The latest name for the Democratic Nebraska Governor candidate:
Mark Lakers, President of Ag and Food Associates a middle market merger and acquisition investment bank in Omaha. Previously of McCarthy and Co and First National Bank.
We are hearing that this is the guy Dems want to challenge Dave Heineman.
Laker's list of contributions to various Democrat candidates is lengthy (query his name at the FEC site here). $2000 to Jim Esch for Congress. $5,000ish to Obama for Prez. $500 to Nebraska Democrats. (And a grand each to Mike Johanns and Jon Bruning, just to be on the safe side.)
If they can bring him in, he'd be an interesting candidate: Banker. Ag guy. Cash.
Based on his comments, we thinks that Randy Adkins had a little background knowledge of Senor Lakers when KPTM spoke to him last.
Local political experts like UNO Political Science Professor Randy Adkins say it could actually prove beneficial if Democrats are able to find a candidate in the next couple of weeks that comes from a non–political background. He says that is especially true if the person comes from private industry.If Dems can pull him in, guarantee they will get very excited.
"The benefit they have is their own political network of donors, and maybe even their own money," says Adkins.
**Update 9:20pm**
You can look at the OWH, LJS and NW stories on this (which all were published MUCH later in the day...cough! cough!), though all say pretty much the exact same things...
**UPDATE 9:00am Friday, 2/19/10**
And "LakersForGovernor.com" has been registered!
Just yesterday, Mark Lakers of 17643 Douglas Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68818, at af-advisors.com, signed it up through GoDaddy.com.
Things may be in motion, kiddies.
**Update 10:00am 2/19/10**
We should also add, that Lakers was a Tom Osborne guy (i.e. not a Dave Heineman guy) back in the 2006 primary -- having given T.O. a $1,000.
**Update at noon 2/19/10**
Lakers has filed.
Posts
89 comments:
BRING ON OBAMA BOY!!!
TW can't be too happy about another dollar drain for Democrat donors. They already aren't giving much to him, if you throw in another Dem, his cash sources will all but dry up.
At least he can keep Pelosi's $$$ all to himself since there isn't anyone else she'd rather spend it on in Nebraska.
Oh, goodie. Another business twit who confuses a MBA with GRIT.
Gov. Dave didn't learn to lead by climbing boardroom ladders. The guy knows how to slit throats. The Army taught him to lead. And I mean really lead. Not that self delusional stuff you get from boardroom chair warmers who once read a chapter in Sun Tzu.
Underestimate Dave at your peril.
So let me get this straight. The Dems are going to run a greedy fat cat banker who is busy running the family farm out of business? Just 'cause he's got some scratch? This has success written all over it.
Mark Lakers was behind the Nebraska Agriculture and Livestock Foundation, a mysterious group whose only role was to bankroll the court challenge to Initiative 300, the Nebraska corporate farm ban that was struck down a couple of years ago. He's also tried twice to force a hostile takeover on a local ag. cooperative.
And that's just the results of 5 minutes of googling.
I dunno if they can even sell this guy to the NDP, let alone the Nebraska voter.
Looks like little David Boomer was able to get up from his nap at 3:53 to say naughty things about Tom White.
Shame on you little David!!
Randy Adkins knows nothing about most of the races he is asked about.
Randy Adkins knows almost nothing about real elective politics.
Stick to the books buddy!
Tom White is so going to get his hat handed to him. The only way he wins in todays climate is if Terry does something to help him.
The next question is where will Ian be hired next. This will be a true test of the libs in Nebraska.
"true test of the libs in Nebraska" ?
Ian failed that test a long time ago. He barely got away from their state convention two years ago with his head still connected to his scrawny neck.
Wow. Looks like we now know what Nebraska Republicans thought of Pete Ricketts.
This guy is interesting. Hagel-like business background - right down to the McCarthy connection.
Maybe Gov. Heinie gets sucked up in the teabagger movement - could happen. Especially when those wingnuts get a load of Heinie's looming billion dollar budget shortfall.
He evidently has some connections to some real money, McCarthy and FNB are big money businesses. He probably has some connections to banks all over the state, and since he himself is a banker he wouldn't scare off the Omaha business leaders. But if he gets in he is still the underdog.
Lakers??? LOL
If this were the NBA, he'd be the Clippers and Heineman would be the Lakers, Cavs and Celts all put together.
Good luck Clips!!!
This guy gave Obama a wad of cash, enough said. He is toast!!! Ben Nelson was a so called conservative businessman. Nebraska voters will not be fooled again.
