Nebraska's next U.S. senator will face a growing federal budget deficit.

To prepare for the primary election, 10/11 brings you a week-long look at where the candidates stand on a number of issues. Today's issue is tax policies and government spending.

Republican Pat Flynn wants to cut the corporate tax rate. He also supports a flat tax, where everyone is taxed at the same rate.

On the spending side, Flynn opposes special project spending, known as earmarks.

"I'm the only candidate in this race who has signed an earmark pledge not to do earmarks. That's a huge spending reduction right there. Really, I think it's an underhanded way to get special projects through, you know, which is, that's why the American people are so upset. It's like everybody's trying to get a piece of the pie, you know," Flynn said.

Mike Johanns wants to continue tax cuts approved during the Bush administration. He said they've benefited thousands of Nebraskans.

He also sees places to cut wasteful spending, citing farm payments going to wealthy New Yorkers as an example. He also said he believes earmark reform is necessary to justify spending on special projects.

"You know, I've said you can do earmarks appropriately, but let's do it in the light of day. If I can't justify funding a research project at the university of Nebraska, as a united states senator, then obviously somethings wrong. That's what i believe you should do with earmarks is force all the united states senators and house members to put this out in the light of day, be absolutely transparent about it, make the case as to why this is an important project, and then vote it," Johanns said.

Tony Raimondo touts his business experience as he pursues a seat in the Senate. Raimondo favors a pay as you go approach where spending increases are offset by tax increases or spending cuts in other programs. He generally supports the bush tax cuts, but would consider removing them for the top 2 percent of earners and he supports earmarks, as long as they're transparent.

"I think that earmarks can be very very good for Nebraskans. I think they need to be transparent, and I think if I were senator I'd be working very very closely with local officials in looking at opportunities to make Nebraskans better off in issues like medical research, possibly issues like infrastructure. But I would be in favor of earmarks as long as they would be transparent and they were developed with local officials," Raimondo said.

Scott Kleeb also favors pay as you go budgeting to get control over federal spending. He wants disclosure of earmark spending for special projects, and he said tax relief targeted to the middle class provides the biggest boost to the economy.

"The average for a family of four, $150,000 that those people are where tax cuts actually are most effective. Because they, you know, they're living. The cost of insurance affects them dramatically, the cost of energy affects them dramatically, the cost of just basic goods, food, that continues to go up, inflation continues to go up," Kleeb said.

"We've gotta tighten our belts. We've gotta make sure that the tax cuts we do support, support the greatest economic engine our country has ever known, the middle class. We need to have major earmark reforms to make sure the money we do spend is being spent wisely, safely and effectively."