The Credibility Gap

The choice for Nebraska Democrats who will vote on May 13 is becoming clear.

In the last week, Scott Kleeb's Republican opponent in the Democratic primary has aired an ad attacking Kleeb as an "academic," backed out on a debate in heavily African-American North Omaha, and triggered the "Millionaire's Amendment" by loaning his campaign $450,000 - or more than 82% of his total contributions so far.

As a Republican running in the Democratic primary, Tony Raimondo has consistently shown his lack of credibility on the issues. Fortunately for Nebraska Democrats, there is a real alternative.

Scott Kleeb knows the importance of listening to voters. It was the centerpiece of his campaign for Congress in 2006, and it is the centerpiece of this campaign for United States Senate.

He is not a career politician like Mike Johanns, and running for Senate is not about a stepping stone for Scott Kleeb. It is about fundamentally changing the way things are done in Nebraska. And while all three candidates talk about the need for change, Scott Kleeb is the only candidate who can deliver on that change.

Mike Johanns and Tony Raimondo are fundamentally incapable of doing that. As a member of the Bush's cabinet, Johanns would continue those failed and disastrous policies that have precipitated this need for change. As a Republican who was afraid to take Johanns on in his own primary, Raimondo would not be able to take on the interests that block change in Washington.

It's this fundamental gap - the credibility gap - that defines this race for United States Senate. On issue after issue, Raimondo has shown that he lacks the credibility needed to represent Nebraskans.

He criticizes Johanns as a Washington politician with close ties to George W. Bush. He criticizes George Bush's economic policies, but he supported those policies when Bush nominated him as "manufacturing czar" in 2004.

He criticizes Kleeb for "dodging" a debate that both attended on April 26, but he is the only candidate who has dropped out of a scheduled debate.

He talks at length about how the Republican Party left him. He says he became disillusioned with his party, but less than a year ago, he was a George Bush Republican who was running for United States Senate and donating thousands of dollars to the NRSC and Nebraska Republicans like Lee Terry and Adrian Smith.

Now, he wants Nebraska Democrats to believe he'll give Mike Johanns a strong challenge. He wants Nebraskans to believe that he'll change Washington. But all he has to offer is more of the same.