3rd District Race - Overview

OK, now what has developed into the closest of the three NE congressional races, at least according to some polls. Former state legislator Adrian Smith of Gering is running against Yale graduate Scott Kleeb (no idea where he residing?) for the open seat formerly held by Dr. Tom Osborne.

This race is interesting on many levels, not just because the seat was open, but that the amount of interest it has garnered from out-of-state interests. Smith has been endorsed by Club for Growth, an pro-economic growth, anti-tax and spending organization. Since it has become a campaign issue in this race, I'll note for the record I can find no mention of CFG claiming to be for the elimination of farm subsidies. What I have seen is criticism is that subsidies aren't going to small farmers but large corporate farms, and suggestions that thre system should be reformed, not eliminated, with a cap on how much can be received by any single recipient. See USAToday article here.

Liberal web groups like Ameriblog and ActBlue, as well as major Democrats like Senators John Kerry, (former Sen) Bob Kerry, Sen. Ken Salazar, Sen. Tim Johnson and Clinton polical operative Craig Smith, have donated to or supported Kleeb. (hat tips to Leavenworth Street and the newly discovered Heartland Notebook for discovering the machinary behind Kleeb's campaign).

(Bias alert: I am a CFG member - one of 36,000 nationwide. Declared organizational goals - Making the Bush tax cuts permanent,Death tax repeal,Cutting and limiting government spending, Social Security reform with personal retirement accounts,Expanding free trade, Legal reform to end abusive lawsuits, Replacing the current tax code, School choice, Regulatory reform and deregulation).