Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Daub joins the race

Independent/Scott Kingsley
Former U.S. Representative and former Omaha mayor Hal Daub speaks to spectators before his press conference at the Central Nebraska Regional Airport to announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Chuck Hagel. Seen with Daub is his wife, Mary.



By Tracy Overstreet
tracy.overstreet@theindependent.com

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Former Nebraska congressman and former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub formally launched his bid for the Senate on Monday.
He announced his candidacy during a two-day, 11-city tour that started in Scottsbluff Monday morning.

"Washington needs to be fixed," Daub said during an announcement speech that lasted nearly 20 minutes at the Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island.

Daub, 60, said the dysfunctional operation of Washington was the No. 1 concern cited by Nebraska during a 93-county "listening and learning tour" he conducted this summer.

The second most common concern was immigration.

Daub voted against amnesty during his eight years in the House of Representatives. He was elected in 1980 and re-elected in 1982, 1984 and 1986.

He favors English as the official language of the United States, securing the country's borders and ports and a guest worker program to provide labor for American businesses.

"Whether it's in the dry edible bean fields of the Panhandle or sugar beet crops getting in and out or whether it's packing houses or a variety of other things may I say restaurants and lawn services and gardens, not just in this part of the state but in every community, including Lincoln and Omaha that a legal program for guest workers that permits law-abiding workers to stay and work, but not acquire citizenship and the right to vote, would be something I can support," he said.

An attorney by trade, Daub touted his work on Omaha's riverfront, his submission of balanced local budgets and of private-sector work in agriculture, health care, accounting and law as skills he can put to use in the Senate.

He also pledged a "positive, proactive campaign" a promise that was immediately picked up on by Democrats and Republicans alike.

"With his well-documented style of negative politics and personal attacks, Hal Daub's candidacy ensures the Republicans will pick up right where Pete Ricketts left off more attacks, more negativity, more polarization and more dissatisfaction for Nebraska voters," said Steve Achelpohl, the state chairman of the Nebraska Democratic Party.

"I am encouraged by Hal's decision to run a positive campaign and his pledge to refrain from the divisive rhetoric and personal attacks of his previous campaigns," said fellow Republican candidate Attorney General Jon Bruning.

Schuyler businessman Pat Flynn is also a declared Republican candidate.

There's speculation that former Nebraska governor and current U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns will run, but Johanns declined any announcement during a trip to Nebraska last week.

Gov. Dave Heineman wished the best of luck to both Daub and Johanns.

During a telephone conference with state reporters on Monday, Heineman said he started his public service career with Daub.

"I have great respect for him, and he and I are good friends," Heineman said. "I have had an outstanding opportunity with Johanns when he was governor and I was his lieutenant governor, and so it will be a difficult choice, in that regard, because I have high regard for both of them."

When asked which Republican candidate will win the primary race, Heineman said that will be up to the voters.

"This is something that I'm very, very firm about. We have primaries to play the real game," he said.

Heineman referred back to his race against Tom Osborne when they both sought the Republican nomination for governor.

"People didn't think I could win," he said. "We have these primaries to really find out who is the best candidate and who can lead in an individual given race."

Former Grand Island Mayor Ken Gnadt praised Daub for the help he gave Grand Island. Gnadt said Daub has helped on sales tax issues, has raised funds for the Heartland Events Center, has attended Husker Harvest Days many times and has been a member of Stuhr Museum.

Former Nebraska governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey is being talked about as a possible contender on the Democratic ticket.



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