The Power Behind Bruning and Hagel

As pols across Nebraska continue to talk about Bruning and Hagel, Hagel and Bruning, let’s take a look at who is pushing their support for the two big players in the GOP Senate Primary.

Team Bruning

Sokol, Andersen, Bruning and Osborne

David Sokol

Like Deep Throat told Woodward and Bernstein, “follow the money”. In order for Bruning’s campaign to have any legs he has to have some initial strong financial support. Who better than the chairman and CEO of MidAmerican Energy and one whom many speculate to be Warren Buffett’s heir apparent at Berkshire Hathaway? Sokol was Jon Bruning’s finance chairman for his 2002 campaign and you may remember financed the poll that Bruning took of Nebraskans back in January. So what is Sokol’s stake in all this, and why take on someone like Hagel? Well, first off, he probably likes and believes in him. But also consider that the all the big-wheels in Nebraska business also love to be king-makers and kitchen cabinet members. Sokol is no different, and he’s the one helping Bruning (who will have a difficult time raising PAC money for a primary against Hagel) to find some deep pockets.

Tom Osborne

Don’t think that loss to Heineman still stings? Osborne bet his brief political career that he could cruise into the Gov’s office last spring. Unfortunately for him, he hemmed and hawed when making his decision, and by doing so, cost himself a major endorsement in one Senator Chuck Hagel. When Osborne couldn’t decide, Hagel made the decision and went with Dave Heineman and never looked back. You’ll remember the shot of Hagel and Heineman arm in arm the day after the primary, and TO does too. Also remember who was an Osborne backer in the primary: one Attorney General Jon Bruning. So TO can pay back Bruning for his support and pay back Hagel for that hatchet in the back.

Harold Andersen

How much influence does the retired publisher of the Omaha World Herald have these days, beyond his Sunday vanity column? Tough to say. But the member of Augusta National will have a rolodex filled with folks who may be able to open their wallets for the A.G. So what’s Andersen’s beef with Hagel? Well, he has never been keen on Hagel’s anti-Bush stance, and expressed that back in one of his Sunday columns back in 2004. And Hagel’s response to Andersen? “With all due respect, Harold Andersen does not know what he is talking about.” You think that one-liner doesn’t stick in old Harold’s craw? Don’t’ think we haven’t seen the last of Andersen’s columns on this topic.

Team Hagel

McCarthy, Heineman, Hagel, Johanns and Gottschalk

Dave Heineman

This one’s easy. Heineman is a veteran of Nebraska politics, and a veteran of the U.S. Army, having graduated from West Point. Hagel’s early endorsement for Heineman means that Heineman owes Hagel -- probably for his political life. There’s no way Heineman will forget that. And don’t expect the politically savvy Heineman to get tripped up on whether or not he supports Hagel’s position on Iraq. But even with his debt to Hagel, don’t forget that there is no love lost between Heineman and Bruning. Bruning was another Tom Osborne supporter and Bruning ticked off Heineman during the whole investigation into the State Treasurer’s office. Not to mention that Heineman would support many other alternative candidates (such as a Hal Daub or Mike Johanns) long before he’d support Bruning.

John Gottschalk

We throw in Gottschalk, current publisher of the Omaha World Herald, as the foil to Harold Andersen, but with an entire newspaper in his hands, instead of just a Sunday column. Hagel has always gotten strong support from the OWH, and that won’t change as long as Gottschalk is involved. Also keep in mind that it was Gottschalk who introduced Hagel to his now long-time business associate, confidant and campaign treasurer, Mike McCarthy of the McCarthy Group (and formerly with Hagel at AIS) . Never underestimate how much the OWH likes to be THE king-maker in Nebraska politics.

The Money Men

Mike McCarthy, chairman McCarthy Group, and Hagel bud is Hagel’s main money man. And Hagel should still be able to pull all the PAC funds he needs. But how about this Murderer’s Row of Nebraska lined up for a May fundraiser, hosted by Governor Dave Heineman:

• Walter Scott, chairman of Level 3 Communications;
• Jim Young, president Union Pacific;
• Ken Stinson, chairman and CEO Peter Kiewit Sons;
• Bruce Lauritzen, chairman First National Bank;
• Gary Rodkin, CEO ConAgra Foods;
• Richard Bell, chairman HDR;
• Mogens Bay, CEO Valmont;
• Howard Hawks, CEO Tenaska;

Do you think this group could provide a few duckets into the Hagel coffers? Think Bruning could ever come up with a fund-raising base like this?

Mike Johanns

Ahhhhh the wild card in this whole matter. As we noted in a previous post, it was interesting that when Bruning polled about the Senate race back in January, he did match-ups against Daub, Ricketts, Fortenberry, and Terry – but not against Mike Johanns. Again, in his recent poll, he matched himself against Hagel and Daub, but not Johanns. Why, you may ask? Because it’s pretty clear that if Hagel dropped out and Johanns jumped in, it would be Johanns’s race to lose. Because some have suggested that maybe Chuck Hagel doesn’t really want to campaign again across Nebraska. And maybe he would rather jump onto the big political stage to talk about the war, instead of hopping from Sidney to Lexington to talk about soybeans. And if he did do this, do you think Chuck Hagel would announce his support for Jon Bruning? We still think it’s a real good chance that the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture could get in this race. You can bet that is Jon Bruning’s biggest fear.