2012 United States Senate election in Nebraska

The 2012 United States Senate election in Nebraska took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Incumbent Democratic senator Ben Nelson chose to retire instead of seeking a third term. Democrat Bob Kerrey, who held this seat from 1989 to 2001, and Republican state senator Deb Fischer won their respective parties' primary elections on May 15, 2012.

Fischer won the general election with 57.8% of the vote. Her election marked the first time since 1970 that a Republican was elected to Nebraska's Class 1 Senate seat, as well as the first time that a woman was elected to a full Senate term in the state's history. This was the only Republican flip of the 2012 U.S. Senate elections. Fischer's inauguration marked the first time since the resignation of Roman Hruska in 1976 where Republicans held both Senate seats from Nebraska.

Declared

 * Bob Kerrey, former U.S. Senator and former governor of Nebraska
 * Steven Lustgarten, video production company owner
 * Larry Marvin, landlord and perennial candidate
 * Sherman Yates

Withdrew

 * Chuck Hassebrook, Regent of the University of Nebraska

Declined

 * Chris Beutler, Mayor of Lincoln
 * Jane Kleeb, founder and director of Bold Nebraska
 * Scott Kleeb, businessman, Democratic nominee for the 3rd congressional district in 2006 and for the U.S. Senate in 2008
 * Steve Lathrop, state senator
 * Ben Nelson, incumbent U.S. senator
 * Kim Robak, former lieutenant governor

Candidates

 * Jon Bruning, Attorney General of Nebraska
 * Sharyn Elander
 * Deb Fischer, state senator
 * Pat Flynn, financial adviser
 * Don Stenberg, treasurer of Nebraska, former attorney general of Nebraska and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2000
 * Spencer Zimmerman, truck driver and Air Force veteran

Declined

 * Bob Bennie, businessman
 * Rex Fisher, businessman
 * Mike Flood, speaker of the Nebraska Legislature
 * Jeff Fortenberry, U.S. representative
 * Dave Heineman, Governor of Nebraska
 * Kay Orr, former governor of Nebraska
 * Mike Simmonds, businessman
 * Adrian Smith, U.S. Representative
 * Lee Terry, U.S. Representative

Candidates

 * Bob Kerrey, (Democrat), former U.S. senator and former governor of Nebraska
 * Deb Fischer, (Republican), state senator

Debates
The first debate took place at the Heartland Events Center during the Nebraska State Fair at 4 p.m. Saturday, August 25, 2012. Kerrey and Fischer participated.

The second debate took place on September 28, 2012, KETV-TV, Chamber of Commerce of Greater Omaha. Kerrey and Fischer participated.

The third debate took place on October 1, 2012, NET-TV. Kerrey and Fischer participated. Topics included agriculture policy, the economy, taxes and education.
 * External links
 * Complete video at Grand Island Independent, first debate, August 25, 2012
 * Complete video of debate, September 28, 2012 - C-SPAN
 * Complete video of debate, October 1, 2012 - C-SPAN

Polling

 * With Kerrey


 * With Lathrop


 * With Nelson


 * With Robak

By county
From Secretary of State of Nebraska

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
• Burt (largest village: Tekamah)

• Adams (largest city: Hastings)

• Antelope (largest city: Neligh)

• Box Butte (largest city: Alliance)

• Boyd (largest city: Spencer)

• Brown (largest city: Ainsworth)

• Buffalo (largest city: Kearney)

• Butler (largest city: David City)

• Cass (largest city: Plattsmouth)

• Cherry (largest city: Valentine)

• Clay (largest city: Sutton)

• Colfax (largest city: Schuyler)

• Cuming (largest city: West Point)

• Cedar (largest city: Hartington)

• Custer (largest city: Broken Bow)

• Dixon (largest city: Wakefield)

• Dawes (largest city: Chadron)

• Dawson (largest city: Lexington)

• Dodge (largest city: Fremont)

• Dundy (largest city: Benkelman)

• Frontier (largest city: Curtis)

• Furnas (largest city: Cambridge)

• Garfield (largest city: Burwell)

• Gosper (largest city: Elwood)

• Grant (largest city: Hyannis)

• Hall (largest city: Grand Island)

• Hamilton (largest city: Aurora)

• Harlan (largest city: Alma)

• Hayes (largest city: Palisade)

• Hitchcock (largest city: Culbertson)

• Holt (largest city: O'Neill)

• Hooker (largest city: Mullen)

• Kearney (largest city: Minden)

• Keya Paha (largest city: Springview)

• Knox (largest city: Creighton)

• Lincoln (largest city: North Platte)

• Logan (largest city: Stapleton)

• Loup (largest city: Taylor)

• Madison (largest city: Norfolk)

• Merrick (largest city: Central City)

• Nemaha (largest city: Auburn)

• Otoe (largest city: Nebraska City)

• Nance (largest city: Fullerton)

• Boone (largest city: Albion)

• Greeley (largest city: Spalding)

• Howard (largest city: St. Paul)

• Sherman (largest city: Loup City)

• Fillmore (largest city: Geneva)

• Gage (largest city: Beatrice)

• Jefferson (largest city: Fairbury)

• Johnson (largest city: Tecumseh)

• Pawnee (largest city: Pawnee City)

• Perkins (largest city: Grant)

• Phelps (largest city: Holdrege)

• Pierce (largest city: Pierce)

• Platte (largest city: Columbus)

• Polk (largest city: Stromsburg)

• Red Willow (largest city: McCook)

• Richardson (largest city: Falls City)

• Rock (largest city: Bassett)

• Sarpy (largest city: Bellevue)

• Saunders (largest city: Wahoo)

• Scotts Bluff (largest city: Scottsbluff)

• Seward (largest city: Seward)

• Stanton (largest city: Stanton)

• Thayer (largest city: Hebron)

• Thomas (largest city: Thedford)

• Valley (largest city: Ord)

• Washington (largest city: Blair)

• Wayne (largest city: Wayne)

• Webster (largest city: Red Cloud)

• Nuckolls (largest city: Superior)

• Franklin (largest city: Franklin)

• Wheeler (largest city: Bartlett)

• York (largest city: York)

By congressional district
Fischer won all 3 congressional districts.