NE-Sen: Hagel's Primary Challenger

Much like the Kansas GOP, the Nebraska GOP is about to split in two.

Nebraska Attorney General Joe Bruning, aged 38, is running against Chuck Hagel in the Republican primary for the US Senate.

No Democrat has announced yet, and it isn't even certain that Hagel will run again in 2008.

If Hagel decides not to run, then Bruning will become the obvious nominee...and a strong one at that, but if Hagel does run again, it will divide the Nebraska GOP and give the Democrats a chance. It isn't uncommon for Democrats to win statewide in Nebraska. Ben Nelson, a Democrat, was just reelected to the US Senate last year with 64% of the vote.

Possible Democratic nominees include Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey and former Third District Congressional Candidate Scott Kleeb, who won 45% in a distrct that gave President Bush 73%.