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Chuck Hassebrook drops out of U.S. Senate race, endorses Bob Kerrey

Nebraska Regent Chuck Hassebrook and Senate candidate Bob Kerrey speak at a news conference Thursday in Omaha.
Photo by Katie Schubert, KIOS-FM
Nebraska Regent Chuck Hassebrook and Senate candidate Bob Kerrey speak at a news conference Thursday in Omaha.

 

Nebraska Regent Chuck Hassebrook is no longer a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

Hassebrook announced Thursday morning he’s dropping out of the Senate race and endorsing fellow Democratic candidate Bob Kerrey. Last week, Hassebrook said Kerrey’s candidacy wouldn’t affect his own. But Hassebrook says it’s been difficult to organize a campaign. "I’ve spent a lot of hours since then working to do just that. But in recent days, I’ve come to the realization that I would not succeed."

Hassebrook took a leave of absence from his job as executive director of the Center for Rural Affairs to run for Senate. He says he’ll be returning to that job, but doesn’t know when. Hassebrook says he’ll focus on helping Kerrey get elected to the Senate. 

Nebraska Republican Party officials question whether Kerrey can run for Senate, as he’s lived in New York for the past decade. But Kerrey says he followed election laws allowing candidates to take a temporary residence while they look for a permanent place to live.

Nebraska’s primary election is May 15th. The GOP race for Ben Nelson's U.S. Sente seat has five candidates.