OMAHA, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Former Nebraska Attorney General Don Stenberg, who lost a 2000 Senate race to Democrat Ben Nelson by slightly more than 15,000 votes, is angling for an '06 rematch.
"I've been approached by a lot of people asking me to consider a run for Senate in 2006," Stenberg told delegates at a meeting of Nebraska Republicans during the weekend. "I've agreed to consider it,"
Nebraska's attorney general for 12 years, Stenberg said he will spend the next few weeks talking to party leaders in Nebraska and Washington about a possible bid. Should he become a candidate, the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald said Tuesday, he would bring considerable name recognition to the race, but also questions about whether the third time would actually be the charm. He lost the GOP nomination in 1996 to Chuck Hagel, now the state's senior senator.
Stenberg's interest in the race is shared by several other Republicans who also worked the delegates at the party gathering. And former GOP Chairman David Kramer and Omaha businessman Kerry Winterer are also thinking about the race.
Nelson, a conservative Democrat who opposes abortion rights, is considered among his party's most vulnerable incumbents. George W. Bush carried Nebraska with 66 percent of the vote in the 2004 election.