Just have one question for Mr. Lakers. How many complaints have your mega hog lots have created? I hear you you are not family farm friendly. Sounds like someone has an issue.
Something smells here. Smells like Pigs!!!!
In 2004 the Columbus Telegram reported that Lakers was a major player in the $57 million dollar purchase of one of the largest hog farms in Nebraska.
Thanks Joe!!!
We could smell Mr. Lakers coming a mile away.
Note our update that yesterday, Mark Lakers registered LakersForGovernor.com.
-Ed.
Any run off issues from Laker's mega-lots?
Well I hope he presents a good solid clean campaign. Wish him the best of luck.
How can you be a democrat and a polluter? Just wondering.
How can you be a democrat and a polluter? Just wondering.
By opening your mouth?
(C'mon, it was a hanging curve!)
An Irishman knows baseball lingo? Now I have seen it all...
**Update at noon 2/19/10**
Lakers has filed.
So, did his check clear?
Anyone research what this guy does? He is against Nebraska family farms.
What's this guy going to run on? Extending NE taxpayer funded medicaid to even more illegals? Support for Obamacare 2? Expanding the learning community? Funneling even more taxpayer money to the state employee and teachers unions? Making NE the nation's leader in huge industrial hog farms? No wonder the NE democrats have such a thin bench. They're on the wrong side of the big issues facing the state at all levels.
How can you be a democrat and a polluter? Don't you guys know that their s*** don't stink?
First we have King of "Pork" Ben Nelson and now its hog poo polluter Mark Lakers.
Nebraska's donkey party need a new symbol. Oink. Oink.
Now the dems have a sacrificial lamb they will force the Gov to spend some of his $`s on a campaign instead of throwing it all at the NE Leg races. Lathrop, Dubas, Wallman, and the other D senators might sleep better tonight.
Lakers is an interesting name for a hog confinement operator.
This candidate stinks to Hog Heaven.
Literally
Did the Nebraska State Dems even look into this guys record? The Kleebs are having chest pains over this guy.
If you heard Mark Lakers talk to Coby Mach on KLIN, you get the sense -- very quickly -- this guy ain't ready for primetime.
This race is over before it has even begun. Everyone with a working brain cell understands that.
However, this race will be a wonderful measurement of Nebraska's philosophical leanings. I say Heineman wins 70%-30%, meaning only 30% of this state's voting citizens believe in:
* Bigger government.
* Less individual independence.
* More taxes.
* More rewards for those who don't work.
* More benefits for illegal ailens.
* More incentives for trial lawyers to file frivolous suits.
Awesome! I was worried there for a while that there wouldn't be any candidate and we'd only have one race to keep us entertained through the fall.
It probably won't be close, and it may not even have the unintentional humor that David Hahn brought to the table, but at least there is something.
I saw EBN praised Lakers` decision. If that isn`t the kiss of death I don`t know what is.
I hear there's a report coming out that'll show that Nebraska may be 1 billion dollars in debt. Let's see if there's any outrage over this or if the tea-baggers will just be lapdogs to Heineman and the Republican controlled unicameral just like they were for the Republican controlled federal government of the 00s.
Do you have any specifics on the $1 bill? Or you just throwing out an accusation out you can`t back up with facts. Does the $1 bill include the Dem supported public pensions?
Exon, Kerrey, and Nelson were all successful businessmen who had never run for office and ended up defeating Republican career politicians. Anyone see a pattern here?
Word on the street is that the Gov. is going to become vice chair of the NGA this weekend. That will be one more hurdle for Mr. Clipper.
Nebraska Republicans thank Lakers for the boost to Governor Heineman's fund raising.
Nothing like going out and telling contributors that a deep pocketed Obama supporter has just challenged you.
"Please double your contribution...this guy gave $2K to Obama, he'll surely give ten times as much to himself."
That money Lakers just gave the Gov will spread throughout the state!
It is funny how the Dems leave out Stormy Dean & David Hahn. I think they also claimed to be successful business men. If I remember correctly, I think they lost. That might be a trend.
They also leave out Jim Esch, a successful businessman who also failed to defeat a career politician. Of course, we can quibble over the definition of success as well as career.
Deficit Dave Heineman is going to be facing the $1 billion budget shortfall (according to the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and Chairwoman of the Revenue Committee) that he created. I wonder if he will try to raid the corn and wheat farmers checkoff funds again to cover for his mismanagement of the state budget.
I'm not voting for Hog Boy! I hate hearing Pig SUEEEYYYYY!!!!!
