Vokal makes it three

Jim Vokal's campaign for Mayor is now, officially, in full swing.

It has been getting there for some time now, with Sunday's "town hall" call pushing it to the brink. Vokal robo-called 70,000 registered voters in Omaha, and then allowed them to take part in the follow up live call. A reported 5,000 stuck around to hear Vokal's live voice and vision for City Hall.

An interesting tactic by Vokal and campaign manager Jordan McGrain (who blogged the GOP convention in St. Paul for Leavenworth Street -- though he has no other connection to us). The robo -call town hall has been used by Members of Congress for a while, and certainly allows a personable touch for those interested.

It's a step above a basic news conference, and bettter than just getting your supporters to show up. We give camp Vokal kudos for doing something different, and potentially effective.

(Read a USA Today article about the history and technology behind the town-hall robo-call format, here.)

There's no doubt that Vokal will need an oomph in what will be a tough campaign. Suttle will likely have some support of Dems who still have the political itch from the past Prez campaign. Daub has solid GOP support and knows how to run a campaign that goes for the jugular.

Vokal will, in theory, need to garner his own GOP base, and leach off the Dems from his own District who have elected him in the past -- and get some of their friends. Though Vokal also has the benefit of being the younger dude next to a couple of old guys.

But, if his announcement speech is any indication, Vokal isn't going to knock anyone dead with his speaking style. And he'll need to keep the gaffes at bay.

In his speech, Jim said that he will continue to talk about his vision of Omaha...

"From Elkhorn to Millard; to Keystone to Bellevue..."

Uh, well maybe not for Bellevue (unless he has an Elkhorn type plan that we don't know about).

(And then in the KPTM story, on the one hand the reporter says there was "an independent campaign to convince him to run with billboards and a website". But then the reporter also says that Vokal told him he made his decision to run "about eight weeks ago, and it's a relief to get it underway". Then again, he told the OWH that he's been eying the job for the past eight years, so he didn't really need the instigation of the billboards, huh?)

The announcement speech madlibs also seem to require one slam at Hal Daub. Today Vokal's line was,

"Look, I understand that the whole world is going “green” right now, but I don’t think that means we have to recycle our mayoral candidates."

Last week, Suttle's line was,

"We cannot return to those troubled waters, and troubling times of eight years ago."

Then again, in his announcement Daub was also pushing the kinder, gentler Hal Daub, so who knows what's going on.

***

So, assuming it is just the three major candidates in the running, who do you suppose each would like to face in the general election run-off?

Here's what we think:

Daub: would rather face Vokal.
Daub wouldn't have to make it a Republican vs Democrat race, like it could well become if he faces Suttle. Many Dems just out and out hate Hal Daub. They are more than happy to make it personal, and we have seen that Dems like nothing better than to get all lathered up about a Republican they don't like. Suttle's no Obama, but Daub may be close enough to George W. Bush for them.

And Daub could then try to smother Vokal with the "experience" factor, or some such. But could Vokal then bring in both Republicans and Democrats against Daub? There's something to be said for that...

Suttle: would rather face Daub
Suttle could then give it a pure R's vs D's match up. Figuring there are plenty of GOPers and Independents who don't like Daub and that he would keep a solid Dem base.

A battle against Vokal could muddy the waters, since Vokal comes from a majority Dem district, isn't easily ID'd as a Republican, and could skew some of the younger vote.

Vokal: would rather face Suttle
Vokal and Suttle will both face name ID issues. If Vokal is up against Daub, that's one more battle he would have to face. He could also find himself in a battle to out-Republican Daub.

If he's facing Suttle , he can play up the GOP thing, but still try to make himself to be the middle-of-the-road candidate. -- a Republican in a Dem district. He could also possibly get the endorsement of Mayor Mike Fahey. That could be his road to victory.

He could do it against Daub as well, but the road could be rockier.

OK, what's your theory, politico?

***

Here's an odd one. On Jim Suttle's campaign website, he has a full page for his wife. OK, that's done sometimes. BUT, it has his wife's full resume on it!

All the stuff she did in the legislature. A bullet list of all the boards she's on, etc.

Uh, Suttle campaign, just who are you trying to elect there? Just curious.

***

On his website, Check With Chip, outgoing County Commissioner Chip Maxwell asks readers if he should run for Vokal's soon to be vacant Omaha City Council seat. Maxwell lost to former Omaha City Councilman Marc Kraft in the recent election.

He seems to be leaning toward a yes.

So would Chip still be warm from the past campaign, or would he simply be exhausted? And who else is interested in that central Omaha seat? One of the many City Council campaigns that could get funky.

***

Lots of bitching and moaning, especially from commenters here on Leavenworth Street from Nebraska Democrats and Republicans -- Achepohlians and Covalters -- Quandahlites and Fahlesonians.

Well here's the deal: After an election, it's usually time for the old(er) guard to move on. It's a rough, thankless job usually. New blood is almost always a better tact.

The exiting folks get their lives back. The new ones get to review what happened, figure out what worked, and from a new standpoint, fix what didn't.

It makes sense. Onward and upward, party hacks.

Live with it.