Posted on 04/30/2007 9:25:14 AM PDT by Hat-Trick
Hagel, Bruning angling for right BY ROBYNN TYSVER WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
LINCOLN - If Jon Bruning and Chuck Hagel tangle in a GOP primary fight next spring, both may have trouble with the right flank of the Nebraska Republican Party.
Party loyalty - a virtue prized by staunch Republicans - poses trouble for both.
Hagel has angered many Republicans in Nebraska for his unabashed criticism of President Bush and the Iraq war.
That anger rose substantially with Hagel's recent comments that impeachment of the president was an "option," even though he quickly clarified that it isn't an option he supports.
"I think he crossed a very strong line on that," said Mike Kennedy, an active Republican and member of the Millard school board. "I think that's something Nebraska voters will be questioning him on very strongly. A lot of people are uncomfortable with him bringing it up."
Kennedy, however, said Bruning will have his own questions to answer, including the wisdom of challenging an incumbent U.S. senator and his liberal past.
As a young law student, Bruning wrote columns for the Daily Nebraskan in which he praised Hillary Clinton as an "amazing woman" and criticized former President Reagan as a man who was "incapable of understanding complex policy arguments."
He also touted his support of abortion rights, gay rights and gun control - positions he has muted or radically altered since he switched from being a Democrat to Republican after college.
"I was surprised (by his views)," said Kennedy, who has read the columns.
Bruning, 38, said he isn't worried that Republicans will hold his college newspaper columns against him. He said it is not unusual for people to alter their views on big issues, such as abortion, as they get older.
"Like a lot of people, my views have evolved. Ronald Reagan (once) was a Democrat. (Former Nebraska Gov. ) Mike Johanns was a Democrat," Bruning said.
Like many Republicans, Kennedy fears there is a potential for an explosive primary if Hagel seeks a third term and Bruning challenges him.
Right now, there is no full-scale primary war, but neither is there a gentlemanly détente.
Both men have been ratcheting up the rhetoric and maneuvering for big-money donors and supporters behind the scenes.
Bruning is actively raising money across the state and touts such supporters as Omaha businessman David Sokol.
In the past week, Hagel's camp has been calling elected officials, urging them to be co-sponsors of a May 18 fundraiser. (Bruning plans to hold a fundraiser the same day.)
State Auditor Mike Foley, who received one of the telephone calls from Hagel's political office, agreed to serve as a co-sponsor, but he said that did not translate into an endorsement.
"I didn't see this as being dragged into a fight or picking sides," said Foley, who considers both men his friends.
"It will be, quite frankly, awkward if they both run," he added.
U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., said through a spokesman that he considered both men to be friends and would not comment on a "hypothetical" matchup between the two.
Gov. Dave Heineman, however, has jumped into the fray. He endorsed Hagel last week, after Bruning announced he may run.
Heineman said he expects Hagel to run again and he hopes Bruning will honor his earlier pledge not to challenge the senator.
Of Heineman's endorsement of Hagel, Bruning called it "payback" for his support of Tom Osborne in the primary against Heineman last year.
Bruning also indicated that Heineman's support of Hagel would not affect his decision on whether to run.
Meanwhile, copies of the columns written by the then 23-year-old Bruning in 1992 have been sent via anonymous e-mail to many Republicans in the state. Bruning accused Hagel's camp of sending the e-mails, which he calls a "dirty little trick."
The Hagel camp denied sending the e-mails. A Hagel spokesman, however, described Bruning as a political "chameleon."
"When Bill Clinton was president and the Democrats controlled Congress, Jon Bruning was a card-carrying, pro-choice, pro-tax Democrat," said Kevin Chapman, Hagel's political director. "After a Republican Congress was elected in 1994, he transformed himself into a pro-life, anti-tax Republican."
The question of who is more Republican would be at the heart of a battle between Hagel and Bruning.
Hagel opened himself up to a possible primary challenge by going full-bore in his criticism of Bush and the Iraq war. Many Republicans say they are disappointed in Hagel for siding with Democrats in supporting a timeline for withdrawing troops from Iraq and for his comments about Bush and impeachment.
"He voted for the war and then he's criticizing the president for conducting the war," said Terry Christopher, a former county GOP official from Sidney.
Hagel talked to Esquire magazine and ABC News about impeachment and Bush, describing it is an "option" and saying that some people are considering impeaching the president.
The day after his TV appearance, Hagel told The World-Herald: "I don't think there is any validity to any impeachment that I'm aware of." But Hagel has declined requests by the newspaper to explain why he said impeachment was an "option."
As for Bruning, he may find that the Daily Nebraskan columns could hamper his efforts to portray himself as the loyal Republican in the field.
Although the columns have been talked about in political circles for years and have been used against him in past campaigns, they could gain more visibility in a high-profile Senate race.
