You want Popcorn? Try NE-Gov

As if you couldn't guess, the Nebraska gubenatorial race for 2006 boils down to the GOP primary race...and it's going to be good.  Gov. Dave Heineman took his seat after Mike Johanns was summoned to Washington to be the new Secretary of Agriculture.  His main challenger is known to most Nebraskans as Coach.  Coach Tom Osborne (NE-03), that is. Waiting in the wings is Dave Nabity, an Omaha businessman.I have a feeling this is going to get incredibly nasty over the next few months.  The  Lincoln Journal-Star reported this week that former GOP governor Charles Thone, former NE-03 Rep. Bill Barrett and former GOP State Chair Ralph Knobel have endorsed Tom Osborne. Whether it's because of his stellar job as a voiceless Delay rubberstamp for the last six years or because of his football coaching ability we'll never know.  His stance against accepting corporate and PAC donations while limiting other contributions to $1,000 is honorable, especially considering the environment in which he works.  Also, TO is very anti death penalty.  Some death penalty opponents think Nebraska may become the next state to ban the death penalty if he becomes governor.

Heineman took over for Mike Johanns last year.  Johanns had been poised to run against Ben Nelson (?-NE) for Senate but took the low road to DC by accepting Bush's appointment to Sec-Ag.  Johanns might have ducked out because the people of Nebraska viewed him as powerless after the legislature overrode all his budget vetoes after his reelection in 2002.  In a state where the Democratic senator is a Republican and the his chief challenger is a weak Republican, Johanns knew the correct path.

Governor Heineman hasn't had to do a whole lot since Johanns departed since he came in on the end of a short legislative session but suddenly this legislative session he's proposed a huge tax cut plan. He hasn't declared, or had the opportunity to declare, any state prayer days like Johanns did.  That in itself is a breath of fresh air since Johanns wore his Catholicism like a badge in his governor's seat(nevermind the private stuff I won't get into here).  Heineman has garned the endorsement of Chuck Hagel which is a double-edged sword here.  Hagel has a lot of pull but to the LTE writers in the big papers he's either a voice of reason or the Devil.

Remember back in 1980 when the governor's race in Nebraska was between two women, Helen Boosalis (Dem.) and Kay Orr (Rep.) and the national media heralded it as a massive change in the electorate.  Well, the first time I've heard of former governor Kay Orr in years was this week when she endorsed The, as we say here in Nebraska, third party candidate (democratic is the 4th party...duh), Dave Nabity.

I'm not sure about Heineman but I know Osborne's years as coach of the Cornhuskers leaves some skeletons in his closet.  Not many people remember TO hiding a gun for one of his players (Tyrone Williams-currently of the Dallas Cowboys) until the county attorney came to him, hat in hand, and asked for it.  I imagine there's a filing cabinet full of files at the county attorney's office about his former players that never saw light.

Nabity is a Norquist/Club for Growth candidate.  Osborne is more liberal on the environment.  He likes his trout streams unpolluted and full of trout.  Heineman is still a bit of an enigma since he's only been in the public eye for a year or so but his tax cut plan in an election year sounds like pandering to me.

I'll update this race as required, especially if a Democratic candidate suddenly appears.