A Nebraska Senate candidate who has received support from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) refused to say whether he backs the top Senate Republican.
The candidate, state treasurer Shane Osborn (R), was asked multiple times in a radio interview for KLIN Osborn whether he supported McConnell as Senate Republican leader. Osborn did not directly answer the questions and instead said that the top Senate Republican has a “tough job” according to National Review.
“I think he has a tough choice. You know. When you’re in leadership you’re herding cats, so to speak. Right? You’re trying to make everybody happy, and I think so he’s got a tough job,” Osborn said, according to the conservative magazine.
When National Review followed up the Nebraska Senate candidate Osborn still wouldn’t say whether he backed McConnell.
“First off, I commend the Republican Senate Caucus, especially Senators Johanns and Fischer, for standing together against the Ryan-Murray budget proposal,” Osborn said according to National Review. “I think Senator McConnell and I are both more focused on winning our respective elections in 2014 than any future leadership races. My focus remains on Nebraska voters.”
Osborn’s comments are especially notable given that McConnell backers on K Street have donated money to the state treasurer’s Senate campaign. McConnell also had a tense sit-down with one of Osborn’s opponents in the Republican primary, Ben Sasse, for associating himself with the Senate Conservatives Fund.
