Dem. Ben Nelson Announces Retirement From Senate
- Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:03pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Sen. Ben Nelson (Nebraska), who is reportedly set to retire. (Photo: AP)
Democratic Senator Ben Nelson (Nebraska) will reportedly announce that he is retiring from the Senate after two terms.* It’s a move Politico calls, “a serious blow to Democratic efforts to hold onto their majority in the chamber next November.”
According to Politico, the announcement could come as early as today during a press conference in Nelson’s home state. The outlet notes the decision may stem from the likelihood of a difficult upcoming election:
The 70-year-old Nelson was considered one of the most endangered Democratic incumbents this cycle. GOP-affiliated outside groups have already dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into TV ads bashing Nelson, while the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spent over $1 million on their own ad blitz to bolster his image.
The White House and top Senate Democrats, including Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), had quietly mounted a pressure campaign to keep Nelson from retiring. Nelson has more than $3 million in his campaign war chest, and his approval rating solidified after falling over the last several years.
The decision by the conservative Democrat is a blow to his party’s chances for holding the Senate. Nebraska is a solidly Republican state in the presidential contest, and Nelson would have faced a tough race if he had been the Democratic nominee.
Nelson had previously not said whether he would run for reelection and recently said a decision would come as soon as “the end of” the holidays or even before then.
*UPDATE:
National Journal reports it’s official:
“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,” Nelson said in a videotaped statement. “Therefore, I am announcing today that I will not seek reelection. Simply put: It is time to move on.”
Despite Democratic hopes that former Democratic Sen. Bob Kerrey will run again for the seat, Democrats have described Nelson running again as the only way to hold the seat.
“There is no Plan B in Nebraska,” a Democratic leadership aide said this month.
Here’s the video of him announcing his plans:
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Comments (108)
deerjerkydave
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 3:46pmEverybody is focused on the presidential election but I think winning the senate might be more important.
Report Post »Libertarian B 4 Libertarians Were Cool
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 4:12pmI agree….
And F-off Nelson…
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 4:15pmABSOLUTELY! The VanJones group has a SIX STATE focus! We better pay attention to that! PLUS who is PAYING for ATTACK WATCH?? https://my.barackobama.com/page/s/join-attack-wire-today OBAMA FOR AMERICA..”stop the attacks BEfore they begin?” They will ARM you with what??? haha
Report Post »1776freedomofspeech
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 4:32pmGlad he is leaving.
Report Post »Clive
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 4:56pmi don’t think you guys know what you are talking about… Nelson was basically a republican, he was rated more conservative than 10 other REPUBLICAN senators. he blocked jobless aide, he cut out a ton of stimulus money from being spent, he blocked the foreclosure bill, killed the public option, he’s blocking FMAP right now…
Check out liberal websites right now, they are ones saying good riddance.
Report Post »RabidPatriot
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 5:13pm@clive
The problem is that the 10 republicans that he is like are equally useless. The nation needs someone that is committed to the values that made this country great. Nelson is a flip flopper that holds his own party hostage for earmark goodies. He only sides with Republicans for short periods of time to extort pork.
Report Post »wesinLR
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 5:51pmif he voted for obama care he is not a conservative… sorry try again next time your propaganda isnt working here.
Report Post »dnewton
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 6:00pmEspecially if Ron Paul is President. Now I would like to see Senator Corker and our other squishy Republican Senator, Alexander replaced by a Tea Party Conservative.
Report Post »georgiavietvet
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 6:10pmDEERJERKYDAVE……………….you are absolutely right. win the senate and then impeach obama. if obama wins and we dont have the senate, we are lost. there will be no way to stop obama because he is going around congress with executive orders. the only alternative will be for us to take to the streets and possible civil war.
Report Post »ErinLindsey
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:58pmAs a Nebraskan, I’m tickled pink (well, maybe more of a Husker red) that Ben is going bye-bye.
Bye Bye Ben! Go away now….
