NEBRASKA SENATOR RUNS FOR GOP LEADERSHIP POST.(MAIN)

Byline: JIM ABRAMS Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- First-term Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska announced Tuesday he is running for a Republican leadership post that oversees campaign fund-raising, saying the party should stop relying on ``issueless campaigns'' based on negative ads.

Hagel is running for chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, an office responsible for helping elect Republicans to the Senate.

The current chairman, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, led fund-raising efforts during the last election, when Republicans managed only to maintain their 55 seats, falling well short of their goal of attaining a filibuster-proof 60 …