Hagel rallies GOP over Ricketts' bid (labor backs Ben Nelson!)

I know labor in Nebraska raised over $280,000 for Ben Nelson's primary campaign. AFSCME gave the maximum $10,000. I was there and had my picture taken with him. Ben does not alway vote Democratic, but backs labor most of the time. Hagel came out swinging against him for millionaire Ricketts today. If you would like to give Ben a few $ and let him know you are connected with labor from a State besides Nebraska, I would appreciate it.

http://www.actblue.com/directory/search?q=federal-senate&state=NE

Published Sunday
June 25, 2006

Hagel rallies GOP over Ricketts' bid

BY ROBYNN TYSVER


WORLD-HERALD
STAFF WRITER

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Republican Chuck Hagel threw several sharp jabs Saturday at his U.S. Senate colleague Ben Nelson, saying the Nebraska Democrat showed his partisan stripes when he voted with Ted Kennedy to raise the minimum wage.



Sen. Chuck Hagel

Hagel, who refers to Nelson as a "pretend Republican," left no doubt in a speech before a GOP gathering that he plans to be one of Pete Ricketts' strongest, and most vocal, supporters in his battle to unseat Nelson.

Ricketts' race against Nelson, who is seeking a second term, topped the talking points at the Nebraska Republican Party State Convention in Grand Island.

About 325 attended the convention, including Gov. Dave Heineman and U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry.

The gathering was used by Hagel and others to try to convince rank-and-file Republicans that Nelson can be beaten by Ricketts, a political newcomer.

Hagel noted that he was once in a similar position, when he ran against then-Gov. Nelson in 1996 and was 24 points behind on Labor Day. Hagel went on to win by 14 percentage points.

He told his partisan brethren that the Nelson-Ricketts race had national implications, because seven GOP Senate seats are in jeopardy. A Nelson victory, he said, could propel Democrats back into power in Congress, where Nelson would be compelled to vote for a Democratic leader. That leader would then preside over two years of turmoil.

"If the Democrats win either house, you will see two years of nonstop investigations of the Bush administration," Hagel said.

He also criticized Nelson for voting for the minimum wage bill proposed by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Hagel said the vote proved that Nelson was not a true conservative.

Marcia Cady, Nelson's spokeswoman, said Hagel's attempt to paint Nelson as a liberal will not wash with Nebraskans, who know that he is an "independent and populist" voice.

Cady said Nelson's support for a higher minimum wage proved that he supports workers.

"Ben voted for the minimum wage because it helps employees. It hasn't been adjusted for 10 years. He also voted to do away with the estate tax to help employers," Cady said.

"I think this points out that Pete wants to represent one point of view, while Ben represents all of Nebraska," she added.

Ricketts, who took the stage after Hagel, said there are about 200,000 more registered Republicans in Nebraska than Democrats. He said the numbers alone show that his campaign is within striking distance.

Although Nelson sometimes votes with President Bush, Ricketts said, Nebraska would be served better with a Republican "who believes what he votes on and is not intellectually dishonest with his votes."

In his speech, Hagel took an opportunity to stump for Bush's controversial immigration and guest worker plan. Hagel said one reason people have lost faith in government is that Congress has failed to tackle tough issues such as immigration.

He said Republicans should give the president more credit for understanding the issue because, as governor of Texas, Bush presided over the longest stretch of the nation's border with Mexico.

Hagel called on the national GOP to return to its roots. The party has been in power for more than a decade and has to take responsibility for the nation's rising debt.

"It doesn't do any good to blame Ted Kennedy, blame the media," Hagel said. "I think we've wandered. We've strayed from our Republican moorings."

He added that the Democratic Party does not have the answers. "It's a very thin gruel, what the Democrats offer."

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