Osborne Going for Two in the Third

Short House term appealing; long Senate one isn't

HASTINGS - Tom Osborne remained his unassuming, soft-spoken self Thursday morning as he told Nebraskans just what they were expecting to hear: He'll run for Congress in the 3rd District.

Osborne, the former Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach, is a veteran of countless news conferences from his 25-year coaching career. Yet at Hastings College, his alma mater, he approached the podium slowly, seemingly bewildered by the 10 television cameras, many still cameras and microphones, tape recorders and expectant gazes pointed at him.

"I'm announcing for the 3rd District congressional race," Osborne said. That instantly ended what little speculation there was left that he'd run for the Senate, as many top Republicans had encouraged him to do.

Osborne said he never seriously considered running for the Senate seat left open by the retiring Sen. Bob Kerrey, or running for the 1st District House seat Rep. Doug Bereuter would have left to make a Senate run (Bereuter decided to stay in the House).

"I really did not feel there was any other option for me," Osborne said. He started thinking about a 3rd District run when Rep. Bill Barrett announced his retirement last year. Osborne, who's had serious heart trouble, said he underwent a comprehensive physical exam to make sure he was up for a political race. His doctors said he was in better shape than a year before.

"They figured out I had a few miles left," he said.

Early in his announcement Osborne said he won't take any political action committee or large individual contributions (more than about $300, he later said). "We're going to try to run a campaign that already is reformed," Osborne said, adding that he doesn't want to be "heavily mortgaged," or beholden to contributors, should he make it to Congress.

Osborne has near-total statewide name recognition and a good deal of the same nationally. He said he thinks campaign television advertisements are an unproductive use of money that's better spent on things like his TeamMates youth mentoring program (with which Osborne will continue to work). Of course, Osborne hardly needs to get his name out.

The coach spent the rest of his news conference running interference against what surely will be questions raised regarding his candidacy. Osborne has no political experience and no political connections. He has demonstrated impatience with tough questions raised at football news conferences, and has an admittedly limited knowledge of the issues. "The honest truth is there's some things I don't know a lot about," he said. "But I can learn."

Osborne said his asset is the ability to put together an effective organization, as he did with his winning football teams. "As a coach I knew very, very well that I was a small part of anything that got done -- less than 10 percent," he said. But he said he could lead people to go all in the same direction.

Osborne, who's lived in Lincoln for more than two decades, posed to himself the question, "Why the 3rd District?" He of course had a ready answer: "This is where my roots are and this is where Nancy (his wife) is from," he said. Osborne said he'll register to vote in Ogallala, where he owns property. This will allow him to comply with state law that requires candidates be registered to vote in the district to which they seek election. He said he'll try to spend weekends in the district. His campaign headquarters will be in Hastings.

Osborne unveiled a three-point starting campaign platform at the news conference:

1. There needs to be a clear and unified position in agriculture that originates with people in the 3rd District. "Lots of good people out here, lot of good ideas. But we seem to be going in different directions," he said. "If we don't speak with a unified voice, if we don't have a unified plan, it's not going to work."
2. We need to develop and enhance small businesses, cottage industries and technology to provide employment opportunities for young people and strengthen the economy. As an example of this, Osborne cited companies that are placing small parts of their operations in rural communities, where they know they'll find a reliable workforce.
3. We need to strengthen families and show our care and concern for our young people who are facing the same problems that young people in other areas of the state face.

Osborne said he won't rely on polls to direct his campaign platform, or his voting record should he win the November election. "I always thought you told people what you wanted to do, and if they like it, they vote for you," he said.

Osborne joins a race for the 3rd District that is already packed to the gills with Republicans: North Platte lawyer John Gale; Scottsbluff businessman Dave Hergert; Kearney farmer Carroll Sheldon; Public Service Commissioner Dan Urwiller of Ravenna; and State Board of Education member Kathy Wilmot of Beaver City.

Interest on the Democratic side has come from business consultant Ron Chen of Hastings and Grand Island real-estate investor Rollie Reynolds.

Bertrand farmer John Hanson, a Republican, was also in the race. He appeared at Osborne's news conference to announce he's dropping out of the race to become Osborne's agriculture adviser. Bruce Rieker, a former Barrett deputy chief of staff, had been managing Hanson's campaign; now he'll manage Osborne's.

Dining Guide

• Lincoln
• Omaha
• Greater NE

Calendar

• Lincoln
• Omaha
• Greater NE