Husker Can Do
Tom Osborne is learning that Nebraskans scrutinize politicians about as closely as they do football coaches. But it's pretty clear he can take the heat.
Regarded widely as a polite, affable conservative, supporters liken the possibility of Osborne winning a seat in the Congress to the movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
After winning his state's Republican primary, he praised his two opponents, calling them hard working and intelligent. They in turn threw their support to him for the general election.
Osborne's comments, made after his landslide GOP primary win in the 3rd District congressional race, were peppered with references to the 25 years he spent coaching the University of Nebraska Cornhusker football team.
Not surprisingly, Osborne seems to have a penchant for gridiron phraseology.
"We're still keeping our eye on the ball," he said, referring to the still-distant general election season, which traditionally doesn't kick into gear until after the summer months.
His wife, Nancy, also likes football analogy. She said her husband had treated the days leading up to the primary as the "fourth quarter."
The 63-year-old Osborne traveled across the state's expansive 3rd District right up to last Tuesday's primary election party.
But along much of the campaign trail, talk of the Husker football team was absent. Osborne's campaign focused on reviving the farm economy, stopping the migration of young people from rural Nebraska, improving technology in rural areas and promoting youth mentoring programs.
Osborne received 71 percent of the vote, while North Platte attorney John Gale had 17 percent and state Board of Education member Kathy Wilmot, 12 percent. In the general election, he'll face will face Democrat Rollie Reynolds. In this GOP-leaning territory, Osborne is the odds-on favorite. The men are vying to replace GOP Rep. Bill Barrett, who is retiring after five terms.
"He said when he came out, 'I don't want this to be about football,'" Reynolds said Wednesday. "I agree with that. I think it ought to be about agriculture. I think it's time we switch to the issues and quit football."
The 66-county 3rd Distroct covers 65,000 square miles - nearly 85 percent of the state's total land mass.