Daily Nebraskan - Johanns Wins Senate Spot in Tough Day for GOP

News Article

Ryan Boetel

Republican senatorial candidate Mike Johanns received some of the last cheers Republicans would offer in the 2008 campaign season.

It was just a few minutes after Johanns was pronounced the winner over Democratic candidate Scott Kleeb that Barack Obama was named the next president of the United States.

Johanns said he will start working with his Democratic peers right away.

"I'm ready to go," he said. "I'm ready to be a United States senator on the very first day.

"I always anticipated there were going to be more seats with the Democrats, so that's no surprise," he said. "It does not look like it's going to get to 60, so you will still have an effective minority."

The GOP faithful were worried Democrats would gain control of 60 or more Senate seats because that would give them the power to block Republican filibusters. There will be 54 Democrats and 40 Republicans in the U.S. Senate, with six seats yet to be decided.

There were reversed emotions at the Wick Alumni Center on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's campus, where Kleeb awaited election results. As it became apparent that he would not win the election, Obama was announced the victor and "Yes, we can!" chants started.

Lincoln mayor Chris Beutler was delivering a speech when this happened.

"Our main man has been elected president," he said. "Some battles are lost to win a bigger and larger thing. Heroes fall during the war, but they're heroes nonetheless."

This was the second straight loss for Kleeb, who lost to Adrian Smith in the 2006 race to represent Nebraska's third district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"We will get back on our feet," Kleeb said. "It's part of who we are."

Johanns' previous political position was as the United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2005 until 2007 before he resigned to run for Senate. He served as mayor of Lincoln from 1991 to 1998 when he was elected governor. He was re-elected in 2002.

Johanns said the main difference between his senate position and the previous positions he's held will be the lack of executive authority the senate seat carries.

"Having said that, I've worked in the legislative process," he said. "I'm ready for it."

State Sen. Tony Fulton was another victorious Republican on Election Day. He said the people of Nebraska made a wise decision by electing Johanns.

"It's easier when you know him," Fulton said. "And I know that (Johanns) is a good man."

Johanns described the other election going on around the country as a "partisan process."

"But that needs to end tonight," Johanns said. "We need to solve the issues that affect this great nation."

Johanns said he wants to co-sponsor an aggressive energy bill that moves the U.S. away from its dependence on foreign oil and join a finance committee, which he said will be one of the main issues the next Senate will address.

Johanns said he expected to talk to Nebraska's other senator, Democrat Ben Nelson, by the end of the evening.

"I think you are going to see an excellent working relationship between Mike Johanns and Ben Nelson," he said.

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