Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman has won his bid for the GOP gubernatorial nomination after a neck-and-neck battle with Congressman Tom Osborne.

A beaming Heineman thanked his supporters Tuesday night and he praised opponents Osborne and Dave Nabity.

"I had two outstanding people running in this race -- and it made us better because of this competition," he said.

"What can you say about Congressman Tom Osborne? He is an extraordinary human being," Heineman said. "Everyone in this state has enormous respect for what he's done for our state. Being involved in a race with him is very, very difficult because I have so much respect for him," he said.

Osborne tried to keep upbeat when addressing supporters.

"I can remember a few bowl games where nobody clapped that loud," he said. "I'm sorry we didn't get it done. I really feel bad."

Adding drama to the race was the fact that thousands of Democrats changed their voter registration to Republican, most purportedly to vote for Osborne in the primary.

Heineman was serving as lieutenant governor when the announcement came in January 2005 that Governor Mike Johanns had been picked as U.S. agriculture secretary by President Bush.

Four months after taking over for Johanns, Heineman announced he would seek election to the job and was quickly endorsed by Republican Senator Chuck Hagel.

Osborne jumped into the fray about a month later, and the race was on.

Heineman is a self-described fiscal conservative who had worked as executive director of the Nebraska Republican Party and for former U.S. Reps. Hal Daub and Doug Bereuter before being elected state treasurer in 1994.

He was appointed lieutenant governor by Johanns in 2001 and became governor when Johanns left in January 2005 to become U.S. Agriculture Secretary.

Heineman had said before Johanns' resignation that he was interested in running for governor.

Heineman has preached tax cuts, economic development and education.

Osborne has called for controlling state spending, reducing taxes and spending more money to combat meth and underage alcohol abuse.

Nabity has delivered a message of smaller government, lower taxes and a creative plan for economic development.

There are two Democratic candidates.

David Hahn, a Lincoln lawyer and Internet entrepreneur, has called for an examination of Nebraska's property tax system, a review of tax incentives the state grants to businesses, battling rising health care costs and creating "broad-based economic growth."

The other Democrat in the race, Glenn Boot Jr. of Ashland, could not take office if he won. It was recently revealed that he was convicted of a felony in 1980 for distributing Quaaludes, which are prescription sedatives.