Kleeb, Raimondo battle is highlight of primary

Scott Kleeb and Tony Raimondo battle for the Senate Democratic nomination in this year’s premier primary election scrap.

On the Republican side, Mike Johanns, former governor and recently U.S. secretary of agriculture, faces Schuyler businessman Pat Flynn.

The primary winners will go head to head in November for the right to succeed Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, who is not seeking re-election to a third term.

In addition to the Senate, voters will weigh in on candidates for President, some legislative seats, the Nebraska Board of Regents and the Lancaster County Board.

Lancaster County voters will also tell commissioners how they want to fund a new jail project and Elmwood voters will decide whether liquor should be sold in the town.

In Nebraska’s three House races, most of the attention will be focused on the Democratic primary contest between Jim Esch and Richard Carter in metropolitan Omaha’s 2nd District. In the 1st District, which includes Lincoln, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry is unopposed in the Republican primary and Max Yashirin is the sole candidate in the Democratic race.

All three House seats are held by Republican incumbents who are seeking re-election.

While all the attention in the Democratic Senate primary tussle has centered on Kleeb and Raimondo, two additional candidates — Larry Marvin of Fremont and James Bryan Wilson of Lincoln — are on the Democratic ballot.

Kleeb, the 2006 Democratic congressional nominee in the 3rd District, and Raimondo, chairman of Behlen Manufacturing Co., have dominated the race with 30-second TV advertising.

Also headed for a slot on the Senate general election ballot are Green Party candidate Steve Larrick and Nebraska Party candidate Kelly Renee Rosberg.

Hagel is the only Republican winner in the last 11 Senate contests in Nebraska. When he was elected in 1996, he snapped a 24-year GOP drought. Hagel was re-elected in 2002.

Despite recent history, the Republican primary nominee will take a huge voter registration advantage into the November race.

Legislature

Term limits will play a big role in the legislative races this year. A term limits constitutional amendment passed in 2000 and the first group of senators affected left office in January 2007.

This year, 15 of 25 seats up for election have no incumbents.

In the Lincoln area and nearby, three seats were vacated:

n District 21 northwest of Lincoln, held by Carol Hudkins of Malcolm, has six candidates — Vern Barrett, Ken Haar, James Arthur Jeffers, Justin Larsen, Curtis Schell and Tami Soper;

n District 25 north and east, held by Ron Raikes of Lincoln, has three candidates — Kathy Campbell, Brent Smoyer and Travis Wagner;

n District 27 in west Lincoln, held by DiAnna Schimek, has three candidates — Colby Coash, Dan Marvin and Chuck Stepanek.

Two area districts have an incumbent and a challenger.

n In District 29 in southeast Lincoln voters will choose between incumbent Tony Fulton and challenger Susan Scott.

n Voters in District 1 in Cass and part of Otoe County will choose between incumbent Lavon Heidemann of Elk Creek and write-in challenger Jerry Joy of Stella. Joy must get 5 percent of ballots cast in that race to advance.

Other seats up for election with no incumbent running, including current office holders are: Omaha area District 5, Don Preister; Omaha District 7, John Synowiecki; Omaha District 11, Ernie Chambers; Omaha District 13, Lowen Kruse; Fremont area District 15, Ray Janssen; South Sioux City area District 17, Pat Engel; Hastings area District 33, Carroll Burling; Grand Island area District 35, Ray Aguilar; Kearney area District 37, Joel Johnson; Omaha District 39, Dwite Pedersen; central Nebraska District 41, Vickie McDonald; western Nebraska District 47, Phil Erdman.