In upset victory, Fischer wins Nebraska Senate primary

Nebraska state Senator Deb Fischer applauds her supporters with her husband Bruce Fischer, left, at her election party in Lincoln, Neb., Tuesday, May 15, 2012.

/ AP Photo/Nati Harnik

(CBS News) Nebraska state Senator Deb Fischer pulled off a surprise upset victory against Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning in the state's Republican Senate primary Tuesday, marking the second contest in two weeks in which an establishment favorite was upended by a dark horse candidate in a Senate primary.

Fischer, a rural rancher from the state's 43rd legislative district, eked out a 5-point victory over Bruning, winning 41 percent to the Attorney General's 36 percent with nearly all the votes counted. State Treasurer Don Stenberg earned 19 percent.

As of just a few weeks ago, Bruning was widely considered the favorite in the race, and was expected to handily defeat Fischer and Stenberg to face off against Democratic candidate Bob Kerrey in November.

In recent days, however, some signs suggested the tides might be turning in Fischer's favor. While Bruning was hit with a series of scathing attack ads -- a number of which were funded by outside groups supporting Stenberg -- some polls showed Fischer surging.

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Fischer secured the endorsements of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and former presidential candidate Herman Cain, and she also got a boost from Joe Ricketts, the owner of the Chicago Cubs and founder of TD Ameritrade, who over the weekend injected $200,000 into the race for advertisements blasting Bruning and touting Fischer, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

The state Senator was not the only candidate boasting high-profile endorsements, however: Bruning recently received the backing of former presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee; meanwhile, two major conservative groups - the Club for Growth and South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund - both backed Stenberg, as did DeMint himself.

Jennifer Duffy, who covers Senate and governor races for The Cook Political Report, argues that Fischer's victory was in part a product of the fact that she faced two fairly flawed competitors.

"Sometimes we get so wrapped up in this Tea Party/establishment/non-establishment stuff that we forget the basics," Duffy told Hotsheet following Fischer's victory Tuesday night. "I think that there were a lot of basics here."

Pointing to ethics charges leveled against Bruning and Stenberg's three previous failed Senate bids, Duffy argues that Fischer stood out as a reasonable alternative to two candidates with obvious flaws.

"She was a woman who ran a good campaign who had a good profile for this state. People relate to her," Duffy said. "So when voters went looking for an alternative, it's not hard to see how they were fine with voting for her."

Still, Fischer faced a significant fundraising disadvantage in the race.

According to the Center for Public Integrity, Bruning raised more than $3.6 million for his campaign, and Stenberg raised approximately $750,000. Fischer, on the other hand, reportedly raised less than $440,000 for the race, $35,000 of which was her own money.

Outside groups also contributed significantly, pouring more than $2 million into advertising. According to the Center for Public Integrity, nearly $1 million of that went toward attacking Bruning.

The Club for Growth -- which spent heavily in last week's Indiana primary, where longtime Republican Senator Richard Lugar was ousted by an upstart Tea Party candidate -- spent more than $700,000 on ads attacking Bruning, while DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund put nearly $1 million into supporting Stenberg.

Fischer was "pretty much shut out of the fundraising" in the primary process, according to Duffy, in part because of her relatively late entrance into the race. 

"She's got a lot of work to do," Duffy said. "She's got to raise money."

Still, Duffy says Fischer could pose more of a threat than either of her challengers might have to Kerrey -- a former Nebraska Senator and governor who serves as Democrats' best hope of eking out a victory in the solid red state.

"Now they face a nominee who doesn't have very obvious flaws," Duffy said. "Yes, she's undefined and they will try to define her quickly, but Democrats, despite what they don't say now, really, really wanted to run against Bruning. They just felt like there was such a case to be made."

"In a lot of ways, she is the tougher general election candidate," Duffy added.

In a statement released shortly after the race was called, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) called the match-up "promising" for Democrats, and touted Kerrey's history as a "proven winner."

"These results set up a promising general election match-up between Bob Kerrey, a proven independent leader, and Deb Fischer, an untested hypocritical politician whose record and positions have never been scrutinized," said Matt Canter, spokesman for the DSCC. "Bob Kerrey is a proven winner with an honorable record of service to the country, working with both parties to solve problems, while Fischer is an untested Tea Party candidate who has profited off a federally subsidized sweetheart land deal and called for higher gas taxes on middle class families in Nebraska."

DeMint, meanwhile, quickly urged Republicans to rally around Fischer.

