From the
Omaha World Herald:
Some national Republicans would like to convince Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman to skip an election battle with fellow Republican Tom Osborne and challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson instead.
"A dream ticket in Nebraska is Osborne for governor and Heineman for U.S. Senate," said a national GOP strategist in Washington, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Heineman says "no." He wants to remain governor and is in the race to stay - a certain popular former football coach notwithstanding, an aide said.
"No one has approached him with what you're asking, and he said even if they had he would not be interested," said Aaron Sanderford, the governor's spokesman.
Heineman became governor in January after second-term Republican Mike Johanns was tapped by President Bush to become U.S. agriculture secretary.
The new governor has announced plans to seek the office in his own right next year, and he was endorsed in that quest by U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.
But Osborne's candidacy, announced last weekend, threw a curve into the governor's race.
...
The GOP strategist said a Heineman Senate candidacy would catapult that race onto the national stage.
"Heineman would be able to draw resources from across the country to defeat Nelson," he said.
He also said Republicans would prefer that two of the state's top GOP officeholders not square off against each other in the same primary.
Nelson declined to comment Friday.
