Hal Daub Drops Out Of Nebraska Senate Race

Former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub announced today that he will drop out of the race to replace Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and will be voting for outgoing Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns in the GOP primary.

"It has become clear that the financial commitment required to conduct a successful race, through the primary, is a mountain that is too steep for us to climb,” he said this morning at the Omaha Press Club.

His withdrawal from the race sets up a GOP primary between two well-known statewide figures: Johanns and state Attorney General Jon Bruning. Financial adviser Pat Flynn is also running.

The decision comes at an unusual time: He just launched a $30,000 statewide advertising blitz this week portraying himself as the outsider in the race. He had recently criticized Johanns for leaving the Cabinet before the farm bill’s passage.

In two separate polls conducted this month – one from the National Republican Senatorial Committee and one from Bruning’s campaign – Daub finished a distant third.