Victory! Last night, Scott Kleeb won a landslide victory against former Republican Tony Raimondo in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Kleeb's victory was a testament to the strength of his campaign in the face of a media blitz from Raimondo's deep-pocketed campaign. But while Raimondo focused on media, Kleeb focused on contacting every voter - and was rewarded with a huge victory.

In the other races on Tuesday night, Democrats posted impressive results across the board. It was a huge night for Nebraska Democrats. More on the flip...

Bumped. mcjoan

Turnout has been light, says WOWT, at least in Omaha. Nebraska's Democratic delegates have already been apportioned by a caucus back in February (Obama 16 delegates, Clinton 8).

80% precincts reporting.

Update: Sloooowww counting in Nebraska. I switched sites from the SoS to the Omaha World-Herald which seems to be a little ahead.

Update 2: Switched back to SoS.

Update 3: With a consistent margin of 30 or so points holding, it's looking pretty good for Scott, though the race hasn't been officially called yet.

Update 4: The Kleeb campaign is declaring victory. Congrats, Scott, Jane and the whole crew!

The World-Herald calls it for Scott! Make no mistake, November is going to be tough, but this win is huge for Nebraska Dems and for the netroots and grassroots. This campaign has shown the establishment Dems that seats can't just be bought anymore.

From Action 3 News:

Omaha, NE.-  Action Three News has learned that if Tony Raimondo loses tomorrow's Democratic U.S Senate Primary, he might turn his back on Scott Kleeb.

Oh really now? At first it would seem like editorializing, but let's compare statements, shall we?

Says Kleeb:

Kleeb says party unity is a must, "So I would extend my congratulations to him and I would be sure to vote for him and I hope that he would do the same for me."

And Raimondo:

"I'm not saying yes because I think that's so much political rhetoric. I'm gonna say the candid thing, 'I'll think about that later.'

Sunday evening after putting my Jim Esch yard sign back into the garage I was the lucky recipient of a GOTV phone call from his campaign.  After demanding an explanation as to why Esch would endorse a Republican over Scott Kleeb the caller informed me that he had an email from Jim spelling out his reasons behind the endorsement.  He hoped it might shed some light as to why he did it.  Of course I was very interested because there hasn't been very much coverage by the local media about it and Esch's website had zero information about it.

The email I received seems to be a memo to his volunteers. Clearly his decision has upset some in his camp. It does indeed shed light on a candidate that will do anything to get elected and shows little regard for his grassroots base.

Yay!!! We did it! Everyone rejoice in having the nagging over with. For  now.

Excellent work making our monetary goal. But I still want to get us over the 450 donations hump. We need 450 donations--one for every $1,000 of his own money Raimondo has put into this race.

Now part of this is personal. See, Tony Raimondo, Scott's DINO (and I really mean DINO--he changed his party registration specifically to run in this primary) is on the board of trustees for the National Association of Manufacturers. This organization, for no immediately apparent reason, has been committed to making sure AT&T and the other telcos get amnesty for their lawbreaking.

And the NAM has this blog that they call the "Shop Floor." (Stay with me here.) So on this blog, in support of the lawbreaking telcos, they've said some not so nice things about the bloggers (specifically me) working on the side of the Constitution. I admit it, I'm not above seeking revenge.

Reject the NAM, reject the corporate hijacking of our public policy. Do it with $5 or $10 to Scott. Show them what people power can do.

On the Web:
Kleeb for Senate
Daily Kos for Scott Kleeb ActBlue page

mcjoan has done a great job rallying Kossacks for our Nebraska cowboy.  Here's my contribution:

With the presidential primary fight now behind us, activists can focus their attention on Congressional races to expand the Democratic majority.  On May 13th, Nebraska will hold a statewide primary for a U.S. Senate seat currently held by a Republican.  And Democrat Scott Kleeb, a 32-year-old rancher, is running an Obama-like campaign for change.  His opponent, Tony Raimondo, is a manufacturing executive who switched parties because the Republican establishment rallied behind another candidate.  Like Obama, Kleeb’s campaign has been fueled by small online donations – and has grassroots appeal that has energized the Democratic Party.  If 2008 is going to be the year of change like many are predicting, Kleeb should do better than expected.

