Ah, 2010. The year we will finally be driving flying cars, wheeling around in jet-packs, and having a delicious dinner provided by a single pill.
At least that's what we were told back in the 70's. (For those of you not born yet, we were also told that we were going to rock and roll all night and party every day. But anyway...)
So some are thinking about 2010 more than others. Those include Rebekah Davis, the Democrat who moved back to Nebraska in order to challenge Congressman Adrian Smith for the 3rd District Congressional seat. There are State Senator Steve Lathrop and industrialist Tony Raimondo whom some have speculated may try for the Dem nomination to take on Dave Heineman.
And then there's the 2nd District Congressional seat. Much was made about President Obama's victory there in 2008, capturing an Electoral Vote. But you will remember that even with the Obama coattails, Democrat Jim Esch couldn't make it past Congressman Lee Terry.
In the meantime, as of 12/31/08, the Esch for Congress committee was still over $200,000 in debt. (Wonder if the state Dems help him out of that...) But will we see Jim again in the Year of the Flyin' SmartCar? Not likely.
But that doesn't mean others aren't up to it. For one, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has said they plan to target those 29 Republican Congressional districts where Obama won in 2008. Of course, they're not going to throw good money after bad, so it certainly depends on the candidate.
For some time the rumored Dem has been State Senator Tom White (he of the Kramer-esque doo), and White has certainly been pumping his name to elevate his status. White is likely to check the political winds to see what his odds are before committing. Will the DCCC be the breeze that tilts him in?
In any case, as newsed about the other day, a Republican has decided he will challenge Terry in the 2010 primary.
His name is Matt Sakalosky -- or Mat Sak -- and he's having his coming out party tonight at the German American Society.
Sakalosky already has his website up and running, and has a campaign manager named Lois Akers.
His website and press releases state that the thirty-seven year old has not been involved in Republican politics, or any other politics before. He states that he has "great support from active party members", but won't yet divulge who is supporting his quest to unseat Terry in the primary.
His original website had a section entitled, "Opponent Profile", but that is not included in his present edition. He has noted that he doesn't agree with Terry's original TARP vote.
Depending on what sort of resources Sakalosky can muster, Dems will be overjoyed by his entry into this race. Sakalosky's positions are the standard list of traditional Republican points, and will probably force Terry to lean hard right into them. Of course this usually means that Terry would have to run back to the center in the general -- possibly against an uncontested Democrat who has been positioning him or herself there for a year.
It will be interested to see where all this leads. Is it a bad thing for Terry to be contested? Get his name out a little more? Make him defend his GOP bona fides? Or will it just make a general election battle that much more difficult?
Think about it as you have that bacon-and-eggs-with-a-side-of-toast pill for breakfast.
***
And so that the Jean Stothert and Jon Blumenthal supporters can go at each others throats on the comment boards here, we direct you to the OWH story that states that, should she win, Jean Stothert's husband will have to resign his $58,000/year job as part-time medical director for the Fire Department.
Stothert says she just found out about that after the primary. Jon Blumenthal says that it shows her ties to the Fire Department, and would make her one-sided in negotiations.
Followers of each camp should wipe the spittle off the corners of their mouth while commenting, lest they ruin their keyboards.
Posts
57 comments:
First! SS you forgot about the Jetson's housekeeper, cleaner, cook, we were all promised as well.
C'mon, Sweeper.
Tony Raimondo taking on Heineman? Who is speculating that?? Next thing we know there will be speculation that Scott Kleeb is going to vie for Husker football coach.
Looks to me like Stothert already cut 50K plus from the budget if elected.
And, how stupid is Blumenthal for trying to say "Jean is acting like she doesn't have close ties to the fire department?" She has never said she didn't. It's public knowledge. That is just a stupid statement.
If Mr. Blumenthal thinks close ties to someone with business before the council makes it impossible to do the right thing, he is in serious trouble.
His firm does a TON of work for the city. His treasurer has a contract with the city. Baird Holm does the city bond work.
The Stotherts time and time again do the right thing for the community. She'll do the same on the council.
Wasn't David Kramer told he couldn't run for city council a few years ago because of all of the business Baird Holm did wit the city?
Dr. Stothert has already said he would continue his service without pay- can you believe that? What a great public servant- someone who actually cares about making our city a better place to live. Jon should be ashamed for bringing Jeans husband into this election in the first place
I saw Jean Stothert's NADC report on line yesterday.
Since the primary, she had raised more than $40,000, had more than $40,000 cash on hand, and no unpaid debt.
