Brothers are from opposing political parties
BROOKINGS, Biereland -- The political drama in Biereland's Senate race is heating up, but it's not surrounding former senator Driscoll Sherber, who is running for the Senate again after he left in disgrace following an extramarital affair and electoral backlash in 2010.
The drama is actually centering around the other Conservative candidate in the race, businessman Pete Kolotano, older brother of another former Biereland senator, Steve Kolotano (N).
The younger Kolotano (Steve), was a Conservative until switching parties in 2008. He went on to rise in the leadership ranks of the Senate Nationalists, serving as chair of the National Senate Campaign Organization (NSCO) in 2010.
Mr. Kolotano left the Senate in 2011 after being chosen randomly for the Senate Reduction Lottery.
He ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor alongside Gov. San Bartholomew in 2014, and has worked at a Brookings law firm since leaving politics.
Fast forward to this year, 2016. There's a Kolotano on the ballot, but it's not Steve, the former senator. It's Pete Kolotano, the eldest Kolotano.
Unlike his kid brother, Pete Kolotano remains a Conservative. He recently opened up about his relationship with his brother in an interview with The Gavel, a Mavocke-based political blog.
"We don't talk much or see each other much," said Pete.
He blamed their strained relationship partly on politics.
"After switching parties, I felt like Steve lost his integrity. He lost his moorings. He traded his values, which we were raised with when we were growing up, and he became a completely different person. Not just liberal, but adamantly supporting Nationalist politicians who are exactly the type of people who work against small businesses, like our family business that my parents operated when we were kids."
"A lot of people in my family felt betrayed by Steve's actions. He became more obsessed with climbing the ranks of the Nationalist Party rather than being a voice for the people who elected him back here at home," said the elder Kolotano.
For his part, Steve Kolotano says there is more to the story.
"There's a lot of family dynamics going on behind the scenes that people don't know about," the former senator told a reporter last week, while walking in downtown Brookings.
The Conservative-turned-Nationalist says he didn't forsake his values. Just the opposite, he insists.
"My values stayed the same. My values of equality and freedom and the government staying out of people's personal lives. Those values never changed. Unfortunately, the Conservative Party changed, and went from being the party of freedom and libertarian views to the party of religious extremism and animosity toward the LGBTQ community. That was the turning point for me."
Mr. Kolotano maintains that he is a centrist. He still supports a strong military and pro-business policy.
But he will not be endorsing his older brother in the Biereland Conservative primary election.
"We have very different views. I believe in marriage equality, in fair treatment for our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, I believe in a compassionate approach to immigration, in opening our borders to those in need and fleeing persecution. Pete believes in traditional marriage. He supports Ben Jordan's policy on immigrants. And he supports the same old failed trickle-down Conservative economic policies. So I can't endorse someone that holds those views," said the senator.
Kolotano will instead be endorsing the NAT candidate, incumbent Sen. Julie Grendhau (pronounced "Gren-dow").
"Julie is a dear friend, she's an advocate for Biereland, an advocate for protecting minorities, vulnerable citizens, our environment, creating a more fair economy. She's done a lot of great things for Biereland and she deserves a second term," he said.
Before facing off with Grendhau, his brother Pete Kolotano must defeat former senator Driscoll Sherber, a once-prominent leader in the populist Freedom Warriors movement.
Sherber was defeated by Grendhau in 2010 after he admitted an extramarital affair with a Senate aide.
This is his first run for office since his defeat.
Over the past six years, Mr. Sherber has kept a low profile, working as a campaign advisor to many Biereland Conservatives. He also worked as a carpet salesman at a Brookings-area carpet and linoleum store.
Initially after his affair became public, Mr. Sherber and his wife Emily remained in the spotlight, appearing on TV talk shows, news programs, and granting interviews to magazines.
They then went into obscurity until last year, when Mr. Sherber quietly began making appearances on the STAR Network as a paid pundit.
He announced back in April he would challenge Grendhau, whom he views as vulnerable.
"She's embraced a liberal agenda since going to Mavocke. She's voted with the far left on virtually every issue, and Bierelanders are tired of east coast liberals trying to dictate to us how to do things out west. Julie Grendhau's voting record is more representative of the politics of Grassadellia City or Monvaille, not the value of Bierelanders," said Sherber.
