Race Analysis

While Nebraska is reliably Republican at the federal level, its gubernatorial politics are more heterodox. In 2002, Mike Johanns became the first Republican to win a second term since 1954: Republicans won only three of 12 elections from 1958 through 1998. The typical Democratic formula was to have a Republican incumbent raise taxes, allowing a conservative Democrat to sneak through. This year, there are no signs of that happening, and former Ameritrade COO (and unsuccessful 2006 Senate nominee) Pete Ricketts seems likely to defeat university administrator Chuck Hassebrook.