Whether or not George W. Bush is re-elected this year, the race for the Republican nomination for president in '08 is almost certain to be crowded and likely to commence soon after this race is over. One contender likely to begin exploring an '08 bid is Nebraska's Sen. Chuck Hagel, whose support of campaign finance reform and John McCain for president in '00 disappoointed many conservatives. But in Nebraska, where Hagel is the most popular politician, supporters say he has almost decided for sure to explore the next presidential race. "He's going to do some exploring in Iowa and New Hampshire and see what happens," Nebraska's GOP National Committeeman Duane Acklie told us on the convention floor in New York last week.