His fellow Conservative, Pete Kolotano, agrees.
"Julie has failed Biereland. She has become beholden to John Morandi (Senate Majority Leader) and Brenton Menuhaeo than to Bierelanders," said Kolotano.
Mr. Kolotano, who entered the race after Sherber did, says he respects his CNS rival, but believes Sherber is too divisive to win a general election.
"Look, I like Driscoll. He's a bright guy, he's well-educated and he's right on a lot of the issues. But he is too divisive to beat Julie Grendhau this fall. His particular brand of politics is very partisan, and that may play well in deeply Conservative areas, but Biereland is a battleground state. If we're going to beat Julie Grendhau, it's going to be because we picked a solid conservative who can win over independents and disaffected Nationalists. Driscoll can't do that. The only group of voters he wins with is the conservative base," said Kolotano.
That's one thing the Kolotano brothers have in common. The both agree Driscoll Sherber is too extreme to win a general election.
"Driscoll Sherber appeals to the far right, but not the centrist middle. He is too extreme, too partisan. He's a very divisive person. His deficiencies as a candidate have nothing to do with his personal scandals but more to do with his combative demeanor and his refusal to compromise," Steve Kolotano told the Boomerang Politics website.
Both Kolotanos pointed out that Mr. Sherber angered his Senate colleagues when he was in office, because of his eagerness to buck party elders and his unwillingness to compromise.
"He's probably pissed off just as many Conservatives as Nationalists," said Steve. "He was not a popular guy in either party when he was in the Senate. A lot of people were happy to see him go."
Steve Kolotano said he is willing to meet with his brother for coffee sometime.
"I'd be open to that, yes," said the junior Kolotano.
But he will not donate money or campaign for his brother.
"I would like to see him beat Sherber," Steve said. "But I will be supporting Julie Grendhau in the fall."
"He's free to make up his own mind and support whichever candidate he so chooses," said Pete. "If he wants to support me, great. But if not, that's his choice and this is Grassadellia, it's our right to support any political party or candidate we want."
BROOKINGS, Biereland -- The political drama in Biereland's Senate race is heating up, but it's not surrounding former senator Driscoll Sherber, who is running for the Senate again after he left in disgrace following an extramarital affair and electoral backlash in 2010.
The drama is actually centering around the other Conservative candidate in the race, businessman Pete Kolotano, older brother of another former Biereland senator, Steve Kolotano (N).
The younger Kolotano (Steve), was a Conservative until switching parties in 2008. He went on to rise in the leadership ranks of the Senate Nationalists, serving as chair of the National Senate Campaign Organization (NSCO) in 2010.
Mr. Kolotano left the Senate in 2011 after being chosen randomly for the Senate Reduction Lottery.
He ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor alongside Gov. San Bartholomew in 2014, and has worked at a Brookings law firm since leaving politics.
Fast forward to this year, 2016. There's a Kolotano on the ballot, but it's not Steve, the former senator. It's Pete Kolotano, the eldest Kolotano.
Unlike his kid brother, Pete Kolotano remains a Conservative. He recently opened up about his relationship with his brother in an interview with The Gavel, a Mavocke-based political blog.
"We don't talk much or see each other much," said Pete.
He blamed their strained relationship partly on politics.
"After switching parties, I felt like Steve lost his integrity. He lost his moorings. He traded his values, which we were raised with when we were growing up, and he became a completely different person. Not just liberal, but adamantly supporting Nationalist politicians who are exactly the type of people who work against small businesses, like our family business that my parents operated when we were kids."
"A lot of people in my family felt betrayed by Steve's actions. He became more obsessed with climbing the ranks of the Nationalist Party rather than being a voice for the people who elected him back here at home," said the elder Kolotano.
For his part, Steve Kolotano says there is more to the story.
"There's a lot of family dynamics going on behind the scenes that people don't know about," the former senator told a reporter last week, while walking in downtown Brookings.
The Conservative-turned-Nationalist says he didn't forsake his values. Just the opposite, he insists.
