Deb Fischer win in Nebraska primary unsettles both parties

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A woman stands in a voting booth during the Republican primary election. State senator Deb Fischer won the Nebraska Republican Senate primary in an upset against her more established opponents on May 15, 2012. (Jessica Kourkounis/AFP/Getty Images)

Nebraska state senator Deb Fischer thwarted expectations and won the state's Republican Senate primary on Tuesday night, according to ABC News.

Fischer defeated state attorney general Jon Bruning, winning 41 percent of the vote to Bruning's 36 percent. The tea party-backed candidate, Don Stenberg, trailed in third place with 19 percent, according to ABC News.

Widely viewed by both Republicans and Democrats as the underdog in the race, Fischer earned Sarah Palin's endorsement, though tea party kingmaker Senator Jim DeMint backed her opponent Stenberg, according to The New York Times.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee had prepared to campaign against Bruning with their candidate, former Senator Bob Kerrey.

"I’m the underdog, but that is striking a chord with people in this state," Fischer told The Times. She added, "They are tired of sending the same type of guys back to Washington."

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The Washington Post noted that only one-tenth of the money spent in the Republican primary was spent on Fischer's behalf. She ran $100,000 worth of ads and received an infusion of $200,000 from a super PAC late in the game. This also leaves the Republicans with a largely undefined candidate for the general election, as both Stenberg and Bruning were statewide elected officials.

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Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said, "Deb is a small business rancher, mother and conservative leader who believes we need to spend less, balance our budget and repeal ObamaCare, while her opponent supports bigger government and higher taxes," according to The Post.

Republicans are counting on winning the Nebraska senate seat which Sen. Ben Nelson, a Democrat, will be vacating. According to Reuters, 48 percent of registered voters in Nebraska are Republicans while 38 percent are Democrats.

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http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120516/deb-fischer-win-nebraska-primary-unsettles-parties