Looks like she has $40,000+ to spend from now until the election. Plenty of money to counter any negative attack and in a massive way.
So, does anyone have any inside scoop on this Mat Sak guy? As a Republican in Omaha who has never liked Lee Terry, this could potentially be great news!!
Speak for yourself, SS. I do rock and roll all night and party every day.
Generally, a primary challenger to an incumbent is not a good thing for the incumbent. Lee Terry could tack to the right (although I would be interested as to what he needs to change to actually tack right) and be just fine in the CD2, however, it tells the other side what percentage of Republicans are dissatisfied with Terry and are ripe for picking off. Having said that, the Dems still need to pick someone who is a serious person (doubtful) and Terry can expand on his outreach to North Omaha to poach from the Dems' backyard.
As if the Stothert could not come up with any old drivel, now they have some meat to chew on.
Let's see how the Stothert camp can spin how their gal can be objective with regards to the Fire and Police Unions.
I should do more research, but maybe some L Street readers can help; Isn't some guy named Kelly a booster of my councilman Franklin Thompson?
And is this guy a bar owner that benefited from an exception to the smoking ban?
The exemption that was over-turned by the courts?
Help me out here, but don't do any "negative campaigning".
ricky from district 6
How many of Baird Holm's clients have business with the city of Omaha??? Who is Jon Blumenthal's treasurer? Does Baird Holm perform services for the city? How much skin lotion and hair product does Jon Blumenthal use? Maggie O'Brien are you listening?
Ricky
So, you think Stothert is lying when she laid out what she would look for in fixing the union contracts? That is what Jon Blumenthal would have you believe. She is just lying.
Look, the whole pension issue is a red hering. There is no city council or mayor candidate who can do anything other than fix the proble and get the pensions in line. There is no candidate who is about to give the unions a sweet heart deal.
Look at ALL of Stothert's supporters. Do you think the Chamber of Commerce, MOBA, the REALTORS, business and political leaders are going to support someone who will run the city into the ground? That's ridiculous.
The most important naswer to your question is that Jean Stother has always displayed honesty, character and integrity. No one can say otherwise.
How dare the World-Herald bring Joe Stothert into this race. Don't they know he saves lives?!
Great question Jon Watcher!
Jon Blumenthal is trying to say Jean Stothert can't be objective because she knows fire fighters. OK, how does she personally gain from this?
Jon Blumenthal stands to get rich from the money he and his firm make from their clients who have business with the city. That is some pretty strong personal motivation.
37 year old guy can be set for life after a few years on the council.
When is the World Herald going to bring Jon Blumenthal into the race?
"For more than 15 years, Jon Blumenthal has been a driving force behind Omaha's economic growth." Blumenthal's first mailing.
Jon Blumenthal
Age 37
15 years ago (1994) a 22 year old first year law student at Kansas.
One of Blumenthal's economic ideas is to create jobs through wind energy. OK, what company might he be thinking of?
Maybe Midwest Wind Energy. Who represents Midwest Wind Energy? That'd be Jon Blumenthal and Baird Holm.
Now we know why he also wants to mandate the city use 20% renewable energy (wind energy). He'll profit.
Does Vidal Sassoon or Paul Mitchell have a contract with the City of Omaha? I'm all for Spiking!!!
Let's keep it to the issues. OK, Jon is proudly metro but let's not get into the personal please.
Wind -- very, very interesting about the Midwest Wind Energy info. I didn't know they were represented by Baird Holm. Hmmmm....
Joe Stothert is my dad. Everything he does in his job - helps makes Omaha a safer place to live. Many of these "jobs" he volunteers to do and he works tirelessly. He also loves my mom - and knows she will make a great City Councilman. He is more than willing to continue his responsibilities as Medical Director of OFD as a volunteer and take no compensation. My mom and dad are pretty amazing people.
Maybe we should have DOC from The Love Boat train and write policy for the paramedics of Omaha! Why would you want a nationally respected trauma surgeon advise our first responders? Maybe the "Driving Force" Jon Blumenthal can tell the paramedics how to stabilize an abdominal gunshot wound!!! This demonizing of Joe Stothert should stop!!!
Just what all does Joe Stothert do for not only Omaha, but the entire state?
An issue on everyone's mind today, he has trained and has Omaha paramedics and EMT's ready to respond to any epidemic - including swine flu.
As Medical Director - he writes policy and procedures for EMT and Paramedics that they use in the field, reviews rescue unit runs - assures they comply with policy and procedure, manages quality assurance, assists in ordering medical equipment, researches "best practices", writes reports and keeps data base.
