They say money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy you a seat in Congress, and that makes me sad.

If you just follow the money, the odds are that either John Cavanaugh or Denise Powell will be the Democratic Party’s nominee to take Don Bacon’s seat in Congress.

It would be shocking if either Kishla Askins or Crystal Rhoades got the nod. It would be a downright miracle if Melanie Williams were to win.

Both Kishla and Crystal deserve a fair chance at the ballot box. If they only had the money, so they could break through the noise. Their resumes may be different, but both have a long history of public service.

I know Brinker Harding has got to be loving the way the PAC money is being used to beat up Cavanaugh and Powell. If either of them wins the nomination, they’ll be damaged goods come November. Brinker is facing strong headwinds trying to defend the actions of the Trump administration. It will still be tough for him in November, but the self-inflicted wounds Cavanaugh or Powell will have will help him out.

If Powell wins the nomination, I think she’ll be the easiest candidate for Harding to beat. Brinker will keep calling her Dirty Money Denise. That nickname is going to stick. If Cavanaugh wins, I have no doubt the Republicans will go after the Powell supporters, urging them to stay home and not support Cavanaugh.

Which brings me to Kishla Askins and Crystal Rhoades. Either of these women would do a good job in Congress, working to be a counterbalance to the Trump administration. Both have worked hard to gain traction, but neither has been able to raise the millions of dollars the other two have raised. And while having the most money isn’t a guarantee you’ll win an election, you’ve got to have enough to be a strong competitor.

Crystal Rhoades has a long history of politics in Douglas County. That makes it a little easier for her to combat all the money Cavanaugh and Powell are spending. She has a network in place and name recognition.

Kishla Askins has a tougher road to the nomination. She is relatively new to the area, having moved here after her wife returned home to Omaha when she retired from the military. Askins has a strong military background, having served in the U.S. Navy and as a physician’s assistant in the Marines.

She finished her military career working in the Pentagon, which gives her experience in government.

Those experiences would serve our country well. It would also serve this district well by having someone with those connections and that experience on Capitol Hill.

I have spoken with Kishla, and she is hoping that she’ll be able to pull off what Deb Fischer did when she first ran for the Republican nomination for Senate. You’ll recall that Bruning and Stenberg beat each other up so much during the campaign that by the time the votes were counted, people didn’t like either of them, and she got the nomination.

I have no doubt that Crystal is thinking something similar.

When I was a child, I was told that in America, anyone could become president. They left out the part that you couldn’t do it without a boatload of cash.

Denise Powell says that she’s for getting rid of Citizens United while accepting money from PACs left and right. John Cavanaugh is getting a ton of cash from unions.

Both are spending that money attacking one another while Brinker Harding sits on the sidelines and smiles.

When the race first started, it was John Cavanaugh’s to lose. I don’t know if he’ll lose it or not, but I do know it will be a lot closer than what was predicted months ago.

Yes, they say that money can’t buy happiness, but the television and radio stations that are running all these campaign ads are whistling a happy tune all the way to the bank. And as a person who has spent most of his career in radio and TV, I have benefited from all the money candidates spend to get elected.

But all the money needed to run prevents some good people from even trying. And those who do run have a near-impossible time getting their message out if they can’t raise the dough.

And that makes me sad.

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.

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