Report Post »GERONIMA
Posted on December 30, 2011 at 1:39pmGood Riddance you trader.
Report Post »roper2
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 3:40pmGood ridance to this crook. The Nebraska kick back king. He is sorry than owl crap.
Report Post »unsafe
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 4:30pmJust another trader down, good by moron and no great loss.
Report Post »cntrlfrk
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 3:18pmThis Nebraskan will raise a drink in celebration tonight! I will still fight for Jon Bruning to replace him so the democrats can’t sneak in another snake!!!
.
Report Post »ascoolone
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 4:20pmAmen Brother I am with you on getting rid of him. Not sure of Jon Bruning yet though.
Report Post »handykeith29
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 5:49pmfellow nebraskan here too who is glad he is leaving..
Report Post »CitizenUS
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 6:12pmToast to that! As a Nebraskan, glad to see him go!
Report Post »Todd P
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 3:14pmSo when can we get rid of Reid, Pelosi, and Dodd?
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 4:17pmTodd – we are stuck with Reid until 2016 or he drops dead on the senate floor. He is already showing signs of dementia, just watch his childish rants and actions on the senate floor.
The only way you can get rid of Fancy Nancy (The Queen of Botox) is for the San Andreas fault to open and derop San Francisco into the ocean or for her to drop dead of old age. The liberals in San Fran will keep ere electing her because she actually represents them (they come right after her in importance.
Forget Dodd,, maube he wil fall down the steps of the capitol building and break his neck, or he will end up like Helms and will sit there dead from a week before anyone notices.
OMG
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 11:52pmI’m waiting for their departure myself. I’m pretty sure they are looking to hold on as long as possible, ie; Ted Kennedy….
Report Post »ascoolone
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 3:02pmAs a Nebraskan I am proud to hear this news. We have been putting lots of pressure on him. There have been protests outside of his office in Omaha to the point that he moved it to an off street and to a “security office.” Then there is the monthly call in radio show he does where he gets blasted every time about his decisions. The last show he seemed to be constantly out of breath.
Report Post »Now the challenge for us here is to find a truly conservative replacement.
chips1
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:51pmI’m putting all of the stories together and I get the feeling that the Dems, RHINOS, and corrupt politicians are scared to death of the TEA PARTY. They never miss a chance to condemn Americans and that indicates their days are numbered.
Report Post »TEA 2012
Ruler4You
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:53pmTEA Party and the Insider Trading scandal that is going to reveal the names of those who have been scamming Americans for decades.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:42pmIf i ever get the chance to meet you, i would shake your hand, while simaltaneously kneeing you squarely in your pea size nuts, and follow with an uppercut to chops, so hard that you would need to go into the next room to find your wig, you POS !!!
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:40pmDarn! I thought the story said “Bill NEslon is retiring”!! Oh well, at least now when I hear “Seantor Neslon is a huge idiot” there will be the Sheoples here in Florida to blame!! No Obama in 2012 and add that to NO MORE Neslons too!!!
Report Post »KeystoneState
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:52pmGood bye, Ben. Next.
Report Post »db321
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 5:41pmI guess it is getting a little hot in the Kitchen – you haven’t seen anything yet – The heat is going to get turned up in 2012 and the Tea Party will take the Senate.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:31pmThe Dems feel a huge , deep and widespread loss coming, and they are correct, from president to dog catcher…
Report Post »TheePolitinator
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:37pmYep the flea spray has been launched, now watch the criminals bail. Thats what Libiots do best.
Report Post »AhLeahIris
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:38pmGreat, we’ll get rid of one Dem, and replace him with a RINO if the GOP has its way. That’s what they have in mind for the presidency: http://wp.me/p1HGwx-1NX
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:40pmYou all have killed this milk cow deader than a door-nail. I just can’t wait until I get a little free time when I lose my job as most of you will, and can collect 99 weeks of unemployment. Even now I am participating in a dead system, why not participate a little more?
