Ben Nelson

Ben Nelson (born 1941) is an American politician from Nebraska, where he was born and has lived for most of his life. He was an attorney and insurance executive before being elected governor as a Democrat in 1990, and was easily reelected in 1994. He left the office in 1999 after two terms, not running for reelection and being succeeded by a Republican, Mike Johanns. However, he was nominated to the Senate in 2000, after his fellow Democrat, incumbent Bob Kerry, announced his retirement. Nelson won that election.