Congressman Lee Terry’s Omaha race rated a ‘toss-up’

Joe Jordan | Nebraska Watchdog

The Nebraska GOP’s top brass is rallying around it’s weakest link, Omaha Congressman Lee Terry, as the 8-term incumbent is given, at best, a 50-50 shot at re-election.

RealClearPolitics, an on-line political clearinghouse, rates Terry’s race a “toss-up.”

RCP doesn’t explain Terry’s less-than-stellar grade but it comes in the wake of several key developments.

As newfound Democrat Brad Ashford looks to regain the seat his party lost in 1994, Tea Party candidate Chip Maxwell has turned the race upside down with plans to run a third-party campaign.

Many political insiders argue Maxwell will siphon conservative votes from Terry sending Ashford to Capitol Hill.

Terry, who is coming off a mere six-point primary win over fellow Republican Dan Frei, did pick-up some big attaboys Thursday.

Chip Maxwell

Governor Dave Heineman says Terry is likely to win again, arguing that third-party runs are “generally…unsuccessful.” Heineman thinks Maxwell will only get two to three percent of the vote.

At the same time Nebraska’s two U.S. Senators, Mike Johanns and Deb Fischer, along with Congressmen Jeff Fortenberry and Adrian Smith, are praising Terry as trustworthy and conservative.

Fischer added she looks forward to campaigning with Terry.

Contact Joe Jordan at joe@nebraskawatchdog.org

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