Don Walton: Senate race may offer great debate

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Wrong again.

Although guessing — and that’s the right word — Scott Kleeb would defeat Tony Raimondo for the Democratic Senate nomination, I thought it would be much closer.

A horse race.

[+]Enlarge

So, what did I miss?

Ground game, Kleeb says.

Under-the-radar campaign workers.  Get-out-the-vote phone calls.

TV ads aren’t enough, Kleeb says.

“Voters want to be talked to. Voters want to be engaged.”

This Senate contest could turn into a great debate instead of just another 30-second TV battle of partial truths.

Both Kleeb and Johanns say voters confront a stark choice.

Not only in terms of who they are, but what they would do and what they believe.

Look for a sharp debate on:

* Iraq and U.S. foreign policy.

* Health care reform.

* Tax policy.

Those three issues — and there will be more — already are on the front burner in the presidential clash between John McCain and Barack Obama.

Johanns will raise social issues like abortion and gay unions.

Kleeb appears ready to make veterans care, including new benefits for Iraq and Afghanistan vets,  an issue.

While Johanns talks about experience and trust, Kleeb will talk about status quo and change.

In this volatile election year, it’s wise not to weigh in with any early assessments or guesses.

So I will.

Johanns, of course, enters this contest as the odds-on favorite.  He’s won two statewide gubernatorial elections. He’s got a huge Republican voter registration advantage at his back.

And Johanns begins with a big fund-raising advantage both in terms of money raised and available support.

Kleeb faces the challenge of raising enough money on his own to attract vital national Democratic attention and resources. 

In the Internet age, that can happen. And Kleeb is the kind of candidate who can tap some online avenues of support.

If he could raise more than a million dollars relatively soon —two million would be much better — and demonstrate some movement in his favor in internal polling, he might be able to attract the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s attention.

The DSCC is not warm and fuzzy or sentimental. With numerous targets of opportunity available to Democrats this year, these guys will require some evidence an investment in Nebraska could pay off.

If Kleeb somehow could provide it, a national Democratic investment of $2 million or so could put fuel in Kleeb’s tank.

Two million bucks matters in Nebraska.

Then we might have a Senate race.

The other factor that could help propel Kleeb is named Ben Nelson.

It’s no secret Nelson preferred Raimondo, his friend.

But Nelson appears to want to go after Johanns. He could be a big ally in nudging Chuck Schumer to consider sending some DSCC money Nebraska’s way.

Johanns is not likely to make any mistakes during this campaign. He’s cool under pressure, focused and prepared. Kleeb will have to make his own breaks.

They’ll be in the ring together for the first time on June 5 at a Senate debate in Lincoln hosted by Boys State. 

* * * 

Chuck Hagel as Barack Obama’s running mate?

Obama could “make this gauzy idea of consensus politics concrete” by choosing Nebraska’s Republican senator or independent New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to fill his vice presidential slot, David Ignatius wrote in the Washington Post last week.

“Hagel would be an especially interesting choice for Obama,” he wrote.

“As a decorated Vietnam veteran, he would add some national security heft to the ticket.”

In addition, Hagel was “an early and courageous GOP critic of the Iraq war,” Ignatius wrote.

“At the same time, although Hagel agrees with Obama on the need for withdrawal from Iraq, his military credentials would reassure U.S. allies that it would not be a pell-mell retreat.”

Finishing up:

*  Kyle Michaelis learned last week his New Nebraska Network will be credentialed as Nebraska’s blogger at the Democratic national convention. Michaelis will be seated on the floor with the Nebraska delegation.

* SurveyUSA is polling to measure support for vice presidential prospects, including these pairings with Obama: John Edwards, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and Hagel.

* Ted Sorensen will deliver the first annual Peter Hoagland Lecture at UNO on Nov. 19.

* Well, at least the Cubs are doing their part.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.