The money strategy in Nebraska's senate race

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A conservative vote either way
Ricketts had this answer to why — despite Nelson’s conservative voting record — Republicans shouldn’t vote for Nelson: “One of the biggest things we need to do is get the spending under control… Ben Nelson has said he is in favor of earmarks. To me earmarks helped create and foster that culture that says, ‘I’m not going to hold you accountable for your pork-barrel projects if you don’t help me accountable for my pork-barrel projects.’ If we’re going to get our spending under control.… we need to start with earmarks as one thing we’re going to reform.”

But Nelson campaign communications director Marcia Cady responded that Ricketts did not understand the budget process, of which earmarks were part. Nelson sought federal money to go to “necessary and worthwhile projects for communities in Nebraska,” Cady said, citing as an example an earmark spending item Nelson secured in 2003: $2.3 million for the Nebraska State Patrol to combat methamphetamine trafficking.

Perhaps the most curious wrinkle so far in this race is that on immigration. Nelson has taken stands further to the right than Ricketts has.

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Nelson voted last week to ban “guest workers” from becoming legal permanent residents of the United States, which would make them eligible for citizenship. Nelson was one of only three Democrats to vote for this proposed ban, which the Senate rejected by a vote of 58 to 37.

He was also one of only two Democrats to vote against giving illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship. The vote was 66-33, with Nelson on the losing side.

In contrast, Ricketts said illegal immigrants should be given the chance to become legal residents and eventually naturalized citizens. He called this a “pragmatic” approach.

A Coors comparison
Ricketts calls to mind another wealthy, self-financed Republican Senate candidate, Coors, who ran two years ago in Colorado.

In his loss to Democrat Ken Salazar, Coors demonstrated the errors that a beginner candidate who comes from the business world can make. He never seemed completely in command or at ease as a campaigner.

Is Ricketts another Pete Coors?

In person, Ricketts seems more engaged and intense than Coors; seems to take a wonkish interest in policy and has a brisk alertness. The age difference — Ricketts is 41, Nelson is 65 — may work to Ricketts’ advantage.

But much hinges on how he handles himself in debates.

Nelson has launched an offensive against Ricketts, pointing to his interest in exploring a consumption tax which Nelson charged “would raise taxes on 95 percent of Nebraskans.”

Ricketts responded that “we need to take a look at things like the consumption tax or the flat tax” and that such systems could be designed that would give tax credits or rebates to lower-income people so they wouldn’t be hit with a new tax burden.

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