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:42pmOh yeah the “smart ones” are jumping ship because they have cut the lines to the rudder of America!! 2012 is going to be VERY bumpy and since the Republicans will have been handed the deed to this disaster the Democrat propagandists of the MSM will paint it ALL as their fault!!!! God, I truly hate politics!!!
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:43pmAnd just think of the multiple ways you all have killed this milk-cow? The most resolute way you have killed it is by thinking that you were worthy of buckling your children’s shoes.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:47pmI mean over and over and over again you were told if you build the Lord an alter of stone to not lift your tools to it or you have polluted it. Nope, you didn’t listen. Over and over again you were told by the Lord to give up your first-born to the Lord. Nope, you didn’t listen.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:51pmAnd in all that listening you didn’t do, you destroyed the word of the Lord, and created a multitude of ungrateful children over several hundred years, and now they despise the Lord, and Atheists are trying to takeover.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 3:10pmHere I‘ll help you to come back to the Lord even though I know you won’t do it. Pull the rug of security out from underneath people; get rid of welfare, and put your money into the storehouse in storage. Otherwise, the United States will cease to exist.
Report Post »comsense08
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:02pmCan’t be dog catcher, he would have prove he was a citizen (by law) before he could be hired. He obviously can’t prove that, now can he!
Report Post »inexiletill2012
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:29pmGOOD….and bad……Had myself set to cash in on BENedict Nelson
Anyone want to purchase NoBen2012.com ?
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:33pmMaybe Obama will give you a bailout
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:28pmThe communist heathen Frank now Nelson retiring? Guess they thought they did enough damage so the rats are jumping ship,they don’t want to be around when it gets real ugly,coming real soon.
Report Post »Of course the dems will run two more communist tools to replace these thieves,lucky for us they won’t stand a chance at winning.
BluetoothDave
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:28pmFirgures, he knew he was going to loose and so he resigned. After the Health Care Debate he got yelled at by all the patrons of Pizza Hut in Lincoln with his family. It was hilarious. I figured he wouldn’t run again. Ben Nelson is a coward.
Report Post »MCDAVE
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 7:18pmwelcome to the blaze bluetooth from North Carolina
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:27pmHe figures he stole enough, he wants to bail before the collapse…..Id give anything for five minutes alone with this POS , he’d need to have wig surgically removed from his ass when i was done…
Report Post »papagreggin
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:27pmIsn’t it Interesting how all these democrat politicans are jumping ship now that they have the ship sinking. It’s time for them to go and live the good life with the money them milked from the tax payers. Hope the boot lickers that kept returning these dirt bags to office, election after election, enjoy there new lot in life as (surfs). Remember thier names…Ben Nelson (D), Barney Frank (D), etc… And never forget thier leaders…Nancy Pelosi (D), Harry Reid (D). Maybe, just maybe, they will share some table scaps with you once they do away with the welfare system they got you all hooked on. “1984” or “Brave New World”, you choose!
Report Post »00gabooga
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:22pmHe’s moving to hollywood to be a stand-in for Jerry Van ****.
Report Post »bringiton
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 3:26pmSeriously, Blaze! His name is Van D-y-k-e. Gettin’ a little p.c. there, ain‘tcha’?
Report Post »Polwatcher
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:22pmGood riddance to that SOB.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:15pmBILL Nelson (D-FL) should retire also … or we will do it for him!
TEA!
Report Post »Mess23
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:32pmYup, he has to go too. We call him Space Boy…
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 6:22pmBILL NELSON needs to retire ASAP
He is worthless!!!!!!!!
Good Bye to Bennie Nelson—–NOW GO enjoy your HEALTHCARE you LOSER
Report Post »mrsalvage2
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:14pmHe is leaving the Country.
He will be moving to the Caymans, Turks and Cacois, Beleize, or Haiti.
He will ahve a compound with 7 years of supplies.
Report Post »Todd P
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:42pmME TOO!
