Time to update your list of candidates

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- A couple months ago I suggested how you might make a list to keep track of who is running for what in the 2014 primary election, or at least the race for governor and U.S. senator.

So, if you followed my suggestion and took a large sheet of paper divided into grids with a wide column for Governor and one for U.S. Senate and beside each wide column you made two narrow columns indicating In and Out, this is for you. Now go to the appropriate place -- your garage; your basement; the back of the bathroom door -- and find the list and get ready to update it.

Ready? Let's go to Governor/Republicans. Add the name of State Auditor Mike Foley. He's the latest entry in a crowded field that already includes state Senator Charlie Janssen of Fremont -- the first one to declare for the race and flood the airwaves with commercials. Then there's state Senator Tom Carlson of Holdrege and state Senator Beau McCoy of Omaha. If you had Falls City businessman Charles Herbster on the list, erase his name. You did use pencil, right? He scuttled his plans to run after his wife had trouble recovering from heart surgery, but he gave his campaign money to McCoy. Since we last spoke of the issue, Omaha businessman Pete Ricketts is definitely in the race now.

Now go to Governor/Democrats. Former University of Nebraska Regent Chuck Hassebrook and state Senator Annette Dubas from Fullerton are your choices. Not much change there yet. Hassebrook has stepped down as director of the Center for Rural Affairs but still promotes a definitely rural agenda, as does Dubas.

Now for the U.S. Senate race. Add a new column for Independent rancher and businessman Jim Jenkins of Callaway who has thrown his hat in the ring. Jenkins returned to Nebraska roots after working as an investment broker in the East. He started, grew and then sold the Whiskey Creek steakhouse chain and later started a barbecue restaurant called Skeeter Barnes. He said he thinks the Nebraska Legislature's non-partisan system, championed decades ago by George W. Norris, is what could fix what's broken in Congress. He said it's clear that party politics is not working in Washington.

The Republican list for Senate has grown from just two -- former State Treasurer and decorated Navy veteran Shane Osborn and Midland University President Ben Sasse. Add Omaha banker Sid Dinsdale and Omaha attorney Bart McLeay to the GOP slate. Get ready to add Omaha attorney David Domina to the Democratic side of the U.S. Senate race. Domina, who first became a household word as an investigator during the collapse of the Lincoln-based Commonwealth Savings Co. in the early 1980s, has made overtures that he will become a candidate for the seat being vacated by U.S. Senator Mike Johanns.

Domina is no stranger to politics either. He lost the Democratic nomination for Governor in 1986 to former Lincoln Mayor Helen Boosalis who eventually lost the first all-female gubernatorial race in the United States to Kay Orr. He said he'd announce whether he's in or out by Nov. 15.

Candidates have until March 1, 2014, to register for the major constitutional offices. The Primary Election will be held May 13, 2014.