VOLUNTEERS to be Director of Training for EMT's and Paramedics - which includes assuring they are trained in medication, incubation, IV's, stabilizing fractures, managing head injuries, etc and are competent in diagnosis and treatment of all injuries and medical emergencies.
He set up the Trauma System we currently have in Omaha - where the trauma rotates between Creighton and University Medical Center. His efforts - have maintained a excellent working relationship between the two hospitals. He has also been responsible for leading the efforts to have Creighton and University of Nebraska Medical Center to be officially certified as Trauma Centers. (Recently approved)
He VOLUNTEERS to coordinate and oversee all City-Wide Disaster Drills
He VOLUNTEERS to be State Trauma Director (appointed by the Governor) and he works with Lt. Governor for state wide emergency preparedness. He travels state-wide frequently, inspecting hospitals for Trauma Center designations.
He has also coordinated state-wide efforts for trauma care, dividing the state into regions where there is a designated trauma center in each region.
Today and tomorrow, he is actually in western Nebraska teaching paramedics and other physicians an Advanced Trauma Life Support class.
And Jon Blumenthal thinks his pathway to attack Jean Stothert is through Joe? This a family of high character, who each give to the community.
Oh yeah...
This is all on top of his REAL job as a trauma surgeon at the University of Nebraska Med Center, where he personally saves lives.
Blumenthal has gone negative in the mail.
Game on.
The GOP is now a ship adrift with no sail or rudder. What is Rush going to do now that his latest party director appointee, Carrie Prejean, otherwise known as Miss California, had a boob job prior to competition? Where has credibility gone to? I was almost ready to believe her traditional marriage schtick, but not anymore. Makes me wonder if there is something phony about her answers. What would Director Rush have to say if the First Lady had replaced her original equipment. Tee, hee.
What objective commentary by the daughter of the candidate!
I bet I could get my daughter to support me if I ever run for anything.
Maybe Joe should be the one running for office?
He may be the greatest guy in Omaha, but the point is the wife has a conflict of interest, and that is why the law says surgeon Joe has to step down from his post helping the Fire Department.
He will still have enough money to bankroll his wife's next campaign, however.
ricky from omaha
I am good with R&R all night long, as long as there is a dance floor and a few domestic beers to be had.
As for Sakalosky, I googled him and he is slightly to the right of the Paulies, that makes him unelectable in the 2nd. This guy should part with some of his 401K and do some polling. The poll he took at his backyard pool party last summer is probably not a representative sample of the District since he lives in west O and his kids go to private school.
Will the National, State or Local parties actually let this guy out of the chute? If so, his family can say bye -bye to boating (and the boat).Is he planning to self fund?
Last point, I thought America said it was sick of 1 Issue Wonders in Congress last Fall. This guy apparently doesn't give a rat's a** about the Party. Maybe someone should explain that to him.
Ricky F drinking the Blumenthal kool aide.
No conflict, as when she starts serving on the city council Joe will no longer be a paid contractor.
Did you deliver any of the Blumenthal negative mailer? Seen it. He will be burned bad on this one. He told the police union he'd give them a COLA. It is documented.
Oops!
My Dear Pip, how do you know that the equipment has not been replaced, repaired or altered? Pelosi and half her female comrades in the House have had their boobies picked up off the floor, their skin stretched back behind their ears and their wrinkles and sags plumped up, who cares!
If its available and you can afford it, go for it. I would, but I just have to pay for too many other things for my family right now!
Get off your high horse and join the rest of us perfect people down on the ground!
Some politicians are phoney?? Who would have thunk it. Say it ain't so.
Ricky-
Feel better after a swipe at a candidate's daughter?
Not a cool move on your part.
Stand down.
Who is Maggie O'Brien? Where is
McDreamy...or, was that McGrainy?
Nice to hear about Joe. Great to hear about Jean. Then there is the issue of Jon's hair and his law firm. I thought once the horse was dead you stopped beating it? Isn't it suppose to be about the voters? Is there something more
urgent in Omaha other than fire and
police unions? They've already said they are open to ending the spiking dilemna. So, is there any other issue in District 5 other than the two candidates and how horrible or wonderful they are? Where or when do the voters factor into the equation? You wonder why people don't vote?
My Gosh. Is Jon Blumenthal so stupid he thinks he can say anything and nobody will call him on it?
Jon...there is documentation of EVERYTHING you said!!! Nothing like being caught lying in another mailer. This will be ugly!
