Ben Nelson
See also: Nelson
Earl Benjamin Nelson (born in 1941) is an American politician member of the Democratic party, governor of the Nebraska of 1991 with 1999 and senator of this state to the Congrès of the United States since 2001.
He is the senator whose rate of approval among its voters is highest of the Senate in April 2006.
Biography
Ben Nelson was born the May 17th 1941 in McCook, Nebraska.Graduate of the University of Lincoln-Nebraska, he was an attorney before being elected in 1990 governor of Nebraska and re-elected in 1994.
In 1996, whereas it is in the middle of its mandate of governor, it tries to be made elect with the Sénat of the United States but it is beaten by the republican Chuck Hagel.
After its two mandates of governor, it is withdrawn in 1999, leaving the station to the new republican governor Mike Johanns.
In 2000, it is finally elected with the Senate of the United States to the vacant seat left by the outgoing democratic holder, Bob Kerrey.
In 2005, it is one of the candidates supposed at the post of secretary to agriculture in the government of George W. Bush.
In January 2006, he was the first democrat to give his support for Samuel Alito, candidate named by George W. Bush for the post of judge to the Supreme court of the United States.
In November 2006, it is re-elected at its post of senator with 64% of the voices compared with 36% with the republican Pete Ricketts. According to the estimates of vote, it accepted at the time of this election the support of 42% of the republican voters and 71% of the independent voters.
Political opinions
Hostile with the Abortion, he is member of association " Democrats for Life off America" , an organization anti Voluntary interruption of pregnancy (IVG) which fights for the reduction in the number of abortions.Nelson was opposed to the private bill of the senator Hillary Clinton who consisted in developing the courses of sex education in the colleges and to facilitate the access to contraception in order to decrease the number of abortion.
Political positioning
Ben Nelson is considered commr one of the most preserving democrats of the Congress whose votes are often similar to those of the republicans.In 2005, Ben Nelson was indicated by Harry Reid like the most preserving senator of the Senate.
The analysis of its votes showed in 2005 qu ' it was thus on the right than the Republican senators Gordon Smith, Olympia Snowe, Arlen Specter, Susan Collins, and Lincoln Chafee. Only, the Democratic senator of Louisiana, Mary Landrieu would have a positioning as on the right as Ben Nelson.