"Chuck Hagel's antiwar stance could make him a serious Republican candidate for the White House in 2008. But it's causing him headaches back home."
"Nebraska is more conservative than the nation as a whole. Senator Hagel, however, has become more liberal. And for some reason he has an anger to George Bush that is not particularly productive."
Today, the United States Senate blocked the much publicized immigration bill.
“I am terribly disappointed that Chuck Hagel would support any measure that prevents our immigration and custom officials from enforcing the law,” Bruning said.
"He [Kerrey] is thinking about running for the Senate again. This makes two mixed-up, Viet-Nam tainted dunces sitting on that fence. Jon Bruning looks smarter every day."And that pretty much sums it up for a Monday!
1965: "The bill will not flood our cities with immigrants. It will not upset the ethnic mix of our society. It will not relax the standards of admission. It will not cause American workers to lose their jobs."
1986: "This amnesty will give citizenship to only 1.1 to 1.3 million illegal aliens. We will secure the borders henceforth. We will never again bring forward another amnesty bill like this."
2007: "Now it is time for action. 2007 is the year we must fix our broken system."
CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY | Greg Giroux
Jon Bruning, a Republican who serves as Nebraska’s attorney general, is waiting no longer for incumbent Senate Republican Chuck Hagel to make up his mind about 2008. Bruning announced Thursday that he is seeking the GOP nomination for the seat presently held by Hagel, a prominent Republican opponent of President Bush’s Iraq war policies.
Hagel, nationally known as a Republican dissident, has created an air of mystery about what path he will take next year. Though he may well decide to pursue a third Senate term, he has left open the possibility of running for president — perhaps as an independent candidate — or retiring from politics altogether.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Published Thursday | June 7, 2007 Jon Bruning officially enters Senate race BY ROBYNN TYSVER WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
It's official: Jon Bruning entered the 2008 Senate race today.
Jon Bruning announcing his run for the Senate in the rotunda of the State Capitol.The second-term Nebraska attorney general said he will run for Senate whether fellow Republican and incumbent Sen. Chuck Hagel runs or not.
"I am a candidate without reservations," Bruning said at a news conference in Lincoln today. "I'm running hard and I'm running to win."
Hagel, who has angered many rank-and-file party members with his criticism of the Iraq war, has not announced whether he will run for a third term. He plans to make his decision in the fall.
Bruning said he is disappointed in Hagel's vote for early troop withdrawal from Iraq and Hagel's support of President Bush's immigration bill.
Bruning said he believes he can beat Hagel and former Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns if either get into the race. He tried to paint Hagel as an out-of-touch Washington lawmaker who is not a Nebraskan.
He referred to Hagel - who currently lives in Virginia - as a carpetbagger. Bruning said that if former Sen. Bob Kerrey got into the race he would also portray him as a carpetbagger.
Bruning noted that his supporters include former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, Omaha businessman David Sokol and state Treasurer Shane Osborn.
Bruning made his announcement with family and about 75 supporters in the rotunda of the State Capitol.
Jon Bruning bio
AGE: 38. Born April 30, 1969, in Lincoln to Roger and Mary Bruning.
RESIDENCE: Lancaster County
EDUCATION: Graduated from Lincoln Southeast High School in 1987. Graduated with a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1990. Earned law degree from UNL in 1994.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: General counsel for Vital Learning Corp. in Omaha, 1994-1997. Attorney in private practice.
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Vice president of University of Nebraska student government, 1989-1990. Elected as a state senator in 1996 and re-elected in 2000. Elected attorney general in 2002 and re-elected in 2006.
RELIGION: Methodist
FAMILY: Wife, Deonne Niemack, two children.