We're getting close, guys. We've made all the arguments: about how is opponent is a rich Republican trying to buy this seat, about Scott's commitment to grassroots politics, about what he can do for Nebraska and for the nation if we send him, instead of another DINO, to D.C.

The first hurdle is Tuesday's primary. The last little bit you give today might mean a last minute radio spot that otherwise wouldn't go up, a last tank of gas to get volunteers out on primary day to knock on doors (and it takes a lot of driving to campaign in Nebraska).

Our goal: $20,000 and 450 donations (one donation for every $1,000 of Raimondo's personal loan of $450K to his own campaign) by the end of today. Send the message that people power can compete with big money by contributing to Scott's campaign.

To sweeten the deal, when we get up to 400 donations, I'll post a picture.

On the Web:
Kleeb for Senate
Daily Kos for Scott Kleeb ActBlue page

Update: Just three more donations, people! For the picture that is. We're so close to our goal!

Update 2: Yay!!!!

In what can only be called one of the most bizarre moves (not to mention strategic blunders) in a Democratic Congressional primary in history, Jim Esch today endorsed Columbus businessman Tony Raimondo. If you're not up on the race for Chuck Hagel's seat but the name still sounds familiar, it might be because Raimondo was Bush's first pick for manufacturing czar in 2004. You know, the one that had to withdraw from consideration for shipping jobs to China. Raimondo was also a large Republican donor until he decided to switch parties just before declaring his intention to run for Senate as a Democrat. KPTM has the story.

NE-02 candidate Jim Esch, a fellow that many thought to be cut from a very progressive bolt of cloth has just announced his endorsement of lifelong Republican, industrialist, and Bush Buddy, Tony Raimondo, for the U.S. Senate in Nebraska. This is a HUGE step backward for the progress that Nebraska's Democrats have made in the past couple of years.

OMAHA (AP) - Democratic Senate hopeful Tony Raimondo has received an endorsement from an unexpected source - Jim Esch, who's running for the 2nd District House seat.

Esch, also a Democrat, said Thursday he know some people will be surprised by the endorsement because many of his supporters also are strong supporters of Raimondo opponent Scott Kleeb.

But Esch says he's convinced Raimondo is the most qualified candidate and has the best chance to beat former governor and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns in November.

Scott Kleeb made a great impression with the Lincoln Journal Star editorial board:

Nebraska Democrats should choose Scott Kleeb as their nominee for the U.S. Senate race.

Kleeb offers an appealing blend of intelligence, drive to get things done and thoughtfulness on the issues....

The other major contender for the Democratic nomination is Columbus industrialist Tony Raimondo, who recently changed his political registration from Republican. Raimondo also is a strong candidate who has a track record of creating jobs. Raimondo would be especially effective on business and economic issues.

Kleeb, however, has the ability to inspire. Smart, focused and talented, he has great growth potential. The Journal Star editorial board believes Kleeb is best suited to carry the Democratic banner in the general election race for the U.S. Senate.

Anybody who had the opportunity to meet Scott in Chicago at the Yearly Kos convention last summer will recognize the man the Journal Star editors describe. He would be an asset to Nebraska, to the party, and to the nation in the Senate.

The primary is next Tuesday. You can help send a real Democrat to the Senate.

We're looking for $20,000 and 450 donations (one donation for every $1,000 of Raimondo's personal loan of $450K to his own campaign) by the end of the day tomorrow. Send the message that people power can compete with big money by contributing to Scott's campaign.

On the Web:
Kleeb for Senate
Daily Kos for Scott Kleeb ActBlue page

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.

When Scott Kleeb announced his candidacy in February, I talked with him about what brought him to politics in 2006, and where he was going to take this race.

JM: What did you learn from 2006 that you're taking in to 2008?