"Congratulations to @DebFischer2012 for winning a come-from-behind victory. Now it's time for all Republicans to unite behind her," he wrote in a Tweet.

[notreich]

Sarah Palin, beauty pageant queen, small-town mayor and half-term governor of Alaska where a regency actually ran things before she bugged out. She'll be saying bad things about Bob Kerrey in her simple-minded ideological way that she has of calling everybody anti-American who doesn't agree with her?? Bob Kerrey, former distinquished senator and Navy SEAL purple heart and Medal of Honor winner in Viet Nam!!

[notreich]

"Now they face a nominee who doesn't have very obvious flaws"?? She is endorsed by Sarah Palin and Herman Cain. I'd call that flaws.

[audemus]

Anyone can light a fire, it takes real substance to keep it going.

[elliesamericana]

Right, and Bob Kerry is a man of substance. I think we can welcome in a democratic seat in November. Respectfully, retired US Army Medical Officer.

[Raptorsmasher]

This is just another example of the Republican Party dumbing itself down.

[cntrygirl3]

Once again a state race is decided based on outside money, that cannot be traced to donors. It is obvious some wealthy "entities" are out there and they wont be satisfied just buying a president they are buying the whole government and if we let them get away with this we don't know who is pulling the strings. They are making a big investment and they are going to want a big payback.

[elliesamericana]

Repugs generally do buy elections. Here in Wisconsin Walker has $25 million, some 2/3 from outside the state while the 4 dem candidates managed only $2 million. Needless to say it is wealthy corporate criminals who fund their races like the Koch Brothers, Club For Growth, et al. Here in Wisconsin we recalled the governor with "people power." We hope it will be enough to win in June, but $25 million is very hard to beat. I personally know some very fine people who ran for office here in Wisconsin who were beaten by big bucks and negative ads they could not match. The result? Very bad government. Many do not know Gov Walker dropped out of college in 3rd year with C-minus GPA under a cloud of controversy. Do dems win fairly? In general, yes. Respectfully, retired US Army Medical Officer.

[baileycccc]

This shows the utter discuss that Nebraskans have with the failed party. They will seal this by sending Democrat Bob Kerry to Congress in the November election.

[AOCGUY]

Do you mean former Navy SEAL, combat wounded Medal Of Honor recipient Bob Kerry? That Bob Kerry?

[elliesamericana]

Yep, same Bob Kerry. He also lost a leg in Vietnam. Respectfully, US Army Medical Officer.

[sgbarnes1]

If I were a military person, I would not vote for the man who has started more foreign engagements than any president in history. I would not vote for the man who started those engagements without the permission of Congress. Libyia, Somalia, Yemen, Uganda as well as threatening Syria, Iran and Russia (Thanks, Mrs. Clinton) are all on Mr. O's records. I would not vote for the man who is trying to strip the military of their pay and benefits.

[elliesamericana]

Well, I can't see any of what you have said to be anything more that neocon propaganda & prevarication. Especially the part about Obama trying to strip the military of pay & benefits--that describes repuglicans far more better than dems. However, back to the crux of the article. Teabaggers winning these primaries puts a patriotic dem like Bob Kerry on track to win in November. Mainstream America is figuring out the danger these rightwing radicals are and the November election should sweep them out as handily as they were swept in. Respectfully, retired US Army Medical Officer.

[laraine1944]

So--would you vote for a man who lies every time he opens his mouth? A man who has no principles and believes in nothing except himself? A man who Grover Norquist has already said that he can manipulate? A man who slaps his money in an overseas account rather than investing in America? A man who has public temper tantrums when someone disagrees with him? A man who is so condescending the he puts on mom jeans and says ya'll in the south and then refers to prairie fires when he's in Iowa? A governor who outsourced government jobs? Come on, you're an American. I really believe that we all want the best for our country and we all need to look past the hype and look for a man who has American values and wants our country to be the greatest on earth.

[RationalReason]

An even bigger upset coming in Nov. when Romney will beat Obama.

[ToPiper]

Yeah, dream on.

[afrazier1]

Well see the name used is RationalReason. Must be a left-over from the Regan years. That era rationalized all its reason as well. Good luck with your prediction. It all depends on what happens within the last two weeks before the election. America as a whole has a very short attention span. That said, nine tons of crap will be unloaded on them two weeks prior to the election in order to swing their vote. Wait for it as it will happen. This will come from both sides of the aisle. So may the bast man win.....and we all know that's the incumbent.