Election Day ’98
Sandy Summers/DN
BILL HOPPNER HUGS his wife, Nancy, Tuesday night during his concession speech at Lincoln Station, Seventh and P streets. Hoppner said he and his wife will be taking a much-needed vacation
after his loss to Mike Johanns in the gubernatorial election.
Hoppner: Campaign
ka success despite loss
By Todd Anderson
Senior staff writer
After a crowd of supporters greeted
him with cheers. Democratic gubernato
rial candidate Bill Hoppner conceded the
race to his Republican opponent, Lincoln
Mayor Mike Johanns, in downtown
Lincoln on Tuesday night.
Shortly before arriving in Lincoln
from Omaha at 10 p.m., Hoppner said he
called and congratulated Johanns.
Hoppner and his running mate, Pam
Bataillon, entered the Lincoln Station
Grand Room in the Haymarket to a band
mSde up of student volunteers and a
crowd of more than 200 party members.
While Kissing and hugging mends
and family, Hoppner made his way to the
front of the large room.
“Eight years ago I came back from
Omaha and had to say these same
words,” Hoppner said.
In 1990 Hoppner lost to current Gov.
t Ben Nelson in the Democratic primary
by 41 votes.
Hoppner thanked supporters in
Lincoln and Lancaster County, where he
carried a majority of the vote against
Johanns.
“Where they know me the best, I did
the besl,” he said.
After recognizing his wife, Nancy,
and two daughters, Hoppner said
Democrats had won the election as indi
viduals, even though they had lost to their
Republican opponents.
He said his campaign was successful
because of its focus on farmers, teachers
and working people across Nebraska.
Hoppner said he had promised to
work for families from the beginning and
“let the chips fall where they may.”
“Even though those chips didn’t fall
quite right in the gubernatorial race ...
we stood for principle, we stood for a
right cause, and we won,” he said.
Hoppner said insufficient resources
prevented him from delivering his mes
sage to the state.
He said the 3-to-1 difference in
spending and Republican majority of
voters in the state had an impact on the
outcome of the race, though his message
was still heard by thousands of
Nebraskans, he said.
11 knew at the beginning of the cam
paign that we were going to be outspent,”
Hoppner said.
“But I knew we had a shot at this if we
were organized and mobilized the people
ofNebraska.”
Despite his loss, he said the Nebraska
Democratic Party will have something to
build on in future elections.
“We created an organization this year
that says you’re going to have to listen to
our voice because we’re not going away,”
he said.
After losing the election, Hoppner
said he and his wife would take a vaca
tion during the coming weeks.
He did not say whether he would run
again in four years as the Democratic
candidate for governor.
“Tonight isn't the right time to be
thinking about that"
Johanns takes
governor’s race
JOHANNS from page 1
In an interview, Hagel said Johanns had struck a
chord with Nebraskans. He said Johanns would take his
public service experience to the governor’s mansion and
be a governor who responds to the people and works well
with the Legislature.
“I’m very proud of Mike Johanns,” he said. “And I’m
also proud of Bill Hoppner. They did a great job of keep
ing this above board.”
Hagel said Johanns' victory added to a shift toward
Republican control of Nebraska political offices.
In 1996, Democrats controlled both Senate seats and
the governor’s office. Following Hagel’s election to the'
Senate in 1996 and Johanns’ victory Tuesday,
Republicans will control all three congressional seats and
every statewide office except that of Democratic U.S.
Sen. Bob Kerrey.
“I think we ve done a good job of developing an agen
da, focusing and energizing the party and harnessing that
energy to win elections,” he said. “That began with my
election in 1996 and continued tonight.”
Maurstad said he looked forward to working with
Johanns to pursue conservative reform of state govern
ment.
“It’s affirming to know the state believes in Johanns
and me,” he said.“It makes me feel good that people
believe we have the capacity to serve Nebraska citizens.”
Johanns’ supporters credited his victory to his three
years on the campaign trail, where he built a statewide
network of support for his message of fiscal conser
vatism.
“1 think he won because of clean campaigning, stick
ing to the issues and saying the things Nebraskans want
ed to hear,” said Chuck Sigerson, chairman of the
Nebraska Republican Party.
Beth Smith, executive director of the Nebraska
Republican Party, said Johanns’ candidacy had gamed
momentum from his victory in a bitterly contested three
Heather Glenboski/DN
FRIENDS CONGRATULATE Stephanie Johanns after her
husband’s victory over Democrat candidate Bill
Hoppner on Tuesday night at the Cornhusker Hotel.
Stephanie Johanns was an active supporter in her hus
band’s campaign.
way GOP primary election in May.
“I think he came out really strong from the primary”
she said. “It was a tough primary, but it made Mike a
stronger candidate.”
Johanns said he would take a short break to savor his
victory. When asked what he planned to do after that,
Johanns grinned.
“Go to work,” he said with a laugh.
Staff writer leva Augstums contributed to this
report.
