Spokane7
67°
December 27, 2011 in Nation/World
Senator’s retirement deals Democrats a setback
LINCOLN, Neb. — Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska told his supporters today he plans to retire rather than seek a third term, a significant setback for Democratic efforts to maintain control of the chamber next year.
The 70-year-old conservative Democrat said in a statement that “while I relish the opportunity to undertake the work that lies ahead, I also feel it’s time for me to step away from elective office, spend more time with my family, and look for new ways to serve our state and nation.
“Therefore, I am announcing today that I will not seek reelection. Simply put: It is time to move on,” he said.
Republicans, who need to net four seats to take back the Senate in 2012, have heavily targeted Nelson’s seat. They say Nebraska has tilted further to the right in recent years and think Nelson’s vote for President Barack Obama’s signature health care legislation would have weighed him down, noting he dipped in polls after the health care debate.
Nelson still would have given Democrats a fighting chance. A two-term governor before winning a Senate seat, he has shown an ability to rebound after being down in statewide races before.
But he recently has expressed frustration with the divided Congress’ inability to pass meaningful legislation and told the AP last month that he would make a decision over the holiday season. He meanwhile piled up campaign cash, hired a campaign manager and watched his party spend more than $1 million on ads supporting him.
The preparation had left him with a healthy cash advantage. He had more than $3 million cash on hand last month, about twice his nearest competitor, and had the luxury of stockpiling money while Republicans focused on a crowded primary that includes Don Stenberg, the state’s treasurer, Jon Bruning, the attorney general, Deb Fischer, a state senator, and Pat Flynn, an investment adviser.
Nelson was first elected to the Senate in 2000, defeating Republican contender Stenberg to replace the retired Bob Kerrey. He has considered himself a centrist since, often supporting what are usually considered Republican ideologies of less government, lower taxes and fiscal restraint.
He was one of only two Senate Democrats to side with Republicans earlier this year on a failed GOP bid to block new federal controls on power plant pollution that blows downwind into other states. He took great pride in his membership in the 2005 “Gang of 14,” made up of Republicans and Democrats who brokered a deal to avoid a filibuster showdown over President George W. Bush’s judicial nominees.
Nelson upset incumbent Nebraska Gov. Kay Orr in 1990 to earn his first statewide office and was re-elected in 1994 by a landslide. In 1996, he reneged on a campaign pledge that he would not seek higher office while governor and announced his candidacy for the Senate seat vacated by the retiring Gov. Jim Exon.
Omaha millionaire businessman Chuck Hagel soundly defeated Nelson in that Senate race. The two later served as colleagues when Nelson was elected in 2000.
© Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Stocks plummet as outlook in Europe dims 
32Ford on December 27 at 1:49 p.m.
Good riddance to the dirty b#s#a#d!!!!!!
liberal_in_right_wing_land on December 27 at 1:56 p.m.
How is this a loss to the democrats when he usually was usually a democrat that stood with the republicans on many issues that drove fellow democrats crazy?
This is just another lame blue dog democrat leaving and I, for one, am not that sad to see it happen, even if it means we lose his seat to the tea bagger republicans…..not like Nebraska is a liberal beacon of light anyways.
Shadedmuse on December 27 at 2:17 p.m.
This is a Setback for Republicans since he always votes with the Dirty Tea-bagger PArty.
Shadedmuse on December 27 at 2:20 p.m.
Obama DId win the Electorial vote what is Omaha
Verbal on December 27 at 3:16 p.m.
The only way this news could be better for Democrats is if Bob Kerry decides to run for the seat (as is the early, unfounded rumor)
TheRoo on December 27 at 4:56 p.m.
The architect of the “Cornhusker Kickback” and you call him a “conservative democrat”???
Whachu been smokin’???
Shadedmuse on December 27 at 5:03 p.m.
Ben Nelson was realy a republican posing as a Democrtatic senator to get the Kerry and gore voters votes in 2000..
misjustice on December 27 at 6:18 p.m.
Nelson was largely a DINO; however he did have a D after his name which helped when counting seats, to determine majority. But when it came to the votes on legislation, Nelson often times voted with the opposition not with his party.
My bet is he’ll take a spin through the “revolving door”; cycling out of Congress into a fat cat lobbyist position.
pjc on December 27 at 7:48 p.m.
Like a broken clock, misjustice is correct on this one. Nelson had a D next to his name and it counted when he voted for Harry Reid as the senate majority leader.
For all those thinking this is a good thing for the Ds, you people are high.
liberal_in_right_wing_land on December 27 at 8:22 p.m.
For all those thinking this is bad to the democrats, just read is Wikipedia page. Not usually a fan of using Wikipedia as a reference, but it does a good job listing is political positions and votes that have gone opposite of his party. He has gone against the democrats on abortion, the illegal wars, taxes on the rich, stem cell research, gay marriage, health care and even voted against Elena Kagan for the Supreme Court. He could be the poster boy for DINO’s all around the country.
If anyone, the republicans should be upset about him retiring and even more upset if Bob Kerrey runs for this seat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Nelson
johnclarke on December 27 at 8:42 p.m.
so called “Blue Dog” Democrats should be banished from the party. They suck.
Shadedmuse on December 27 at 9:53 p.m.
Blue Dog Democrats arent republicans because they dont want to join a party of insane idiots.
Dazzeetrader11 on December 27 at 9:59 p.m.
The wages of being bribed to vote for what Nebraska and the country doesn’t want: Obamacare.
He’s running away from a sure loss. The country is still very unhappy over Obamacare being shoved own it’s throat. You sin, you pay…remember in november.
nslopeofw on December 27 at 11:03 p.m.
Johnclarke is such a liberal groupie. Please explain why blue dogs suck. Is it because they believe in a woman’s right to chose? Or gay rights? Or maybe because they believe in being fiscally conservative? C’mon JC, why do you hate all things not hard core liberal? Why are you so intolerant? Are you not “progressive”? Dude, the hate you have in your heart is astounding.
Is it because you have never been successful, and hate all that are. Do you believe the world owes you something. You should hear yourself sometimes. You claim to have all these successful business friends, and i cant see how anyone would put up with the hate you display everyday for those who are not the same as you. Acquaintances perhaps, but friends? Unless you are considerably different from how you act on the SR opinions, it would be shocking that you have any friends at all.
You should grow up. Going through life without any tolerance must be incredibly stressful.
misjustice on December 28 at 8:39 a.m.
I found this article about Congresscritters interesting:
The Wealth Gap Between Congress and Voters Is Growing
“Both The New York Times and The Washington Post have separate reports today about the widening wealth gap between members of Congress and the people they represent. Almost half of all Congresspeople are millionaires and their median net worth has climbed to $913,000, compared to $100,000 for the rest of America households. According to the Post, that number drops to $725,000 when excluding home equity (and adjusting for inflation), but the same median figure for American families is just $20,500. And that gap has only grown wider in recent years.”
continues…
“Even putting aside the questions of influence and corruption, the biggest concern is that those who elected to Congress are more out of touch with the world of their constituents than ever before. How can they be expected to look out for the interest of citizens when the biggest issues facing them — unemployment, health care, wages — are unknown to most of those who are supposed to be looking out for them? Or worse when addressing those issues directly contradicts their own interest, as when millionaires are asked to vote on a “millionaire’s tax”?”…
http://news.yahoo.com/wealth-gap-between-congress-voters-growing-120257197.html
So, in other words, does it really matter which millionaire gets Nelson’s seat when he rotates out of office via the “revolving door” ?