Nebraska state senator to run for treasurer

Lincoln Journal Star | By Don Walton on October 8th, 2009

State Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln Thursday launched his bid to succeed Shane Osborn as state treasurer.

Osborn previously announced he will not seek re-election in 2010, opening the door to what could become a Republican primary scramble next May.

Fulton is the first to jump into the pool.

Among other potential candidates is former Nebraska Attorney General Don Stenberg, who has signaled his interest in the open post.

No Democratic candidates have emerged.

Fulton told a Capitol Rotunda news conference he is committed to transparency, accountability and responsible management.

“Nebraskans expect and deserve a government that is accountable to them,” he said.

Fulton, 37, was appointed to the Legislature in 2007 and elected to a four-year term in 2008.

In an earlier e-mail message to supporters, he outlined his reasoning for seeking the treasurer’s post.

Term limits for state senators and comparative salary considerations were among the factors he weighed, Fulton said.

“My background with numbers, budgets and business makes me uniquely qualified for the job of treasurer,” he wrote.

“I understand the office, and I know the office’s budget intimately through my service on the Appropriations Committee.”

In his e-mail, Fulton told supporters he’s “convinced that I represent the next generation of leadership in Nebraska.”

As a member of the Legislature, he said, he came to realize he possesses “a drive, demeanor and intellect that are not persuaded by pressure or sentiment.”

“I’ve articulated and stood up for our values,” Fulton wrote.

Educated as a mechanical engineer, Fulton founded and operates Guardian Angels Homecare, a business that cares for elderly Nebraskans.

If he’s not elected state treasurer, he said, he would continue to serve in the Legislature through 2012.