AM | Reply | Permalink