Osborne rules out '06 senate bid

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2004/12/10/top_story/extras/doc41b902aa8f487739043679.txt

Tom Osborne decided Thursday to extinguish the Senate brush fire that suddenly had surrounded him before it raged out of control.

Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb. (LJS File / Ted Kirk)

Osborne announced he will not be a candidate for the Senate, slamming the door on Republican entreaties that he consider challenging Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson in 2006.

"This is something I really am not going to do," the 3rd District congressman said in a telephone call.

Osborne said he decided to call a swift halt to the rampant speculation after receiving phone calls from people in Washington who seemed bent on "trying to talk me into this."

That's "one reason I wanted to put this to bed," he said.

"I can't see myself being in Washington another eight years," Osborne said. A six-year Senate term would extend through 2012.

He may be a jackass, but he's OUR jackass.

He will announce June 1, I believe.

(gazing into my crystal ball)

with someone to run for Osborne's congressional seat in the 3rd District.

(No, it is not an exercise in futility to run a Dem out here if they have the right personality and background. People out here don't pay as much attention to party affiliations in local/state elections as a person might be inclined to assume. If Dr. Tom had been a Dem he still would have won election just as soundly)

Is there any buzz about possible 3rd District contenders in Lincoln?

Wasn't there talk at one time about the Whiskey Creek steak house owner/cattleman guy seeking the Dem gub candidacy against Osborne for gov or something?

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2004/12/10/top_story/extras/doc41b8fbe5e779c150597386.txt

Navy pilot Osborn coming home in 2005 with sights on public service
BY DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star

Shane Osborn is returning to Nebraska this spring with public service ambitions in mind. But not necessarily as a candidate for public office as early as 2006.

Shane Osborn in 2001. (LJS File / Eric Gregory)


Osborn, who acquired national hero status when he piloted his crippled surveillance aircraft and a crew of 24 to a safe crash landing on Chinese soil in 2001, said he can't talk about politics while he's still in the U.S. Navy.

But he's keeping track of political events in Nebraska, he said in a telephone interview.

"Public service is near and dear to me," he said. "But my first priority is to find my next career."

It is the Skeeter Barns person...Jim Jenkins of western Nebraska.
Sounds Like a good guy. He is active rancher...interested in ethanol and part owner of Skeeter barns. I could not find more info tonight, but here is a start.

http://www.theindependent.com/stories/082003/new_osborne20.shtml

I don't know a thing about him, but the fact that he is a hands on cattleman and successful entrepreneur would be big pluses come campaign time.

Does anybody out there know what his political views are?

Here is a news item from www.midwestlivestock.com
- looks like it must have originally been posted on statepaper.com

From the gist of it it appears he is not blindly gungho large agribusiness saving rural America - that's a very good sign.


Cattleman Gives Common Sense View of Rural Development
Help entrepreneurs develop small business
(Nebraska StatePaper)
February 15, 2004
MINDEN –Cattle producer Jim Jenkins gave the annual LEAD Alumni Conference a common-sense view of what economic development really means in rural Nebraska.
Jenkins, of Callway, said most rural areas will never have their economic woes vanish with the arrival of a big, new manufacturer or other business.
Jenkins told his audience:
"We're going to have to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and do it for ourselves," the Kearney Hub reported.
He said Nebraska should concentrate on helping entrepreneurs create small businesses. Jenkins said the state has failed to do enough in that area.

I was snooping Jenkins over a year ago. I think I caught his name and brief info over @ Capital Grilling. I could not find much more info, but everything I saw I liked. And he seems like he would appeal to Nebraskans - especially the western 9/10 of the state.

Now The only consolation - I can eat at Skeeter Barnes guilt free. The have the best French fried SWEET potatoes and also wonderful meat and delicious root beer.


http://www.skeeterbarnes.com/history/history.html

huh? I think that's a winner!