A competitive governor's race?

I was sitting in Ben Nelson's childhood home which had been moved to Norris Avenue on the Saturday morning of the Heritage Days celebration 8 years ago speaking with him about an upcoming rally to garner support and campaign contributions for his re-election race against Pete Ricketts. Three of his aides were standing against walls in the living room and they were all on their cell phones.

I asked him who they were talking to and he said they were checking on polls. I reminded him that his lead was in the double digits and he said he had learned a long time ago that no lead was safe. Senator Nelson wound up winning that race by the double digits that he was ahead by during the Heritage Days celebration in McCook and won every single demographic except the registered Republican voters. Ricketts outspent Nelson considerably but lost dismally.

Eight years later, Ricketts is running again, this time for governor and against Democrat Chuck Hassebrook and recent polls show the opposite from his failed Senatorial campaign. A CBS/New York Times poll taken earlier this month shows Ricketts with a 20 point lead, 54% to 34% over Hassebrook. Can we expect the same kind of result that Nelson experienced in his final run for office in Nebraska or can Hassebrook defy the pollsters and win the election?

As always, the race will be decided in the rural areas of Nebraska instead of the cities. Omaha and Lincoln are the likely places where Hassebrook will have a good showing but there are more votes in the rest of the state and Hassebrook has to hold his own there to have a chance.

If you haven't met or heard either of the candidates, today is a good time to meet one of them. I will be introducing Chuck Hassebrook this afternoon at 5 p.m. at the Bieroc Café as he speaks to McCookites about small town rural development. He was the Executive Director of the Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, Nebraska. He has served 36 years with the Center, winning changes in federal tax, farm, conservation and rural development policy. He has also served on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, including two terms as its chair. He is a University of Nebraska graduate.

So he's not some Johnny-come-lately who's only running to see his name on the ballot. He's a serious and dedicated candidate who wants to see a change. He's the first really viable Democratic candidate for Governor since Nelson was elected 20 years ago.

Polling has become so accurate as to suggest he doesn't have a chance of winning, despite his credentials but Eric Cantor found out that polls aren't always right as he was defeated in his primary for re-election in Virginia's 7th Congressional district after having a double digit lead just a week from election day.

If you're not busy this afternoon and regardless of who you plan to vote for, come and listen to Mr. Hassebrook. He might impress you enough to change your mind.