Earl Benjamin "Ben" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from Nebraska, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Nelson entered politics in 1990, when he was elected the 37th Governor of Nebraska. He was re-elected in 1994 with 74% of the vote. Nelson ran for an open seat in the U.S. Senate in 1996, losing to Republican Chuck Hagel, and left the Governor's office in January 1999 due to term limits, after serving two full terms. Nelson was elected to the U.S. Senate in the 2000 election after incumbent Bob Kerrey retired. On December 27, 2011, Nelson announced that he... would not seek a third Senate term in 2012. Nelson was born in McCook, in southwestern Nebraska. He is the only child of Birdella Ruby and Benjamin Earl Nelson. He earned a B.A. in 1963, a M.A. in 1965, and a J.D. in 1970 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Nelson made his name and money in the insurance industry. After graduating from law school, Nelson landed a job as assistant general counsel for Central National Insurance Group of Omaha.
more