Lincoln Mayor Wins Nebraska Republican Gubernatorial Nomination
|
|
Republican nominee for governor Mike Johanns getting a trim before casting his vote
| |
OMAHA, Neb. (AllPolitics, May 13) -- Lincoln mayor Mike Johanns has defeated one-time front-runner U.S. Rep. Jon Christensen to win the Republican nomination for Nebraska governor.
With 64 percent of precincts reporting, Johanns had 56,966 votes, or 41 percent of the vote. State Auditor John Breslow was second with 40,883 votes, or 29 percent, while Christensen trailed with 38,429 votes, or 28 percent. Two other candidates got 1 percent of the vote each.
In what was the most expensive primary in Nebraska history, the state's top Republican, U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, broke a promise to remain neutral after Christensen mailed thousands of copies of a flier critical of Johanns to potential voters.
The flier said: "When the local Lincoln cable company removed obscene and racist programming from its channels, incredibly, Mike Johanns stepped in and made the cable put these shows back on the air. Johanns said the shows have 'a right to be aired.'"
Negative campaign tactic backfires
|
|
Jon Christensen and his wife
| |
Johanns disputed the charges in the fliers and claimed he tried to remove the programs in question, one of which showed a man urinating, but could not because they are protected by federal law.
After the fliers were mailed, Hagel criticized Christensen's tactics, calling the fliers "trash" and a "gross distortion" and urged fellow Republicans to vote for Johanns.
Johanns is a moderate Republican, while Christensen is a fundamentalist Christian. Christensen stood by the fliers, saying they would "be a rallying cry for social conservatives."
In the race for the Democratic nomination, Bill Hoppner -- a former chief of staff for Sen. Bob Kerrey -- easily beat 50-year-old lawyer and former state legislator Jim McFarland and two little-known candidates. McFarland was an All-American football player at Nebraska and played in the NFL in the early 1970s.
With 53 percent of precincts reporting, Hoppner had 67 percent of the votes cast to McFarland's 31 percent.
"This is a turning point in this state's history," Hoppner told about 100 supporters gathered at a Lincoln hotel. "It can either turn for the better or the worse."
In 1990, Hoppner lost the nomination by just 42 votes to Ben Nelson, who was declared the winner after two recounts. Nelson went on to win the general election and is finishing his second term. He is barred by state law from seeking re-election.
Nebraska voters also approved a constitutional amendment limiting citizen-initiative and referendum petitions to one subject. A state constitutional commission had recommended the change to simplify ballot issues, but opponents said it would strip voters of their rights.
Election in West Virgina, New Jersey
In West Virginia, primaries were also held for the state's three congressional seats. Allan Mollohan, Bob Wise and Nick Rahall, the state's three Democratic congressmen were all easily renominated, which essentially means they will be re-elected, since no Republicans are likely to challenge them in the heavily Democratic state.
Several cities in New Jersey held elections for mayor. In Newark, incumbent Mayor Sharpe James easily won a fourth term in office. James campaigned on his progress fighting crime and revitalizing the city's ailing downtown area. His opponents, Councilman Ron Rice and Councilwoman-at-large Mildred Crump, said James takes too much credit for accomplishments that are not his.
In Atlantic City, Mayor James Whelan won a third term with 54 percent of the vote, eliminating the possibility of a June runoff. In the state capital, Trenton, Mayor Douglas H. Palmer was easily won a third term in office.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
|
News