(Scroll down for update)
Senator Chuck Hagel will not run for reelection, reports Jake Thompson for the Omaha World-Herald:
Chuck Hagel will announce Monday that he is retiring from the U.S. Senate and will not run for president next year, people close to the Nebraska Republican said Friday.Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel plans to leave the Senate after two terms as a Republican Party maverick, people close to him say.Hagel plans to announce that "he will not run for re-election and that he does not intend to be a candidate for any office in 2008," said one person, who asked not to be named.
Hagel has scheduled a press conference for 10 a.m. Monday at the Omaha Press Club.
The full story is at the above link. Good damned riddance! There are several Republicans who may contest for the seat, and former Democratic Governor and Senator Bob Kerrey, now President of the New School University, has expressed interest in the race as well. For my money, I'd rather see Kerrey in the seat than Hagel. He's not as independent-sounding as he used to be, but he's not an idiot.
No doubt Hagel will land on his feet, especially if some university has an open chair in the Department of Pompous Self-importance.
UPDATE 08 Sept: Over at The Florida Masochist, our friend Bill Jempty disagrees:
That happiness over Kerrey winning the seat will end as soon as the Democrat votes in a way Jim (or other conservative bloggers) doesn't like. A Kerrey win isn't good for the Republicans in any fashion. Remember I'm a registered Democrat.Over 20 Republican Senate seats are up in 2008, Hagel's now joins the list of those the Democrats could capture.(CO, NH, VA, ME, NC, AK where Ted Stevens is under investigation, MN, and NM if Domenici retires)
Read it all at the link above. Bill's right, of course, to the extent that Kerrey would vote with his party at least as often as Hagel voted with his, and the result wouldn't be pretty. Still, I refuse to mourn Hagel. On the most important issues, he's increasingly been a deserter. And how arrogant a punk do you have to be to consider running for President when the only people who like you are those who hate your party?
So, yeah, Bill, I may come to regret an encore of Senator Kerrey and a strengthened Harry Reid. If it gets to the point of actually missing Hagel, I'll be sure to stop by for my "Knucklehead of the Day" award (I shared one for backing Diane Irey vs. Murtha last year, but may be coming into my own . . .)
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2008 Senate races, Nebraska, Republican
Tags: Hagel, Republicans, Senate
Comments (6)
You said it. Good riddance... (Below threshold)1. Posted by COgirl | September 8, 2007 11:53 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You said it. Good riddance.
1. Posted by COgirl | September 8, 2007 11:53 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 8, 2007 11:53
2. Posted by HughS | September 8, 2007 12:37 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It's been a good week. First Warner, then Hagel. The place smells better already.
2. Posted by HughS | September 8, 2007 12:37 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 8, 2007 12:37
3. Posted by John in CA | September 8, 2007 10:43 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I hunted around for some recent publicly available polling on Chucky's standing in Nebraska.
Last one I saw, and found again, was back in April. That showed him polling better among dems than Republicans and indies.
I'm guessing his internal polling is showing him still down and slim chances in a GOP primary battle.
Why is that when a Republican military veteran speaks out against the war, they are a media darling, but when a Republican military veteran, such as Sam Johnson, speaks out forcefully for the war, it's crickets?
Why would that make you a knucklehead? Everything else being even, corruption, despicableness, at least Irey would be easier to look at.
3. Posted by John in CA | September 8, 2007 10:43 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 8, 2007 22:43
4. Posted by Jim Addison | September 9, 2007 1:26 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Technically, I believe those of us backing Irey were awarded the "Knucklehead of the Day" for squandering our limited resources on a candidate with no chance to win. The original "Rightroots" gang inspired the award, so I was in good company.
I'd do it again, too. Irrespective of the practical chances, it's always worthwhile to stand up against a foul, crooked backstabber like Murtha.
4. Posted by Jim Addison | September 9, 2007 1:26 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2007 01:26
5. Posted by Cliff | September 9, 2007 1:44 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The word on the street is that Mike Johanns is planning on running. That's great news. Johanns left office with through-the-roof approval ratings, and especially with Hillary on the top of the ticket, he'll win easily.
Regardless of what you think of him, Bob Kerrey hasn't won a seriously contested election since 1988, and hasn't won an election since 1994. Johanns won in 2002 in a landslide, and will slaughter all comers.
5. Posted by Cliff | September 9, 2007 1:44 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2007 01:44
6. Posted by kim | September 9, 2007 8:45 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Those cornhuskers might not be able to stop the pass, not discerning the difference between a football and an errant chickenhawk, but they sure can grind it out on the ground.
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6. Posted by kim | September 9, 2007 8:45 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2007 08:45