I Like Mike © 1998 Joe Murray Reminiscent of Dwight Eisenhower's 1952 campaign slogan of "I like Ike," the winning slogan for Lincoln mayor Mike Johanns' successful bid to win the Republican nomination for Governor was "I like Mike." Mr. Johanns ran a brilliant campaign. He was the best organized and worked the hardest to get the nomination, despite being out-spent by a wide margin by State Auditor John Breslow. He said all the right things in an eloquent way. For all his success, 60% of Republican voters voted against him. Many of those came from Western Nebraska. For example, Mr. Johanns finished third among voters in Chase County. If Mr. Johanns is going to defeat the Democratic nominee in the fall, Mr. Johanns will have to convince a good number of the 60% that didn't support him to show up and vote for him. Despite some bitter moments, his two main opponents John Breslow and Jon Christensen pledged their support the day after the election. Like Breslow and Christensen, most of the majority of Republican voters that voted against him will vote for Johanns because they won't want a liberal Democrat like Bill Hoppner in the Governor's mansion. However, for many of those who didn't vote for Mr. Johanns, there remains a skepticism that there isn't much difference between Bill Hoppner and Johanns when it comes to policy and ideology. Mr. Johanns says all the right things a Republican should say when he pledges to cut taxes, reduce spending, have fewer regulations and claims to support the sanctity of human life. While Congressman Christensen's last and second attack ad was unfair and he was justly chastised, most of the advertisements put out by the Breslow campaign were accurate about Mike Johann's record as mayor. That doesn't mean that Mr. Johanns lied about his own record. It just pointed out the rest of the story. I've lived in the Lincoln area all my life. Mr. Johanns never had the reputation as being a conservative like the message he presented on the campaign trail. Just a couple months ago, I was talking with a business person in Lincoln who deals with the City of Lincoln on a regular basis and thought that Mike Johanns was still a Democrat. In comparison to his two predecessors as Lincoln's mayor, who were as far left as any politicians this state has ever seen, Mr. Johanns is way to the right. But, many of his actions as mayor seemed more like a Guiliani Republican rather than a Reagan Republican. I could list many examples, but I won't do it. Mr. Johanns is the nominee, and I am a Christian who believes in the power of conversion and forgiveness. Mr. Johanns is saying all the right things, so I am going to take him at his word until proven otherwise. Living in the Lincoln area, I have met many Johanns supporters, including some of his campaign staff who tried in vane to set up an interview with me for Sodbuster. Most of them seem very apolitical people to me. "I like Mike" aptly summarizes the reason for supporting him in the primary. They are also very nice people who are sincere and honest. They think Mike Johanns has these same traits, so I am inclined to think they are right. Therefore, as one of the 60% of Republican voters who didn't vote for Mr. Johanns, I want to say that I have seen the light and with gusto will say "I like Mike." I will proudly vote for him in the fall. I urge the rest of those who didn't vote for him to do the same thing, as long as he doesn't change his tune. Ronald Reagan was a new deal Democrat and union boss before he saw the light, so I am willing to welcome Mr. Johanns to the fold as a conservative Republican. However, I think the 60% majority who didn't vote for him this spring has an obligation to hold Mr. Johann's feet to the fire and don't let him stray back to his former Democratic ways. One way to do that is to help get the ballot initiative to cap spending on the state ballot and pass it. Passing the plan will be a check to any politician's greedy lust for power and money. It is estimated that if a similar cap would have been in place over the last decade or so, there would have been 800 million less spent on government that would have remained in our pockets. Mr. Johanns promises to reduce spending, lower taxes and grow the economy. In his plan for Nebraska, called "Real Solutions," Mr. Johanns states that it is his goal to "attain the best ranking among neighboring states for state and local government spending per resident, as a percent of personal income." He also says that he wants to "make our personal tax burden the lowest in our region and among the five lowest nationwide and make Nebraska number one in our region for the earliest tax freedom day for our citizens." Mr. Johanns promised that the general election will be a clear distinction between a conservative Republican and a liberal Democrat with his being the conservative. By passing a lid on state spending, we can go a long way toward insuring that Mr. Johanns can turn his campaign rhetoric into reality. We have seen over and over again that the Unicameral doesn't have the will to control spending or lower taxes. Keep your word, Mr. Johanns, and "I like Mike" will become the anthem of not just Republicans, but also the whole state. |
