News
Congressmen to seek re-election
Published Wednesday February 17, 2010: By Robynn Tysver, WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
All three of the state's congressmen — Reps. Lee Terry, Adrian Smith and Jeff Fortenberry — have filed for re-election.
In addition, four of the state's five constitutional officers have filed for re-election: Gov. Dave Heineman, Attorney General Jon Bruning, State Auditor Mike Foley and Secretary of State John Gale.
State Treasurer Shane Osborn said last year that he did not plan to run again.
Tuesday was the deadline for the state’s officeholders who are up for re-election this year to file for office. Potential candidates who do not hold office have until March 1 to file with the Secretary of State’s Office.
So far, the state's premier race in 2010 appears to be in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District, where State Sen. Tom White, a Democrat, hopes to unseat Terry, a Republican.
Both have filed for the office.
Also, two of the three Republicans who have said they plan to run for state treasurer have filed. Former Attorney General Don Stenberg of Gretna and State Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln have filed; former State Patrol Superintendent Tom Nesbitt of Lincoln has not.
So far, no serious challenger to Republican Heineman has filed.
Two Democrats have filed to run against Republican Secretary of State John Gale: Fremont attorney Janet Stewart and Omaha political consultant Kris Pierce.
There were no surprises among legislative incumbents.
Twenty-one out of 24 incumbents whose seats are up for re-election have filed for office.
The three who did not file include White, who is running for Congress, and Tim Gay of Papillion, who recently said that he would not seek re-election.
The third incumbent, State Sen. Arnie Stuthman of Platte Center, cannot run again because of term limits.
Almost all the top Douglas County officials plan to run again, with the exception of County Board member Kyle Hutchings. He said last year that he would not seek a fifth term because it was time for "new blood" on the County Board.
Former Omaha Mayor P.J. Morgan, a Republican, is the only person to have filed so far to run for Hutchings' seat.
The Douglas County officeholders who have filed for re-election: Assessor Roger Morrissey, County Attorney Don Kleine, Clerk of the District Court John Friend, Engineer Tom Doyle, Treasurer John Ewing and Sheriff Tim Dunning.