"My values stayed the same. My values of equality and freedom and the government staying out of people's personal lives. Those values never changed. Unfortunately, the Conservative Party changed, and went from being the party of freedom and libertarian views to the party of religious extremism and animosity toward the LGBTQ community. That was the turning point for me."
Mr. Kolotano maintains that he is a centrist. He still supports a strong military and pro-business policy.
But he will not be endorsing his older brother in the Biereland Conservative primary election.
"We have very different views. I believe in marriage equality, in fair treatment for our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, I believe in a compassionate approach to immigration, in opening our borders to those in need and fleeing persecution. Pete believes in traditional marriage. He supports Ben Jordan's policy on immigrants. And he supports the same old failed trickle-down Conservative economic policies. So I can't endorse someone that holds those views," said the senator.
Kolotano will instead be endorsing the NAT candidate, incumbent Sen. Julie Grendhau (pronounced "Gren-dow").
"Julie is a dear friend, she's an advocate for Biereland, an advocate for protecting minorities, vulnerable citizens, our environment, creating a more fair economy. She's done a lot of great things for Biereland and she deserves a second term," he said.
Before facing off with Grendhau, his brother Pete Kolotano must defeat former senator Driscoll Sherber, a once-prominent leader in the populist Freedom Warriors movement.
Sherber was defeated by Grendhau in 2010 after he admitted an extramarital affair with a Senate aide.
This is his first run for office since his defeat.
Over the past six years, Mr. Sherber has kept a low profile, working as a campaign advisor to many Biereland Conservatives. He also worked as a carpet salesman at a Brookings-area carpet and linoleum store.
Initially after his affair became public, Mr. Sherber and his wife Emily remained in the spotlight, appearing on TV talk shows, news programs, and granting interviews to magazines.
They then went into obscurity until last year, when Mr. Sherber quietly began making appearances on the STAR Network as a paid pundit.
He announced back in April he would challenge Grendhau, whom he views as vulnerable.
"She's embraced a liberal agenda since going to Mavocke. She's voted with the far left on virtually every issue, and Bierelanders are tired of east coast liberals trying to dictate to us how to do things out west. Julie Grendhau's voting record is more representative of the politics of Grassadellia City or Monvaille, not the value of Bierelanders," said Sherber.
His fellow Conservative, Pete Kolotano, agrees.
"Julie has failed Biereland. She has become beholden to John Morandi (Senate Majority Leader) and Brenton Menuhaeo than to Bierelanders," said Kolotano.
Mr. Kolotano, who entered the race after Sherber did, says he respects his CNS rival, but believes Sherber is too divisive to win a general election.
"Look, I like Driscoll. He's a bright guy, he's well-educated and he's right on a lot of the issues. But he is too divisive to beat Julie Grendhau this fall. His particular brand of politics is very partisan, and that may play well in deeply Conservative areas, but Biereland is a battleground state. If we're going to beat Julie Grendhau, it's going to be because we picked a solid conservative who can win over independents and disaffected Nationalists. Driscoll can't do that. The only group of voters he wins with is the conservative base," said Kolotano.
That's one thing the Kolotano brothers have in common. The both agree Driscoll Sherber is too extreme to win a general election.
"Driscoll Sherber appeals to the far right, but not the centrist middle. He is too extreme, too partisan. He's a very divisive person. His deficiencies as a candidate have nothing to do with his personal scandals but more to do with his combative demeanor and his refusal to compromise," Steve Kolotano told the Boomerang Politics website.
Both Kolotanos pointed out that Mr. Sherber angered his Senate colleagues when he was in office, because of his eagerness to buck party elders and his unwillingness to compromise.
"He's probably pissed off just as many Conservatives as Nationalists," said Steve. "He was not a popular guy in either party when he was in the Senate. A lot of people were happy to see him go."
Steve Kolotano said he is willing to meet with his brother for coffee sometime.
"I'd be open to that, yes," said the junior Kolotano.
But he will not donate money or campaign for his brother.
"I would like to see him beat Sherber," Steve said. "But I will be supporting Julie Grendhau in the fall."
"He's free to make up his own mind and support whichever candidate he so chooses," said Pete. "If he wants to support me, great. But if not, that's his choice and this is Grassadellia, it's our right to support any political party or candidate we want."
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