Bruning said he believes voters will be more interested in his record as a state lawmaker and attorney general than in his beliefs as a college student.
During his six years in the Nebraska Legislature, Bruning was a staunch opponent of abortion, he supported tax cuts and he supported a concealed-carry gun law.
During his first term as attorney general, he fought in court to uphold the state's ban on same-sex marriage in Nebraska.
"I ask people to take a look at my record. It is stable and predictable," Bruning said.
There is a link in the OWH article to Bruning's comments from 1992, which I'm also linking here.
I view this as a great development - Hagel is obviously feeling the heat from a potential Bruning candidacy, and is trying to get this out there early - at least to cast doubt with those who might consider attending Bruning's fundraiser instead of Hagel's.
This is the first I've heard of Bruning's comments on abortion - though I'm not at this point questioning his conservative credentials - as these comments were made as a registered democrat 23 year-old student, prior to switching to the GOP, and contrast starkly with his record in the Nebraska Unicameral and as Nebraska's AG.
I still believe Bruning is a conservative - he has been very pro-life in fighting Bellevue, NE abortionist LeRoy Carhart's various challenges to state and federal abortion laws.
FRegards,
H-T
Sounds like Bruning is the wrong horse to back but y’all need to find a replacement for Hagel.
I like the horse analogy. You never know when one, after being hitched to your wagon, is going to lift it’s tail and blow a big load of “apples” in your lap.
Let’s get real. If the only way Hegel and the MSM can find to smear Bruning is to say that a 38-year-old man used to be liberal in college, then they are getting pretty desperate and must not have much other ammunition.
I don’t know the man, but if he has had a pro-life record since then, I would be willing to accept it.
We know that Chuck Hagel is simply unacceptable, even as a RINO. He is another Lincoln Chaffee, who has not just voted liberal on a few bills but has gratuitously gone out of his way to undermine the party and President Bush, not to speak of the troops. He MUST be given the boot at any cost.
Hope he kicks arse!
Have you heard anything else about this?
Concur, on all accounts.
Bruning has not “formally” announced as of yet, but I will post the first “official” announcement I see.
I can only speculate that Daub doesn’t want to run against an incumbent Hagel - something that doesn’t scare off Bruning, which I believe speaks well for Bruning. If Hagel announces his candidacy for POTUS (which I doubt he will, as he likely might not even carry Nebraska at this point), I would further speculate that Daub jumps into a primary. I would also speculate that Mayor Mike “Fidel” Fahey runs for the dims.
Thanks for posting this link. It looks more “formal” that I had thought. The exploratory committee is definitely up and running.
That sounds pretty acurate to me.
Those poll numbers confirm what I have been hearing as I travel the state talking to Nebraskans about their vision for Nebraska and our country. Given the momentum and tremendous encouragement pouring in from all over the state, I'm not surprised that the negative politics they teach you in Washington have begun.
Unfortunately, in the coming days, you will see the lengths some will go to in an effort to discredit any challenge to the status quo. In fact, you will see me being attacked for articles I wrote 15 years ago as a student. It's true that I, along with President Reagan and Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns were all registered Democrats in our youth. In fact, Secretary Johanns once ran for Chairmanship of the Nebraska Democratic Party. It's no secret that as we mature, so do our views and values.
I became a Republican because of my strongly-held values and beliefs. I am pro-life. I believe that marriage is between one man and one woman. And I support Second Amendment rights.
As a two-term state senator and as attorney general, my record in support of conservative issues is clear. Period. I have been repeatedly endorsed in my elections for both Legislature and Attorney General by Nebraska Right to Life and the National Rifle Association. Simply put, my conservative record is rock-solid.
In contrast, in the last 30 days, Sen. Hagel voted with the Democratic leadership in favor of a strict timeline for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq and said the impeachment of our President is a real option.
My conservative record is solid. Let the record speak for itself.
Uh. As opposed to the creep weasel Hagel who we know what he will do for sure. Betray the party the country and our soldiers in the field. Duh.. mmm.. hard choice.
Thanks. That’s pretty much what I deduced was the case.
I don't know about that. So Bruning was a democrat when he was a stupid know-it-all college student. Since then he grew up and has established a voting record in the Nebraska legislature. He endorsed former Nebraska football coach (and solid conservative) Tom Osborne against the current governor, and is now probably seeing some political payback from the governor along with the typical flak you get from challenging an incumbant in the primary. Sounds to me like he is a viable alternative to Hagel in the primary.
Agreed and it is too bad that the Neb. public could not have supported Tom Osbo. a few years ago. That would have settled some Neb. political questions. They still have Dem Ben Nelson as the other Senator and he will never lose there since the public actually thinks he is a real conservative!!!
While I’d like to see Chuck Hagel out of the Senate, Jon Bruning’s Clinton-supporting, Reagan-bashing past reflects badly on him. Perhaps a third candidate needs to jump in and vie for conservative support.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.