Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE)Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) the embattled two term Senator, has decided not to seek re-election in 2012. Nelson's refusal to seek a third term in the U.S. gives Republicans a chance to capture his seat in 2012 and it could help the GOP regain control of the Senate next year. "Simply put," said Mr. Nelson, "It's time to move on." Senator Nelson was considered a Midwestern political moderate. The 70 year old former insurance executive also spent two terms as Nebraska governor. He spent the better part of the fall pondering the decision whether or not to run for re-election or simply retire. Democrats had already spent considerable money in his defense and to encourage him to run for Senator again. Senator Ben Nelson won his first Senate seat in 2000, replacing retiring Senator Bob Kerrey, a former Vietnam veteran.
Senator Nelson is the seventh member of the Democratic caucus to announce his decision to retire next year. Other Senators tht have announced they were stepping down next year are Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, and Jim Webb of Virginia, to name a few. Senator Nelson, the only Democrat to hold a statewide office in Nebraska, enjoyed immense popularity there until he was one of the last Democratic senators to cast his vote for President Obama's health care overhaul. Since then, he's endured intense criticism for backing Obamacare.
Click on the above link from the New York Times to read the full story of Senator Ben Nelson's decision to not run for re-election in 2012.
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