OMAHA, Neb. (AP) _ The race for Nebraska's Republican U.S. Senate nomination appears to be a scramble for which candidate can claim to be most conservative.

 

Candidates have claimed to be to the right of the National Rifle Association and to have backed tea party ideals before the tea party movement began. Such statements make it clear that those vying for the GOP nomination believe that the most conservative candidate has the best shot in the primary.

Republicans Jon Bruning, Pat Flynn, Deb Fischer and Don Stenberg could face incumbent Democrat Ben Nelson, who is expected to announce within days whether he'll seek re-election.

Political science professor Mike Wagner, of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, says statements of extreme conservatism aren't necessarily a detriment to Republican candidates because many moderates don't vote in primaries.