Meet the Candidates: The Victors of the Nebraska and West Virginia Congressional Primaries

by Conor Kenny — May 15, 2008 - 7:02am
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Coverage of the presidential campaigns stole the spotlight in West Virginia last week, but voters there also selected their parties' nominees for three House of Representatives seats and one Senate slot on Tuesday. Across the country, Nebraskans headed to the polls in their own congressional primary election. There's an open Senate seat in Nebraska, and strong competition in its three congressional districts as well.

Each candidate and incumbent has a profile within Congresspedia's Wiki the Vote project, which you can find at the Nebraska and West Virginia portals, or through the full listing of the primary victors below. We need your help to find out more about these candidates, so remember that these profiles are editable by anyone and jump right in. You can always contact one of the staff editors for help.

Nebraska

  • Four candidates are running for retiring Sen. Chuck Hagel's seat. They include former Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns (R), who most recently served as Agriculture secretary in the Bush Administration, and Democrat Scott Kleeb, a history professor and nominee for the 3rd CD in 2006.
  • In the 1st district, incumbent Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R) will face Democratic challenger Max Yashirin, a Marine Iraq War veteran who now manages an auditorium in Lincoln.
  • In the 2nd district, setting off a repeat of 2006, incumbent Rep. Lee Terry (R) will square off against Jim Esch, a former attorney who is the managing partner of a farming and ranching investment partnership.
  • In the 3rd district, incumbent Rep. Adrian Smith (R) will face Democratic candidate Jay Stoddard, a former schoolmaster who now owns his own company, Jay C. Stoddard Enterprises.

West Virginia