Bye bye Terry Lee, time to give up your seat at the kiddie table.
I can't wait.
Terry outreach to North Omaha?
Terry outperforming McCain in North O had more to do with a severe dropoff of Democrats from the top of the ticket. Keep dreaming if you think North Omaha will save Terry. His best hope is to keep maximizing turnout everywhere outside the city of Omaha, and keep hitting Republican strongholds in West Omaha.
I can tell you now, the NRCC isn't going to bail Terry out again, and he's not going to have an opponent with so obvious of skeletons in his closet, either.
If a Democrat couldn't ride Obama's coat tails at the pinnacle of his popularity to beat Lee Terry, it's not going to happen as B.O.'s star begins to fade. Especially in a midterm when the party in power traditionally loses seats.
Lee will be safe at home. Book it!
I can't wait for Jon Blumenthal to read the paper tomorrow.
What are the odds on Blumenthal losing points in the next election. Conventional wisdom would say that after a 65-35 whipping, he would gain some name ID and narrow the debate and therefore the margin of his loss.
But since he is swinging for the fences with the negative campaigning against family members, and stretching his experience in Omaha to 15 years, the real question is, WILL HE DO WORSE in the general, the same, or close the gap a bit?
Odds are he loses % points.
The real question is, does the selfish act of blowing up CC5 suppress voters and cost Daub the election?
Blumenthal could have just cost himself any chance at a political career, and Hal Daub the mayor's race.
Splain to me how a District 5 city council race could have anything to do with a mayoral race. Come on. Give Hal credit. If he loses, he did it on his own accord
Just like Baird Holm to screw up the community!!
Considering that Stothert beat Blumenthal by 30 pts, it amazes me that the Stothert people get on this blog and say anything other than positive things about their candidate.
Guess what? Stothert will beat Blumenthal handily again. Why would you try to tear down your opponent, and thereby the party?
The stupidest, shortsighted strategy ever.
(For reference, see Johanns in 2008.)
I find it rather amazing that politicians are trying to tear down their opponents instead of build themselves up. All you West O. people fighting like cats and dogs about Blumenthal and Stothert, Hal basically gave up on trying to get his approvals above 40% and is now focusing solely on getting Suttle's down. Low class or no class, I cant decide.
Pip...
If the Republicans are "adrift" that must make the Dems something worse than Somalian Pirates?
"Rebehkah" (c'mon SS get your spelling right) is the next sacrificial goat...I will double up at 18 percent for the 2010 Goodfellows drive if you are willing. Is this a great country or what...throw up a web page...talk to a couple Panhandle news wannabe's and you have a campaign...the contributions come rolling in and you don't even have to update your webpage. Just put an exclamaton point behind the workd "Contribute!" I would also wager she probably has more dialogue on her Facebook.
The Dems are going to take a beating...we've actually suffered a real pandemic with the "Porkulus hiney flu" of the past 100 days...and hopefully voters will find a cure by 2010. I will say the sit on your hands Repbublican Party has to do some serious soul searching though.
And would someone please put us out of our misery and get the Omaha race over. Omaha...you have our sympathies.
I want our next mayor to sell the airport and sell the Qwest Center! Write-in James Medlock for Mayor!
Sorry Onhe Ouht in the Thhird,
I have problems with alternate spellings...
-Ed.
SS...
That's ok...I can't type ether.
Rebbecah's website looks like it was done by a third grader. Can't Ian Russell do any better than that?
Heard a funny story yesterday.
Jon Blumenthal was walking in a Westside neighborhood a while back and got lost. Didn't know where he was or wehere he parked his car.
He had to call a friend to pick him up and drive around to find his car.
Classic.
From Omaha...For Omaha...need GPS
I heard a funny story yesterday, too:
A man walks into a bar and orders one shot. Then he looks into his shirt pocket and orders another shot. After he finishes, he looks into his shirt pocket again and orders another shot. The bartender is curious and askes him "every time you order a shot, you look in your shirt pocket. Why?" The man replies, "I have a picture of my wife in my pocket and when she starts to look good, I go home."
Hey Macdaddy,
That's how the democrats choose their candidates isn't it?
Scott Bluff: LOL. I wonder what they were drinking to pick Suttle. Yikes!
