Don Bacon for NE Governor

[BL53931]

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/3/9/2020252/-Nebraska-Republican-considers-giving-up-swingy-House-seat-to-run-for-governor

Makes sense to me. Comments??

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

If he does it, who replaces him?

[beesley]

He's not a shoo-in for the primary, far from it. A strong candidate, but not a lock.

If he does it, who replaces him?

The highest-profile possible successor would be Jean Stothert. The Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, Mike Hilgers, is also from Omaha. There's also State Treasurer John Murante, and radio host Chip Maxwell, who was trounced by Bacon in the 2016 primary.

[Lambsbread]

If he does it, who replaces him?

Kara Eastman!!!

[Meatball Ron]

If he does it, who replaces him?

Kara Eastman!!!

You're joking, right? Her underperformance of Biden in '20 was so embarassing. We should be nominating progressives where they can win, but this district ain't it. She should be cast into political oblivion, at least until this district is much, much safer for Dems.

[free my dawg]

Fire the Ashfords into the sun forever.

[Perlen vor den Schweinen]

If Bacon wants to run, 2022 is the time.

Some benefits to running now:

• It'd cap off his political career; if he runs for two terms, he's at a "normal" retirement age. He's also not getting any younger!
• Open seat
• Has current political goodwill with the NE GOP, being a doctrinaire, Trump-supporting conservative in a Trump/Biden district
• It'd be easier running in a gubernatorial primary - no need to saddle the fence or worry about answering tough questions swing-district congressmen get
• The general election is likely to be a cakewalk, given this is Nebraska. Bacon could take a joyride across the state and win by 20 points without ever acknowledging his Democratic opponent.
  

If he does it, who replaces him?

Democratic State Senator Megan Hunt of Omaha (the Benson and Dundee areas) is making some noise on Twitter regarding a potential open seat. I don't know of anyone else interested in the NE-02 race on the Democratic side.

The highest-profile possible successor would be Jean Stothert. The Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, Mike Hilgers, is also from Omaha. There's also State Treasurer John Murante, and radio host Chip Maxwell, who was trounced by Bacon in the 2016 primary.

I'd say Stothert is unlikely to run, given that she is currently in the busy process of running for reelection, and has had a recent personal tragedy.

Also, Mike Hilgers represents a district in Lincoln. He was born in Omaha.

If he does it, who replaces him?

Kara Eastman!!!

I would not think Eastman wants to run another grueling campaign for the US House, especially after losing a Biden-won district. However, people are piling too much blame onto the Eastman campaign -

Eastman was constantly getting pelted by Moderate Heroes like Ashford and Literally Joe Lieberman, but that was not so much the fault of Eastman (it kept the narrative that she was a Radical Partisan Bernie Bro Shill Hack going, though). Someone I know that has had a career working with military officials noted that Bacon is charming and acts agreeable - works well when you're in military leadership, and works well when you are trying to get people to vote for you! And being a former military official is especially useful electorally when you're in a district in the sphere of influence of a major Air Force base!

If he does it, who replaces him?

Kara Eastman!!!

You're joking, right? Her underperformance of Biden in '20 was so embarassing. We should be nominating progressives where they can win, but this district ain't it. She should be cast into political oblivion, at least until this district is much, much safer for Dems.

I think a "progressive Democrat" can certainly win NE-02; Eastman still came close both times despite having the kitchen sink thrown at her by Democrats in the district and nationally, while also running against an Actual Strong Incumbent Don Bacon.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Endorsed! Entirely because it makes picking this seat up in the House easier. Let's just not nominate Eastman this time.

[Pericles]

Cool, NE-02 can be weird again and swing left as the nation swings right.

[prag_prog]

I wonder if Megan Hunt is interested in running in this seat as long as NE Rs don't make any big changes to the maps. I like her, she does seem like a decent candidate

[Hope For A New Era]

I have to think he must be a big improvement over Ricketts.

[Flyersfan232]

Endorsed! Entirely because it makes picking this seat up in the House easier. Let's just not nominate Eastman this time.

Unless it draw differently

[Progressive Pessimist]

Endorsed! Entirely because it makes picking this seat up in the House easier. Let's just not nominate Eastman this time.

Unless it draw differently

Omaha is too big not to be a significant part of at least one district.