Deb Fischer has ‘Mama Grizzly’ momentum in Nebraska contest

The battle to claim the seat of retiring U.S. Senator Ben Nelson in Nebraska has become a three-candidate race on the Republican side. Although State Attorney General Jon Bruning was the early favorite, State Treasurer Don Stenberg and State Senator Deb Fischer have made a real horse race of the contest. But just three days of campaigning remains before the May 15 primary, and the candidate with the late momentum could emerge as the winner.

Stenberg doesn't appear to be generating much excitement, according to National Journal's Hotline On Call blog:

Stenberg has a core group of loyalists in Nebraska, but widespread excitement is hard to find. Consider that no one attended a town hall meeting hosted by the Gun Owners of America featuring Stenberg last Friday.

Stenberg's allies say they believe that up to a third of the electorate could still be undecided and up for grabs heading into the final weekend.

Even Stenberg’s supporters are admitting that Fischer appears to have all the momentum at this critical stage of the race, reports Aaron Blake at The Washington Post's The Fix:

One Republican consultant who supports Stenberg says the efforts to boost him have largely failed, and he has slipped into third place, but that the anti-Bruning campaign spearheaded by the Club for Growth has successfully brought down Bruning’s numbers, forced Bruning and Stenberg to battle, and Fischer has shot the gap.

The Club and the Senate Conservatives Fund have combined to spend more than $2 million on the race, with the Club opposing Bruning and the SCF propping up Stenberg.

After previously running ads against Stenberg, Bruning’s campaign is now up with an ad targeting both of his top opponents — a sign of Fischer’s momentum.

“...Deb Fischer is picking up the pieces that are falling from Bruning’s campaign,” said the Stenberg supporter.

Enter the masters of momentum, Sarah and Todd Palin:

Fischer made perhaps her biggest splash of the campaign Wednesday, announcing the backing of Sarah and Todd Palin. A few days prior, her campaign released a poll showing her within a few points of Bruning, trailing 30 percent to 26 percent, with Stenberg at 18 percent.

Now Fischer, once a dark horse candidate in the race, is being acknowledged by Nebraska political insiders as having a fighting chance to pull off the upset that could ruin Bruning's day Tuesday.

Cross-posted at US for Palin

- JP