SK: I started the campaign in 2006 thinking that I had to have a whole lot of answers, thinking that people were going to be turning to me and saying "what do you think on this" and "How are you going to address it" and there's an element of truth to that, when you're electing somebody you want them to be able to think through an issue, have an opinion on an issue. That's obvious. However, when we really started to pick up was when I realized the other element, which is at some point people are engaged in your campaign for their own reasons. That our campaign became just that—it wasn't about me, it wasn't about you, it was about new people getting engaged in the political process and enlivening that process. They were there for their own reasons, they were there for their own communities, they were there for their own future. And together we became this vehicle for that. I tell you, once I realized that, it just had a tremendous impact. That's when our campaign really lit a spark and took off....

That's the way we're going to have to run this campaign. It's not just the way we're going to have to run to win, that's what it's about. Asking people to become engaged in the issues and to become engaged in our democracy ... whether it's on the netroots or whether it is on the call-in shows or whether it is on a campaign. That's the thing that is happening in this election, it's that people want to talk about politics. It is again something that's engaging for people and there's a desire there to be part of that change....

Nebraskans are engaged and they want to take back their state and their nation. They turned out in huge numbers for the state's first ever caucus, and have kept up the fervor by putting their money solidly behind the Dems in the presidential race.

That's what Scott Kleeb is counting on--an engaged and energized electorate that will put him over the top next Tuesday in his primary race with the newly-minted "Democrat" Tony Raimondo. As I wrote yesterday, Raimondo has made up for his lack of grassroots fundraising by loaning his campaign $450,000 of his own money.

Scott can't compete with that kind of personal fortune, but in Nebraska's relatively cheap media market, it won't take that kind of cash to keep Scott competitive. He's got the ground game working and we can help boost that by keeping him on the air. That's why we set a $20,000 goal by the end of the day Friday. I'd like to set a new goal--450 donations, one for every $1,000 Raimondo has invested. That's people power. We can do it.

You can help send a real Democrat to the Senate, and send the message that people power can compete with big money by contributing to Scott's campaign.

On the Web:
Kleeb for Senate
Daily Kos for Scott Kleeb ActBlue page

Poor fundraising numbers won't deter a rich Republican like Tony Raimondo from trying to hoodwink Nebraska's Democrats in next week's primary. He's the former Republican and buddy of Bush (who nearly got the appointment of Manufacturing Czar in this adminstration) who decided it'd be easier to buy the Senate seat being vacated by Hagel as a Democrat than a Republican. So that's what he's doing.

U.S. Senate contender Tony Raimondo is well on his way to becoming the half-million-dollar man.  The Columbus, Neb., chairman of Behlen Manufacturing Co. has pumped $450,000 of his own money into his campaign.

That means about 82 percent of Raimondo's total campaign funds have come from his wallet, based on disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission....

[Scott] Kleeb, a teacher at Hastings College, had raised about $364,000 from 1,500 donors through April 23, said Joe Zepecki, a campaign spokesman. Raimondo had raised about $552,000 as of that date. Of that amount, about $102,000 came from individual donors.

"I think this shows there is a very, very stark contrast between a guy who's giving $450,000 to himself and a guy who has 1,500 people willing to contribute," Zepecki said.

Raimondo is going to throw a big chunk of his own personal fortune--and now that he's invoked the Millionaire's amendment, a big chunk of the personal fortunes of a lot of his Republican buddies--into buying this seat.

There couldn't be a bigger contrast between Raimondo and Scott Kleeb, the real Democrat in the race. New Nebraska Network sums it up:

One campaign has the grassroots. One campaign has the organization. One campaign has the excitement level to take on Mike Johanns.

And one campaign has a checkbook.

We're betting that a big checkbook won't be enough to sway Nebraska's Democrats in next week's primary. You can help send a real Democrat to the Senate by contributing. We're going to try to raise $20,000 for Scott by the end of this Friday. We're going to pitch our hundreds of real Democrats against Raimondo's checkbook in this primary to Scott win a week from tomorrow.

