United States Senate Elections In Nebraska, 2012

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 Nebraska's 2012 elections
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2012 U.S. Senate Elections in Nebraska
Candidates • Polls • Election History
November 6 Election Winner:
Deb Fischer Republican Party
Incumbent prior to election:
Ben Nelson Democratic Party
Ben Nelson.jpg
Cook Political Report Race Rating
     Likely R (Prior to election)
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Voters in Nebraska elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the November 6, 2012 elections. Former Democratic Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey squared off against Republican state Senator Deb Fischer and independent candidate Russell Anderson. Deb Fischer won the election.[1]
Candidate Filing Deadline Primary Election General Election
March 1, 2012
June 5, 2012
November 6, 2012

Primary: Nebraska has a closed primary system, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.

Voter registration: Voters had to register to vote in the primary by February 10, 2012 by mail or February 17, 2012 in-person. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 19, 2012 by mail or October 26, 2012 in-person.[2]

See also: Nebraska elections, 2012

Incumbent: The election filled the Class 1 Senate seat, which was held by Ben Nelson (D). First elected in 2000, Nelson did not run for re-election in 2012.[3]

Candidates[edit]

Note: Election results were added on election night as races were called. Vote totals were added after official election results had been certified. Click here for more information about Ballotpedia's election coverage plan. Please contact us about errors in this list.


General election candidates

Democratic Party Bob Kerrey
Republican Party Deb Fischer Green check mark transparent.png
Grey.png Russell Anderson


Democratic Party Democratic Primary[edit]

Note: Chuck Hassebrook withdrew from the primary on March 8, 2012

Republican Party Republican primary[edit]

Grey.png Third party[edit]

General election results[edit]

U.S. Senate, Nebraska General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDeb Fischer 57.8% 455,593
     Democratic Bob Kerrey 42.2% 332,979
Total Votes 788,572
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

Primary results[edit]

The primary took place on June 5, 2012.[11]

Republican Primary[edit]

U.S. Senate, Nebraska General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDeb Fischer 57.8% 455,593
     Democratic Bob Kerrey 42.2% 332,979
Total Votes 788,572
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"
US Senate - Nebraska Republican Primary, 2012
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngDeb Fischer 40.8% 77,594
Jon Bruning 36.1% 68,796
Don Stenberg 18.9% 35,984
Pat Flynn 2.8% 5,251
Spencer Zimmerman 0.8% 1,526
Sharyn Elander 0.6% 1,236
Total Votes 190,387

Democratic Primary[edit]

US Senate - Nebraska Democratic Primary, 2012
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngBob Kerrey 81% 66,586
Chuck Hassebrook 12% 9,886
Steven P. Lustgarten 2.6% 2,177
Larry Marvin 2.5% 2,076
Sherman Yates 1.8% 1,500
Total Votes 82,225

Race background[edit]

Personal finances[edit]

Media reports in January 2012 regarding two candidates in the Republican primary -- Don Stenberg and Jon Bruning -- centered around their personal finances. Stenberg criticized Bruning for becoming wealthy while in office as attorney general. Reports indicated that Stenberg -- the Nebraska state Treasurer -- was also a millionaire, but he said he earned his money in the private sector before taking office.[12]

Ballot Issues[edit]

In late March, the Nebraska Supreme Court dismissed the Republican Party's case to remove Senate contender Bob Kerrey (D) from the May 15, 2012 primary election ballot, paving the way for a big-money, high-stakes battle that could have conceivably altered the balance of power in Washington.[13]

Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale (R) had expressed misgivings about whether Kerrey, a former Nebraska Governor and U.S. Senator, had established residency at the time of filing, but ultimately ruled that the U.S. Constitution protected his status as a candidate in the race to replace retiring Sen. Ben Nelson (D).[13]

State Republicans asked the courts to overturn Gale's decision, claiming that Kerrey had resorted to the "New York-style political trick" of filing at the eleventh hour to avoid scrutiny from election officials, but the judges ruled that they had no authority to grant relief.[13]

The Nebraska Supreme Court upheld District Court Judge Steven Burns' decision that there was "no evidence to suggest that Mr. Kerrey knowingly and willfully violated any laws of the state of Nebraska."[13]

Satellite spending[edit]

Satellite spending groups spent more than $2 million on advertising prior to the primary, with more than $1 million going into ads opposing Jon Bruning.[14]

Race rating[edit]

Cook Political Report[edit]

Each month the Cook Political Report released race ratings for President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House (competitive only) and Governors. There were seven possible designations:[15]

     Solid Democratic
     Likely Democratic
     Lean Democratic

     Tossup

     Lean Republican
     Likely Republican
     Solid Republican

Cook Political Report Race Rating -- Nebraska Senate
Month Rating
November 1, 2012[16]     
October 4, 2012[17]     
September 13, 2012[18]     
August 21, 2012[19]     
July 12, 2012[20]     
May 31, 2012[21]     
May 10, 2012[22]     
March 22, 2012[23]     
March 1, 2012[24]     
January 26, 2012[25]     
December 22, 2011[26]     
December 1, 2011[27]     

Polls[edit]

Bob Kerrey v. Deb Fischer
Poll Deb Fischer Bob KerreyOtherUndecidedMargin of errorSample size
Pharos Research Group
(October 26-28, 2012)
 49.7%47.0%0%3.2%+/-3.5761
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.


