What seems like five minutes after Tuesday’s election, we heard from newly re-elected Governor Dave Heineman that he was not interested in running for the United States Senate seat currently held by Ben Nelson that will be up for re-election in 2012. Certainly, considering the almost continuous sparring between the Governor and Senator Nelson over the years, but most especially since the health care debate heated up last year, many speculated Heineman was considering a future run against Nelson.
Further speculation was abbreviated by the announcement of Nebraska’s Attorney General, Jon Bruning, that he was forming an exploratory committee to consider a run for the seat.
While many of us most assuredly have avowed that Ben Nelson needs to be shown the door in 2012, I believe some caution is in order. It’s incredibly early in the game and I, for one, would like to see a slate of potential candidates from which I can choose, not just one. We are currently doing some research on Jon Bruning’s background and intend to report more here when available. In part, this decision is motivated by the level of interest in election information we saw on this site in the two weeks leading up to November 2, in part by a comment from a site visitor interested in candidates, and finally, by some information of which we were already aware.
Until further research has been conducted, I will only remark we have taken a preliminary look at Attorney General Bruning’s campaign contribution reports on the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure website. A great deal of money was raised, much of which was from outside of Nebraska.
Until we produce more information here, I would submit that we should all ponder the advice of…Mommas everywhere. “My momma told me, ‘You better shop around’” seems like wise advice two full years in advance of election. We don’t have to be sold on the very first one…the very first candidate.
For the perhaps younger or more pop culture savvy among us, I submit a recent version of this advice:
For the more, uh, distinguished readers, or even the musically diverse and eclectic, I submit the original:
Both are a great listen – the advice, wise.
Shelli Dawdy is first and foremost the mother of three children whom she has taught at home via the classical method since removing her children from school in 2001. During her early years as a homeschool mother, she worked part-time as a freelance writer. Born and raised in the Iowa, Shelli and her husband moved to the state of South Dakota in 1997, attracted to its more limited government and friendly tax environment. In 2006, Shelli and her family relocated to Lincoln, Nebraska, when her husband’s employer offered a new position. She took a break from work and politics for a time, recognizing the need to focus solely on her childrens’ schooling with two now of high school age.
Distressed by many things she was witnessing on the national political scene and disillusioned about the Republican Party, she decided to start writing again, this time online. Motivated to get involved with others at the grassroots level, she networked with activists on the social media tool, Twitter. She was involved in organizing the first tea party rallies inspired by Rick Santelli’s “rant” on CNBC in February 2009.
Recognizing that activism should generate on the local level, she founded Grassroots in Nebraska in March of 2009. The group’s mission is a return to Constitutional, limited government, according to its original meaning. While the group has held several tea party rallies, it’s focus is to take effective action. Among its many projects, GiN successfully coordinated testimony for the hearing of the Nebraska Sovereignty Resolution, networked with other groups to ensure a large show of public support at the hearing, and coordinated follow up support to ensure its passage in April 2010.
While working to build up GiN throughout 2009, she was asked to work as writer and producer of the documentary film, A New America, which lays out how Progressivism is responsible for how America has moved away from its Constitutional roots. You can see more of her work on
Grassroots in Nebraska (GiN) and StubbornFacts
Twitter •