He's not just the better Democrat in this primary, he's the only Democrat!

On the Web:
Kleeb for Senate
Daily Kos for Scott Kleeb ActBlue page

Update: Ok, you guys did it. I said you'd get a picture when we hit 50 donations, and as of right now, we're at 51. So here you go, from the Homecoming parade in Kearney, NE in October, 2006:

From the New Nebraska Network

Raimondo's self funding is even more than previously reported at NNN. He's now at $450,000, triggering the "millionaire's amendment" which allows for increased contribution limits for his opponent.

U.S. Senate contender Tony Raimondo is well on his way to becoming the half-million-dollar man.  The Columbus, Neb., chairman of Behlen Manufacturing Co. has pumped $450,000 of his own money into his campaign.

That means about 82 percent of Raimondo's total campaign funds have come from his wallet, based on disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission....

The following is a compilation of New Nebraska Network's interview with Democratic Senate candidate Scott Kleeb.  It was originally published in two parts.  The interview is being republished here for easy reference and as a resource in anticipation of Nebraska's May 13th primary.  Kleeb's opponent in the primary is Tony Raimondo.

The following is a compilation of New Nebraska Network's interview with Democratic Senate candidate Tony Raimondo.  It was originally published in three parts.  The interview is being republished here for easy reference and as a resource in anticipation of Nebraska's May 13th primary.  Raimondo's opponent in the primary is Scott Kleeb.

First quarter fundraising totals are in for the Nebraska Senate race, and it's good news for Kleeb.

Republican Senate hopeful Mike Johanns flexed his financial muscle Sunday, as all three major Senate contenders released their financial reports for the first quarter of this year.

Johanns raised $641,000 in the first three months of 2008, bringing his total fundraising to $2.1 million.

Next up was Democrat Scott Kleeb, who entered the race in late February and significantly outraised his key Democratic rival, Tony Raimondo.

Kleeb reported raising $274,000 from 1,013 contributors in his first financial campaign report, while Raimondo reported raising $172,000. Raimondo's fundraising total included a $100,000 loan that the Columbus manufacturer made to his campaign.

Johanns declared back in October, so had the jump on the Dems. Raimondo declared in early February, and Scott at the end of February. Obviously the early enthusiasm in the race is behind Scott. We're seeing sort of a Tester redux in this Dem primary, with one exception: while John Morrison was the establishment choice, just as Raimondo is, at leat Morrison is actually a Democrat. Raimondo is only running as a Dem because he didn't think he could get through the Republican primary.

This is a tough nut to crack--one of the hardest among the Senate races this year. Yesterday, brownsox rated it 16 out of 21 and I can't quibble with that ranking. But in a year where "change" is the watchword, only one candidates embodies that theme. If Scott can provide the kind of strong contrast of a fighting Dem a la Tester against the DINO Raimondo, he'll have set the narrative for November.

On the Web:
Scott Kleeb for Senate

Update: Primary is May 13 (thanks, Marcus Graly).

Update 2: The campaign e-mailed a press release:

U.S. Senate candidate Scott Kleeb today released campaign fundraising totals for the period ending March 31st.  Kleeb raised over a quarter of a million dollars in the five weeks after he announced his candidacy and ended March with over $280,000 cash on hand.

Kleeb’s report will show that he earned more support in the five weeks following his announcement than did former Bush Cabinet member Mike Johanns over a comparable period.

Crossposted at The Nebraska Progressive:

After much ado about nothing from the Raimondo campaign (more about this below), it appears as though Scott Kleeb has agreed to debate Tony Raimondo. Both are competing for the Democratic nomination.

The AP has the story:

Tony Raimondo says he’s agreed to debate fellow Democratic Senate candidate Scott Kleeb next month.

The debate will be sponsored by the Lancaster County Democratic Party.

Kleeb has committed to the debate, campaign manager Jeff Jacobs says, but not the date. The campaign for Raimondo says it has agreed to April 12 and is holding that date.