Election history[edit]

2008[edit]

On November 4, 2008, Mike Johanns was elected to the United States Senate. He defeated Scott Kleeb (D), Kelly Renee Rosberg (Nebraska), and Steve Larrick (Green).[28]

United States Senate Nebraska General Election, 2008
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngMike Johanns 57.5% 455,854
     Democratic Scott Kleeb 40.1% 317,456
     Nebraska Kelly Renee Rosberg 1.4% 11,438
     Green Steven R. Larrick 1% 7,763
Total Votes 792,511

2006[edit]

On November 7, 2006, Ben Nelson was re-elected to the United States Senate for a second term. He defeated Pete Ricketts (R).[29]

United States Senate Nebraska General Election, 2006
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBen Nelson Incumbent 63.9% 378,388
     Republican Pete Ricketts 36.1% 213,928
Total Votes 592,316

Campaign donors[edit]

Bob Kerrey[edit]

Bob Kerrey (2012) Campaign Finance Reports
ReportDate FiledBeginning BalanceTotal Contributions
for Reporting Period		ExpendituresCash on Hand
April Quarterly[30]March 31, 2012$0.00$900,237.29$(344,103.26)$556,134.03
July Quarterly[31]June 30, 2012$393,143.45$1,577,687.26$(714,602.05)$1,256,228.66
Running totals
$2,477,924.55$(1,058,705.31)

Deb Fischer[edit]

Deb Fischer (2012) Campaign Finance Reports
ReportDate FiledBeginning BalanceTotal Contributions
for Reporting Period		ExpendituresCash on Hand
April Quarterly[32]March 31, 2012$207,839.86$61,496.46$(83,158.10)$186,178.22
July Quarterly[33]June 30, 2012$94,330.09$1,291,638.61$(279,645.93)$1,106,322.77
Running totals
$1,353,135.07$(362,804.03)

See also[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ↑ Politico, "2012 House Race Results," accessed November 6, 2012
  2. ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Voter Information," accessed July 25, 2012
  3. ↑ New York Times, "Nelson to Quit the Senate, Giving G.O.P. an Advantage," accessed January 6, 2012
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Nebraska Secretary of State, "Official Candidate List," accessed February 2, 2012
  5. ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Bruning makes Senate bid official," accessed January 6, 2012
  6. ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Fischer kicks off U.S. Senate bid," accessed January 6, 2012
  7. ↑ Lincoln Journal Star, "Pat Flynn launches GOP Senate campaign," accessed January 6, 2012
  8. ↑ Roll Call, "Nebraska Treasurer to Enter GOP Senate Primary," accessed January 6, 2012
  9. ↑ Lincoln Journal Star, "Republican Senate field becoming crowded," accessed January 6, 2012
  10. ↑ Russell Anderson campaign website accessed January 21, 2012
  11. ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Canvass Report" accessed October 11, 2012
  12. ↑ Watchdog.org, "Exclusive: Bruning not only millionaire in U.S. Senate race," January 28, 2012
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Lincoln Journal Star, "Supreme Court dismisses Kerrey case" March 28, 2012
  14. ↑ iWatch News, "Super PAC cash plays big role in Nebraska Senate race," May 15, 2012
  15. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Our Accuracy," accessed December 12, 2011 (dead link)
  16. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," November 1, 2012
  17. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," October 4, 2012
  18. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," September 13, 2012
  19. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," August 21, 2012
  20. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," July 12, 2012
  21. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," May 31, 2012
  22. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," May 10, 2012
  23. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," March 22, 2012
  24. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," March 1, 2012
  25. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," January 26, 2012
  26. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," December 27, 2011
  27. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2012 SENATE RACE RATINGS," December 1, 2011
  28. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008"
  29. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006"
  30. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Bob Kerrey April Quarterly," accessed August 1, 2012
  31. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Bob Kerrey July Quarterly," accessed August 1, 2012
  32. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Deb Fischer April Quarterly," accessed August 1, 2012
  33. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Deb Fischer July Quarterly," accessed August 1, 2012
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[show]
Nebraska's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Deb Fischer (R)
Ben Sasse (R)
Representatives
District 1
Jeffrey Fortenberry (R)
District 2
Don Bacon (R)
District 3
Adrian Smith (R)
Republican Party (5)

Categories: [U.S. Senate elections, 2012] [Nebraska elections, 2012]

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