GOP looks for clues to Hagel's (R-Ne) plan

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

BY C. DAVID KOTOK

One grand question filled the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Omaha at a Friday gathering of 280 Republican activists: What will Chuck do?

Twirling strawberries through the chocolate fountain or swirling cream through their coffee, the crowd's talk centered on whether U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel would step down or run again and the political dominoes that would fall as a result.


Sen. Chuck Hagel in Lincoln.

Hagel gave only the briefest hint when he told the crowd at the Nebraska Republican Party's Founders Day dinner: "There is no such thing as the status quo."

Watching with particular interest were the two announced candidates for his job, Attorney General John Bruning and Schuyler businessman Pat Flynn.



Read more: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10105213

[TwilightGardener]

1. If Johanns runs, he'll win--he's pretty well-regarded here.

I'm not seeing a Dem challenger in this race yet, unfortunately, but I'd rather see Johanns than Jon Bruning--total creepy-ass opportunistic snake-oil salesman.

[Inuca]

2. You seem pretty sure Hagel will not run

for his Senate seat. DO you know anything that non-locals don't?

[TwilightGardener]

3. I don't think there's ANYBODY who thinks he'll run again for Senate here.

A few reasons: He promised to only serve two terms, he's got a party base disgruntled with him here, and his fundraising efforts are minimal, like his heart's not in it. I think he'll try to pass the torch safely to Johanns (making sure Jon Bruning, our state AG, doesn't get the seat--he and Hagel are political enemies) and get out of Nebraska politics. He probably has other plans.

[Inuca]

4. Thanks for the info

I will be kind of sorry to see him out of the Senate, I must say. Unrelated, and I have to ask: does your screen name relate to your dog :-)?

[TwilightGardener]

5. LOL! Yes, my screen name is related to my dog.

He happened to be bothering me relentlessly when I first registered for DU. I'll be sorry to see Hagel go too. Not because of his domestic-issue votes, certainly--that's where a good Dem would make a big difference--but because he's one of the few sane and trustworthy Repub voices on foreign policy and the military.