Democrat campaign consultants must be licking their chops over their earning prospects with this guy. He has zero personality and listening to him speak is the verbal equivalent of watching paint dry. He really distinguished himself right out of the box, by drawing a complete blank when asked about his ideas for spurring job creation in the state which is the supposed hallmark issue of his campaign.
If Lakers had any real business sense he'd wait until 2014 to make his run for Governor. By then Heinny will be safely setting in the Senate, and telling everyone he doesn't know how Governor Sheehy managed to screw things up so bad. He'll claim he had nothing to do with any billion dollar shortfalls, and things ran fine when he was in charge.
I think it's significant that 24 hours after the announcement, the local moonbat site hasn't even acknowledged it. You can tell they're just so excited over there, they can't even sit down to post their joy on the 'net.
No, the "moonbats" are trying to figure out if this guy is just a ploy put up by Nelson to drain Dave's war chest, or if he's the real deal. If he's Nelson's boy, and the fact that Nelson jumped on his bandwagon so quickly indicates that he might be, then he'll find no support from the left wing of the party.
Gave to Obama, Strike 1
Supported by Ben Nelson, Strike 2
Against Nebraska Farmers, Strike 3
YOUR OUT!!!!
Against Nebraska farmers?? Ha. How about Deficit Dave proposing to drain the farmer corn and wheat checkoff funds during special session? That against farmers. Both the President of the Farm Bureau and Corn Growers Association called Heineman's scheme a "new tax on farmers".
Deficit Dave just can't help himself - keep spending and propose a new tax on farmers to balance the budget.
I don`t understand the deficit talk. You don`t think the Gov will reduce spending to balance the budget? Did your taxes increase after the last special session? I don`t think so.
Deficit Dave huh??? You guys are desperate. I remember when Scott Kleeb was going to win....lol
Anon 2:55. My taxes didn't go up after Special Session, but if it wasn't for Annette Dubas and LaVonne Heidemann stopping the Governor's plan, new taxes would have been imposed on all of Nebraska's farmers.
Good Luck selling Obama Boy to areas outside of Omaha and Lincoln!!! Pig SUEEEEEYYYY!!!!
1 billion dollars short! Whooo Hooo! Maybe the Leg can cut the bloated State-aid to schools and reduce Medicaid to 150%? Could be they even reduce state govt.
Gotta ballance the budget dont ya!
And where is Snowplow, White and Lathrop on this????
Wonder what snow plow is going to say to the people of the district? How do you defend running into something as large as a plow without being a hypocrite? Trust me I won't do it again.....?
It isn't that the incident happened before she was elected either? It will be interesting to see how she plays it, along with the Journal Star and Don W? Speaking of hypocrite!
Maybe if school districts in the Omaha area would stop picking up students in front of their houses and delivering them back to the same, we wouldn't need bloated State Aid to schools!
How about we actually spend the money on the kids and not on gas guzzling school buses? Many times mom or dad stand in the doorway and wave bye-bye.
BTW, between 1970 and 1990 (just a nice sized window for ya') I can honestly say that I remember having a few snow days, but i do not recall a single "heat" day or "cold" day. And, yes, I did have to walk to school for a good chunk of that time period and in HS I was responsible for finding my own ride.
Was it fun walking in the rain? No, but I got my a** there like I was supposed to.
The only thought that comes to mind it that Stormy Dean at least had a flashy moniker.
Did this guy lose a leg in Vietnam or received a purple heart in Iraq? Dealing in Hog waste just isn't the same.
Anon 836a,
Was it uphill both ways too?
No, only one way, at the end of the day. I was a sophomore in HS before I had a ride everyday to school. How about you?
BTW, you seemed to have missed the point, anyway.
So who did Lakers support in the last Senate race?
A joke about any prosperity during the Reagan years was "You let me write 3 trillion dollars in bad checks and I'll show you a good time too."
We will be finding out soon that Nebraska is a billion dollars in debt with nothing to show for it.
So is Matt Samp behind Lakers?
First of all, I don't think Snowplow has an opponent. If not, blame the GOP for that. And the issue in my mind wasn't getting drunk and hitting a snowplow, or the fact that it was the third such incident, it was that she refused a chemical test, in a clear attempt to circumvent the law. Now I know any good DUI lawyer will tell you to refuse the test, but when you're in the business of making laws, seems to me you shouldn't be circumventing them.
And then there are the tens of thousands of dollars she took from Nebraskans United, to maintain a system that discriminates against the vast majority of her constituents.
She's eminently beatable. I'm not sure she's even going to be challenged.
how on earth do you see prof. H representing anyone but himself?
calling the chem dept. should get you a lecture on freedom of speech and academic freedom....remember the Ayers crowd?
