Posted on 05/10/2006 7:35:26 AM PDT by George W. Bush
Running on an anti-tax theme in a heavily Republican district is seldom a bad idea — a tenet borne out by state Sen. Adrian Smith’s victory Tuesday in the GOP primary for Nebraska’s open 3rd District seat.
Smith’s win appears to put him on the fast track to fill the House seat left open by three-term Republican Rep. Tom Osborne, who fell short in his primary challenge to Republican Gov. Dave Heineman. While Democratic officials say they will fight for the open seat, the Republican nominee normally enjoys the initiative in a sprawling, heavily rural district that gave President Bush 75 percent of its votes in 2004.
Smith, who had 39 percent of the votes with most ballots counted, held conservative views that did not differ greatly from those of his two main rivals, former Osborne aide John Hanson (29 percent) and Grand Island Mayor Jay Vavricek (28 percent).
But Smith ran with the endorsement of the national political action committee Club for Growth, which helped him in two major ways: It gave him the imprimatur of the most fiscally conservative candidate, and it helped boost him to the top of the campaign fundraising competition.
Smith emphasized his opposition to government spending and dedication to lowering taxes throughout the campaign. But he also sought to avoid being labeled a one-issue candidate, contending that “no one single issue determined the campaign.”
Smith pointed to his campaign’s agricultural advisory committee as a particular example of this philosophy. He noted that it played an important role in relaying his farm policy to voters. Smith also contends that health care and energy issues played an important role in the campaign, and said having voted on those issues in the legislature set him apart from the other candidates.
He also played down the importance of his fundraising lead, noting that “one-on-one meetings are valuable” and stating that “grass-roots definitely played an important role in the campaign.”
Apart from the Club for Growth’s backing, he was aided by key endorsements from the anti-abortion Nebraska Right to Life and the Nebraska United for Life PACs and the National Rifle Association. Additionally, Smith received the endorsements from 16 senator colleagues in the state’s unicameral legislature.
Hanson drew attention for his service as Osborne’s agriculture director for the district. But he had to perform a difficult balancing act, trying to escape Osborne’s shadow while promoting his experience as Osborne’s aide and seeking to have the congressman’s personal popularity rub off on him. His hopes for the latter were set back when Osborne opted for neutrality in the race, despite rumors that he would endorse Hanson.
Vavricek found himself limited geographically in the contest. Though he came in with a base in Grand Island, the 3rd District’s largest city, he proved unable to rally support across the district.
Smith now heads into the general election against Yale-educated rancher Scott Kleeb, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Kleeb has a strategy that combines an emphasis on his family’s deep roots in rural western Nebraska with a strategy to appeal to the district’s expanding Hispanic population and to growing communities along the Interstate 80 corridor, which touches cities such as Grand Island, Kearney and North Platte.
CQ currently rates the 3rd District general election as Safe Republican. Please visit CQPolitics.com’s Election Forecaster for ratings on all races.
Adrian Smith has a record of voting the full Reagan/Gingrich agenda. Here is a strong young conservative congressman for the 2007 freshman class, replacing the far more liberal carpetbagger, Osborne.
Club Members Score Another Victory
ADRIAN SMITH, CLUB FOR GROWTH PAC-SUPPORTED CANDIDATE WINS NEBRASKA-3 GOP PRIMARY
Voters Favor Pro-Growth Agenda; Send A Message To Republicans in Washington
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Extending the Club for Growth PAC's record to 5-1 for endorsed candidates in the 2006 cycle, Nebraska primary voters last night chose Adrian Smith as the GOP nominee for the 3rd Congressional District race. Adrian Smith is an endorsed candidate of the Club for Growth PAC, the political arm of the nation's largest free market advocacy organization with more than 35,000 members.
"The Club for Growth PAC is proud to have played a significant part in ensuring Adrian had the support he needed to campaign effectively on lower taxes and less spending -- and the voters have responded," said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. "Club for Growth members donated over $320,000 to his campaign and the Club's PAC ran a $70,000 independent expenditure TV ad during the closing days of the campaign touting Adrian's experience as a proven tax fighter."
"This is a huge win for Adrian and the pro-growth agenda," Toomey continued. "His belief in limited government, lower taxes and his willingness to stick to his principles as a legislator are traits desperately needed in Congress, especially at a time when congressional Republicans are struggling to hold onto their majority."
Adrian won with 39% of the vote while his top opponents, John Hanson, an aide to the current congressman, Tom Osborne, and Jay Vavricek, the mayor of Grand Island each received 29% and 28%, respectively. His primary win in this heavily Republican district almost assures he will replace Rep. Tom Osborne in Congress after the general election.
"Nebraska's 3rd District constituents expect strong, principled leadership and I am confident that Adrian Smith will deliver on that expectation once he is elected in November," concluded Toomey.
Club for Growth deserves a second look from any that are less than enthused about the Republican party support for RINOs over and over again. If you want change from your Republican "leadership" this is an avenue that has a record of success.
Yeah, man! Let's get rid of Chafee, so he can be replaced by a hard-nosed, fiscally conservative, God-fearing DEMOCRAT (well, he'll be a Democrat anyway). Then we'll get rid of those other RINOs, so Harry Reid can be the Senate Majority Leader. Then we'll really get things accomplished. Hey, we've got to destroy the country in order to save it, don't we?
"Yeah, man! Let's get rid of Chafee, so he can be replaced by a hard-nosed, fiscally conservative, God-fearing DEMOCRAT (well, he'll be a Democrat anyway). Then we'll get rid of those other RINOs, so Harry Reid can be the Senate Majority Leader. Then we'll really get things accomplished. Hey, we've got to destroy the country in order to save it, don't we?"
Sounds a lot like "Yeah, man! Let's get rid of Arnold, so he can be replaced by a lobsterback, tax happy redcoat. Then we'll get rid of other Tory's, so William Pitt can be prime Minister and King george can reign over us. Then we'll get thing accomplished...."
You get my drift. Sucking up to 'mavericks' only results in the overall agenda in crisis and all movement in the direction of the other party.
With republicans like Chaffee, who needs democrats?
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