Kerrey won't run for U.S. Senate, likely putting GOP one step closer to majority

[JoeChalupa]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news...y?ocid=twitter

Former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D) announced this morning he would not seek the U.S. Senate seat from Nebraska -- all but ensuring another Republican takeover.

"I have given the decision of becoming a candidate for the U.S. Senate very serious thought and prayer," Kerrey said in an email, per AP. "For many reasons I nearly said yes. In the end I choose to remain a private citizen. To those who urged me to do so, I am sorry, very sorry to have disappointed you. I hope you understand that I have chosen what I believe is best for my family and me."

The decision came despite a recruiting push by national Democrats to try and get him to run after in bent Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson announced he would not seek reelection.

If President Obama wins reelection, Republicans need to win a net of four seats to take back control of the Senate. If a Republican wins the presidency, the GOP needs to pick up three. With this Nebraska seat, it's the second where Republicans are heavily favored -- North Dakota being the other.

The favorite to win the GOP primary in Nebraska is Attorney General Jon Bruning, but faces a primary notably from state Treasurer Don Stenberg.

Kerrey served in the U.S. Senate from 1989 to 2000 and ran for president in 1992. It's not the first time Kerrey's name has come up for a Nebraska Senate seat and he declined.

But he has lived in New York City for the past decade, serving as president of The New School, far from his Nebraska roots. (He's currently President Emeritus at The New School.)

Democrats still maintain they have a chance here, but it's unlikely.

“As we have seen in the last several weeks, Republicans are at each other’s throats in Nebraska," said Matt Canter, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "The Republican primary in the state has become a proxy war between Mitch McConnell’s ethically challenged candidate Jon Bruning and Jim Demint’s tea partier Don Stenberg, which will provide an opportunity for Democrats to remain compe ive."

Looking past Nebraska, Canter notes, "We continue to play offense this election cycle in Massachusetts, Nevada, Arizona, and Indiana, and remain fully confident that we will hold the majority next year.”

Some potential Democratic candidates in Nebraska include Omaha State Sen. Steve Lathrop and Chuck Hassebrook, executive director of the Center for Rural Affairs and member of the Board of Regents.

~~Damnit! This is not good especially if Willard wins the White House.

[101A]

Relax, it doesn't matter.

Seriously.

If you didn't know the date that the administrations changed (from VERY conservative, to VERY liberal), do you think you could pick it off of a timeline?

and, frankly, if we're talking the Senate, unless 60 seats is in the cards for either party; the actual majority is irrelevant; , Obama's running against a "Republican Congress", when his own party "controls" the Senate.

Again, they're just keeping us divided between Red and Blue, D and R, Donkey and Elephant, while they enjoy their enriching/empowering functional oligarchy.

Don't play along.

[Wild Cobra]

Relax, it doesn't matter.

Seriously.

If you didn't know the date that the administrations changed (from VERY conservative, to VERY liberal), do you think you could pick it off of a timeline?

and, frankly, if we're talking the Senate, unless 60 seats is in the cards for either party; the actual majority is irrelevant; , Obama's running against a "Republican Congress", when his own party "controls" the Senate.

Again, they're just keeping us divided between Red and Blue, D and R, Donkey and Elephant, while they enjoy their enriching/empowering functional oligarchy.

Don't play along.

Still, if Gingrich wins the nomination... This makes things dicey. I don't trust his compromising ass.

Think there's enough Tea party elected republicans to put a stop from more damage if it goes all republican?

[mercos]

Not that big of a deal. Nelson was one of the more conservative Democrats if I recall correctly. Replacing him with an actual Republican is not going to do much damage. Like someone else said, 60 is the new majority in the Senate as I assume every piece of legislation is going to get filibustered by either side until the rules are changed.

[101A]

Still, if Gingrich wins the nomination... This makes things dicey. I don't trust his compromising ass.

Think there's enough Tea party elected republicans to put a stop from more damage if it goes all republican?

Gingrich won't.

It was/continues to be Romney's nomination - despite the fact that most Republicans, by all accounts don't really like the guy.