Nelson Takes a Tumble

Rasmussen has a current poll out that can be summed up in four little words, sucks for you, Bennie:

The good news for Senator Ben Nelson is that he doesn’t have to face Nebraska voters until 2012.

If Governor Dave Heineman challenges Nelson for the Senate job, a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey shows the Republican would get 61% of the vote while Nelson would get just 30%. Nelson was reelected to a second Senate term in 2006 with 64% of the vote.

Nelson's health care vote is clearly dragging his numbers down. Just 17% of Nebraska voters approve of the deal their senator made on Medicaid in exchange for his vote in support of the plan. Overall, 64% oppose the health care legislation, including 53% who are Strongly Opposed. In Nebraska, opposition is even stronger than it is nationally.

Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters in the state believe that passage of the legislation will hurt the quality of care, and 62% say it will raise costs.

Looks like Nelson is learning the hard way the voters send their representatives to Washington to act in their interest not in the representative’s interests. Gone are the days that once elected a congressman can do any damn thing they like and still count on the shmucks back home to support them. The voting public has found their voice and congressmen need to listen or ignore the voters at their own peril.

I have a great deal of faith in the American public and that faith has been reaffirmed by the polling numbers coming out of Nebraska, particularly that Nebraskans overwhelmingly oppose the deal that bought Nelson’s vote. Voters don’t want perks, they want fiscal responsibility.

Nelson won’t be up for re-election until 2012. Between now and then, he has a lot of road to make up and fences to mend.

Related:

Hot Air: Rasmussen: Ben Nelson down 30 points to Heineman after health-care reversal

The Weekly Standard: Rasmussen: Obamacare Vote Puts Nelson 30 Points Behind

Sister Toldja: 2012 election: Is Ben Nelson in trouble?

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