Is this a political blog or the Stothert Family Reunion? For a campaign that was up 30% i'm surprised to read all the Blumenthal bashing. What a sore winner, no class. Follow the money and the endorsements; You're lead right back to the unions. The west O republicans seem to be infighting because we have a pretender in our midst. She may be a registered republican but she sure doesn't act like a republican. No conservative there! And I suppose we should award Dr. Stothert the key to city now for saving us all. He's made us all safer? Gimme a break, how's that? When did he have time as a "Doctor" to perform an additional $58K worth of work for the city fire dept.? I've lived here over 30 years and have never heard of the guy. I've also followed Jean on the School Board and haven't seen anything remarkable there either...unless you're thinking about the $97M bond and a new high school with so many annual cost over-runs your head would swell just to hear them all. Dare I mention Millard West's roof? She was happy to declare no new increase in property tax levy but all too quick to spend the additional revenue derived from increased valuations? How disingenuous. Where was her call for budget neutralization? From reading the comments here you'd think she was up for sainthood. As for Baird Holm, why bash a firm that works for you? BH represents the City. Jean Stothert represents the unions who are negotiating against the City i.e. you the taxpayer. Seems like an easy choice to make.
I think I would qualify as having an inside scoop on ‘Matt Sak’. While I must admit that I’m a registered democrat (moderate democrat) and do not vote republican…he’s one of the good guys. I’d hold out any motive till you get to know him. I have hung out with the family on a couple of occasions and got know them over the last several years because our kids go to school together and some of our friends are good friends with them. He grew up fairly poor to middle class in South Omaha. He has pulled himself up by his bootstraps through losing his dad at a young age and I love his story, get to know it. Our wives are better friends and Matt’s wife also grew up poor to middle class and is from North Omaha from one of the biggest families in that part of town, they all are from Holy Name. Many of them have helped run and work with Holy Name housing for years and worked with a couple of my uncles. Neither come from a wealthy family and both have worked hard to get where they are. The post earlier makes it seem as if they are of privilege or something because they live in West O and that is laughingly not the case here.
Better yet, the Sak’s have always stood up when I know other people have needed help in the school or at the church, this is in addition to them either volunteering at the school or coaching kids teams constantly. Either way, they are very normal and nice people with absolutely no ego, they are not right-wing zealots or anything like that, so it would be unfair to paint him that way. I do not agree with all that Matt has to say from an issue standpoint because I’m a Dem, but what’s wrong with someone of character and 'accomplishment in the face of adversity' standing up when the country needs it most? I feel the Dem party has left me and with the ‘listening tour’ the Repubs were doing today nationally, most people feel the Repubs party has left the them. Plus the fact that Repubs have lost leadership in all the key areas, house, senate, and presidency...the Repubs party has been failures for the last decade for the most part. So I would think the Repubs would love to get some new leaders in their wings because they are lacking right now. But, they've made their own bed to lay in.
Either way, I think that Matt would have both South Omaha and North Omaha in the bag if he can win the primary, he’d be hard to beat because that’s their roots and a lot of their family still live in those parts of town. If you know Matt’s story, I can say he probably represents the best in us from all parts of town from either party.
RepublicanPatriot
You portend to be informed but continue to be way wrong...again.
Dr. Stothert puts his medical license on the line in order to assure the city of Omaha has good practices and well trained emergency responders. He won the contract in an open biding process. Earlier in the post you will find ALL of the responsibilities that role involves. NOW, he is willing to volunteer this service when Jean is elected.
The Millard South roof. You can ask ANY construction expert and they will tell you the long term durrability of that roof shows tremendous cost savings in the long run. Hmmmm...an elected official thinking about long term cost.
The property tax rate in Millard is down 19.3%. Spinning it any other way is disingenuous. The school board has nothing to do with valuations. That'd be Roger Morrisey. The school board is also limited by STATE LAW to how high and low their mil levy can go. Millard is as low as they can go. That is on the state legislature.
Now, there is one candidate in this race who has proposed a TAX INCREASE. That's Jon Blumenthal...not Jean Stothert.
I know this sounds weird, but I know Matt Sak. He is very honest and hard working. His son is my best friend. Matt believes in a true conservative approach to Congress and wants to stop the spending, and give the Nebraska people back their hard earned money. He believes in the constitution and does NOT intend to even try to change it. He will stand up for the rights that the founding fathers started. Matt wants to lower taxes by simplifying the tax code and wants to lower gas prices by drilling here, now. He believes in the 2nd amendment and respects your right to keep and bear arms. Matt is 100% Pro-Life. He thinks abortion is wrong in all cases. Matt is a very good person and will make a phenomenal Congressman for Nebraska's 2nd district. If you want more information, go to www.mattsak.com I am Stephen Akers, and I am a Matt Sakalosky supporter.
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