What a chickenshit comment to make!!! I don't like what RWP says so I'm gonna post his bosses phone numbers. Boo Hoo. What a petty, childish, idiotic thing to do.
RWP has never said that he speaks for any UNL dept. He is a private citizen expressing his first amendment rights. If you don't like that go f&^k yourself. And he has tenure so I'm pretty sure he could take a dump on his bosses desk and still not get fired.
The next time BTO wants to complain about people "hiding" behind anonymous or whatever, Anon 1:12 just proves why. People can't win on the arguments so they have to go around and try to make trouble. Today it's the phone numbers of bosses. Tomorrow, customers. The day after that? Who knows? Maybe they come to your house. Anon 1:12, whoever you are, you need help. Either go and get an education and learn how to argue or at least go and get some therapy. Either way, until you are grown up enough to be able to tolerate somebody else's arguments without resorting to threats, go back to China or whatever college campus you just crawled off of and go post somewhere else. Troll.
Well, that's how the Left works. If they can't challenge your argument (and that's usually the case) they'll try to shut you up by other means.
They also can rarely spell my name correctly. :-)
Pointless to call Jim or Mark; they're both very busy guys and you'll just waste their time. I'd suggest the dean or the chancellor. It'll also be a waste of time, but if you call my chair, he'll just tell you to call the dean or chancellor anyway.
And tell Harvey I said hi!
Anon,
I understood your point just fine, I felt like being a smartass is all. Its called sarcasm.
To try and get someone in trouble for what their opinion is is asinine. Grow up. Hows the saying go, "I disagree with what you say but will defend with my life your right to say it". I probably just butchered Voltaire but you get the drift.
RWP,
Its equally asinine to assume that because one person (presumably a dem) says something all dems feel that way. Google "bush free speech zones". Remember how a lot of your fellow conservatives (notice I didn't say all) lashed out any liberal who dared to criticize Bush because it was "un-American during a war" I remember it, it happened to me. They was as wrong as this anonymous idiot is.
Take a look at Lakers voting record. Does appear to be very interested in that part of the process. Wife is an Independent too!
Correction on last post: Does not appear very interested in voting!
RWP -
Snow Plow has a GOP opponent. His name is Chad Wright, a small business owner who is working his tail off.
She will not be unopposed - not by a long shot.
RWP - go ahead and whine about that's how the "left" is. I can give you examples of people I know who have received death treats and attacks on their property because they spoke out as Democrats. Instead of claiming it's only one side that's like that, why not be a real man and admit there are freaks on both sides who go too far.
So who is behind Mr. Lakers?
Wooo Hoooo Go Chad Go!!!! I gotta find his web site and a way to send him some money!!!!
What, no more pig humor?
Gotta love Repubicans going after him on his environmental record.
I also enjoyed the "praise" for Tiny in an earlier post that he "didn't learn to lead by climbing boardroom ladders. The guy knows how to slit throats. The Army taught him to lead. And I mean really lead."
Great image as the bodies pile up at BSDC.
The Gov. is a bully that must have gotten picked on a lot on as little boy and is making up for it now. And most times resort to reminding people that he was the one took down Tom Osborne - so "respect my authority". He is a ruthless politician and campaigner, but a terrible leader. Both don't worry R's this Lakers has no chance, but it's nice to see that someone will be pointing out some of the flawed decisions by Napolean.
Goodbye Snowplow!!!
Anon 6:25 we're not going after Mr. Lakers on his environmental record, just pointing out the inconsistency of the Democrats trying to be the green party and yet running someone who, were he a Republican, would have the outrage knob turned to 11 against him. The Democrats would be talking about a new Nuremburg trial for this guy for crimes against the environment. And yet, the silence is deafening.
Nathan:
I'm, sorry Nathan, criticizing you as un-American is not the same as advocating a phone-calling campaign to your employer to try to get you fired.
As for the anonymous commenter: got a name?
Buck: glad to hear it. I'll be contributing.
I'm sorry, I just don't know how this guy can win, for these reasons:
1) He's a banker. People don't like CEOs of banks lately.
2) Dave Heineman is hugely popular and has an impeccable conservative record, and this is a conservative state.
3) He has no background. Though I'm sure he's rich as hell, he has no name recognition and nothing really to go on, other than he's rich as hell.
I am very glad that some one will be running against deficit Dave. It will be a tough race for Lakers and the democrats to win. I think they realize it. But who ever heard of Senator "GOP" Brown of blue state Massachusetts. Plus if the stories about Heineman gutting state aide to schools is true, then your right it may not be a close race. The democrats would win in a walk.
Post a Comment