LINCOLN - A spokesman for former Nebraska Attorney General Don Stenberg is crying foul over an advertisement that he says makes it appear as if Gov. Dave Heineman is endorsing State Sen. Tony Fulton for state treasurer.
The two Republicans are both seeking the $85,000-a-year post being vacated by Shane Osborn, who opted not to run for re-election.
Heineman reiterated Monday that he is not taking sides in the May 11 GOP primary race, which features Stenberg, Fulton and former Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent Tom Nesbitt.
Dan Parsons, a spokesman for Stenberg’s campaign, said a new 30-second television ad being run by Fulton features the popular governor prominently and gives a “subtle” and “confusing” message that Heineman has endorsed the Lincoln state senator.
“We’re concerned because people are calling us and asking,” Parsons said. “Geez, a third of the commercial is the governor.”
Fulton, asked for response, said, “We’re not implying anything that’s untrue.”
The ad states that Heineman appointed Fulton to the Legislature in 2007 and features video and still photographs of the senator and governor in the State Capitol, as the audio touts Fulton’s record as a senator.
Fulton is a member of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, which drafts the state budget. That committee, he said, works closely with the governor in guiding state spending, and he noted that the state has avoided tax increases.
“That’s what I’ve done, and I’m proud to have worked with the governor to get that done,” he said.
Parsons said Stenberg has a long-standing good relationship with Heineman but said Stenberg did not seek an endorsement because Heineman made it clear he would not be doing that in the primary.
Fulton’s website lists several endorsements, but he does not list Heineman among them.
The tiff comes as Stenberg plans to debut his own advertising campaign Tuesday, at the start of a two-day, 16-city campaign “flyaround.”
Fulton said he has a multicity “drive-around” planned this week.
Nesbitt said Monday that he has already been driving around, putting 25,000 miles on vehicles since he announced his candidacy.
Nesbitt disputed a contention Fulton made in a recent e-mail that the primary campaign had become a two-man competition between Fulton and Stenberg.
“I don’t think that at all,” Nesbitt said.
Heineman said both Stenberg and Fulton are “good friends. I wish them both good luck.”
Parsons said he had been told that Fulton used two-year-old video of Heineman without the governor’s permission. When asked, Heineman said that was unimportant.
“I’m not sure you have to come and get permission when you’re a public figure like I am,” Heineman said, adding that both candidates have many photos of themselves with him.
Contact the writer:
402-473-9584, paul.hammel@owh.com
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