White House strategist focuses on Ricketts (US Senate Ne)

[Omaha Steve]

Full story reg req: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1673&u_sid=2214585

Published Saturday
July 29, 2006

White House strategist focuses on Ricketts

BY ROBYNN TYSVER

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

A win by Republican Senate candidate Pete Ricketts would make it nearly impossible for Democrats to gain control of the U.S. Senate, said Sara Taylor, the White House policy director.


Republican U.S. Senate candidate Pete Ricketts

Taylor, who reports directly to Bush's key political strategist Karl Rove, spent the day Friday in Nebraska. She met with GOP activists in Omaha and Lincoln, rallying support for Ricketts' campaign.

A political newcomer, Ricketts is trying to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson.

Taylor echoed Ricketts' campaign claim that his election could have national ramifications. Ricketts has attempted to make the case that if Nelson wins, Democrats such as Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy could be in charge of the Senate.

Taylor acknowledged that the Democrats' chance of taking over control of the Senate is "not great today." But, she maintained, Democrats would have "absolutely no chance" if Ricketts won.

About five Republican incumbent senators are in trouble. Democrats would need to capture all five of those seats and pick up two more to control the Senate.

[KingFlorez]

1. Do they mean cheat?

Nah, they couldn't mean that, they would never do anything like that.