Mike Fahey's Senate Decision

Before our short analysis, first a little Separated at Birth.

Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey and…The Joker.

“Fahey would not challenge (U.S. Senator Chuck ) Hagel if he seeks re-election, said Paul Landow, the mayor's chief of staff, out of Fahey's respect for Hagel and because of the practical difficulty of beating an elected incumbent senator.” (D.C. chat has Fahey considering Senate bid – OWH – 2/11/07.)

“Fahey, however, left himself an out to run for the U.S. Senate in the event that Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel does not seek re-election. Fahey said his final decision won't come until the end of the year.” (Fahey planning fundraising dinner – OWH – 4/18/07.)

Quotes from reports on Mike Fahey’s interest in the U.S. Senate back in February of this year and just a few days ago. But has A.G. Jon Bruning’s change of heart about challenging Hagel changed Fahey’s position?

Consider this: The 63-year-old Fahey doesn’t want to get in, unless he can win. He doesn’t think he can beat Hagel. But what if Hagel is challenged?

You figure that Bruning wouldn’t challenge Hagel unless he thought he had a very good – or even nearly certain – chance of beating Hagel in the GOP primary. So if Bruning gets in, Fahey has a decision to make.

Assume that in January or February Hagel’s still in, fighting for his political life against Bruning. But many might think Hagel is done-for. So where does that leave Fahey? He promised that he wouldn’t challenge Hagel (well, then again, so did Bruning). And he probably figures he’d lose to Hagel. But he thinks he can beat Bruning. But while Bruning looks like he’d win, it’s not a lock.

Hmm…

Some of this should come into better focus when the fundraising numbers come in on June 30^th of this year. Good numbers for Bruning and poor ones for Hagel could provide a lot of influence…

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And if you can wait until around lunch time this Friday, we’ll be posting and commenting on an old Opinion Piece by a young second year law student at the University of Nebraska, that was sent to Leavenworth Street more than once in the past few days.

That former law student was recently seen, unshaven, chatting with the former Secretary General of the United Nations – and he was a just a tad more to the left in the law school days than he is now.

Ya'll come back now, ya hear!