Don't Count Out Donno

While the news here on Leavenworth Street has been light over the past few days (because of personal business reasons) one candidate has been steadily keeping himself in the traffic lights. Old Donnie Stenberg has managed to keep himself relevant in the battle for the GOP US Senate nomination. But how? With paid media? Downing vats of coffee with skeptical farmers? Parades and stickers?

Nope, Donno has done this the old fashioned way, by making news.

Like Tip O’Neil said, All Politics is Local, and it doesn’t get much more local than the school district issue. Since DS has been the attorney on the side of the Class I school districts (Class I fight gets supreme effort -- OWH -- 3/5/06), he’s had his name and face in the papers on an issue that hits home to lots and lots of households.

Now on the curb of Leavenworth Street you’d probably hear that Stenberg’s position is sort of for naught now: The US Supremes are unlikely to intervene on this and in any case it will be decided by Nebraska voters in November when the issue is on the ballot. Does that make a difference?

NO, they all yell!

Any news is good news to the campaign, and with the name recognition and record, Sten-Sten may just be taking the lead in this bad-boy. Add on to that, that the US Supremes will be mentioning his name often when the issue of the Federal Partial Birth Abortion legislation comes up soon (you’ll remember the Nebraska state versions of this got struck down in Stenberg v. Carhart). You’ll hear that case and the Stenberg name all over the place, -- red-meat for the GOP primary crowd. Again, Don-boy won’t have to actually argue anything, but his face will be out there.

Don’t kid yourself; this will make it tough for Ricketts and Kramer. They can say what they WILL do all day long, but the Stenberger can say what he’s DONE.

With the Governor’s race sucking all of the air out of this primary campaign season, the odds on this race may be changing. Stay tuned.