(Except I don’t have 7 years worth of supplies yet…..)
Report Post »Depressed_American
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:13pmGreat!! Now if a few more radical, left-wing, Demo’s (Harry Ried) would retire….Maybe we could get this country back on a fiscally sound budget, and get back into the Black instead of the Red…… I know some radical right-wing Repub’s need to retire too, to restore some sanity back into our government….
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:16pmHe’s a criminal, but we need the neocon criminals to quit too.
They know they can’t be reelected.
Report Post »M13
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:31pmKind of like Ron Paul right V-Man?
Report Post »chips1
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 3:02pmZING goes the strings of my heart. HEE HEE HEE!!!!!
Report Post »Love_John_Galt
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 3:36pmFox news just reported that Ron Paul can’t win because:
1. He is anti-Washington,
2. He is a loaner that doesn’t take sides with the other politicians
3. Only four of his bills have passed during his time in office
Thanks Fox…you’ve helped confirm (again) that I’m voting for the right man!!
Way to go Ron!!
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 6:28pmThat doesn’t faze me at all, M13.
I’m voting my conscience. You vote yours. We’ll see how it turns out.
Report Post »flfshrmn
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:12pmThere are going to be many Dems retirig from service to “spend time with their families” or “health reasons” or any other excuse other that getting their a$$es handed to them in the coming election………..Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
Report Post »Bum thrower
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:21pmAMEN!!!!! Support candidates going after RINO’s in the primaries………Main; Lugar’s got a tea partyer after his ass; same in florida; In Texas. LT Gov Dewhurst is a RINO; has Ted Cruz as opponent (Texas version of Marco Rubio)
Report Post »bringiton
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 3:30pmYeah, BUM. Got me a Mourdock bumpersticker on my van right now!
Report Post »texasfireguy
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:11pmI would be happy with term limits for congress. Two terms than thanks for playing. Of course, they would have to pass the law themselves,, and we know how that will go.
Report Post »AndMercy4All
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:10pmMay the 2012 purging continue to gain momentum. The GOP needs to become the vessel for conservatives and the Democratic Party a socialist titanic …
Report Post »IMPEACHBHO
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:21pmAgreed! No Democrats, No RINOS. Vote in the primaries for conservative republicans for a perfect sweep – America needs it.
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:09pmHmm- 70 years old – voted for obamacare – Retiring? How ’bout “kicked out”? We need to cut “retirement” benefits for all Congresspeople. The longer they serve after 2 terms – The less they get!
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:08pmOne more spot opens up, and yet I have to wonder still with all these spaces opening for new blood to arise if Van Jones will make good on his promise to establish and run candidates on a socialist-communist platform of “social reform, social justice”
Report Post »scheduler
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:13pmGlad to see him gone.
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos
Report Post »IMPEACHBHO
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:07pmExcellent Smithers. And next up a forced retirement for Reid and his gang, and of course the dictator-in-chief.
Report Post »DrFrost
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:11pmWith Gary Johnson running as a third party candidate, splitting the conservative vote, are you sure Obama won’t be reelected?
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:11pmNelson‘s full retirement package should come directly out of Reid’s. True leaders lead by example.. Redistribution Harry!
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:22pmI am a Nebraskan. Nelson lost his crediblity when he failed to represent the majority of Nebraskans regarding Obama Care. Nelson knew it was an unconstitutional law. So he cut a deal to soften the impact of Obama Care on Nebraska. His deal making was considered an embarrassment to most Nebraskans. Then he voted for it. This party line hypocracy effectively ended his career.
Report Post »IMPEACHBHO
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:37pm@ DISMAYED VETERAN
Report Post »Yep. Deals with a dictator never work out well.
cemerius
Posted on December 27, 2011 at 2:45pm@Dr Frost? Gary Johnson? Has as much of a chance as Huntsman does zero to none!! Rick Santorum will soon be the GOP nomination if the people want Conservatism…..:)
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