Jan
02
2010
Go Big Red
John Fund on the unpopularity of Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson, who sold his vote protecting the unborn in favoring of Medicaid benefits for his state:
A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows that if he were running for re-election today, Mr. Nelson would lose to Nebraska’s GOP Governor David Heineman by a stunning 61% to 30%. Only three years ago, Mr. Nelson won his current term with a solid 64% of the vote.
. . . Only 17% favor the deal that Mr. Nelson struck in order to vote for the bill.
But the poll also shows a path to redemption. Asked how they would vote in the 2012 election if Senator Nelson changed his vote and prevented the health care bill from becoming law, Nebraska voters give Governor Heineman a lead of only 47% to 37%.
“The revote results are nothing short of amazing,” says Democratic pollster Pat Caddell, who notes that simply reversing his health-care vote immediately reduces Mr. Nelson’s deficit by two-thirds. “The poll suggests the anger of Nebraska voters is deep and unusually intense, and not likely to dissipate quickly.”
I hope he changes his mind on the final version of the bill.