2006 United States Senate election in Nebraska explained

Election Name:2006 United States Senate election in Nebraska
Country:Nebraska
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2000 United States Senate election in Nebraska
Previous Year:2000
Next Election:2012 United States Senate election in Nebraska
Next Year:2012
Election Date:November 7, 2006
Image1:Ben Nelson official photo.jpg
Nominee1:Ben Nelson
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:378,388
Percentage1:63.88%
Nominee2:Pete Ricketts
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:213,928
Percentage2:36.12%
Map Size:301px
U.S. Senator
Before Election:Ben Nelson
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Ben Nelson
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 2006 United States Senate election in Nebraska was held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democrat Ben Nelson won re-election to a second term, defeating Republican Pete Ricketts with 63.9% of the vote to Ricketts' 36.1%. Ricketts was later appointed in January 2023 to Nebraska's other Senate seat after serving as Governor of Nebraska from 2015 to 2023.

As of, this remains the last time Democrats won a statewide election in Nebraska.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Campaign

Since Ricketts was a millionaire, he could finance his own campaign. His opponents could not raise enough money to keep up. Kramer raised $330,000 and Stenberg raised $246,000 in 2005.

Results

General election

Candidates

Campaign

The primary election was held May 9, 2006. Pete Ricketts won the Republican nomination with 48% of the vote. Ben Nelson was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Nelson was elected in 2000 by a margin of 51% to 49% after serving as the state's governor for two terms. Nelson, considered the most conservative Democrat in the Senate, was the lone Democrat in Nebraska's Congressional delegation. This election was one of the most expensive in Nebraska history. In 2005, Ben Nelson raised $3.9 million for his re-election campaign. Pete Ricketts contributed $14.35 million of his own money to his campaign; he raised an additional $485,000 in contributions. The race also attracted national attention and generated several high-level campaign appearances. President George W. Bush appeared at a rally for Ricketts on November 5, 2006, in Grand Island, while then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama appeared at a fundraiser for Nelson and other Nebraska Democrats on May 5, 2006, in Omaha. However, he won re-election by a large margin.

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
align=left The Cook Political Report[1] November 6, 2006
align=left Sabato's Crystal Ball[2] November 6, 2006
align=left Rothenberg Political Report[3] November 6, 2006
align=left Real Clear Politics[4] November 6, 2006

Polling

SourceDateBen
Nelson (D)		Pete
Ricketts (R)
align=left Rasmussen[5] November 23, 200552%29%
align=left Rasmussen[6] April 26, 200654%36%
align=left Rasmussen[7] May 13, 200654%35%
align=left Rasmussen[8] July 17, 200657%31%
align=left Rasmussen[9] August 17, 200655%32%
align=left Rasmussen[10] September 26, 200655%32%
align=left Rasmussen[11] October 19, 200654%34%

Results

Results by county

From CNN[12]

County Ben Nelson
Democratic		Pete Ricketts
Republican		Total
votes
%%
67.18%10,22232.82% 4,99315,215
57.54%1,55642.46% 1,1482,704
40.60%9559.40%139234
47.85%15652.15%170326
54.95%15045.05% 123273
65.23%1,66434.77% 8872,551
68.23%2,48931.77% 1,1593,648
63.53%62236.47% 357979
51.09%70648.91% 6761,382
56.41%8,36743.59% 6,46614,833
69.49%2,03430.51% 8932,927
73.10%2,52726.90% 9303,457
62.85%5,81937.15% 3,4409,259
66.34%2,60833.66% 1,3233,931
49.05%79950.95%8301,629
53.17%1,43646.83% 1,2652,701
46.18%1,45053.82%1,6903,140
64.47%1,66235.53% 9162,578
69.44%1,94730.56% 8572,804
63.45%1,95336.55% 1,1253,078
58.88%2,88041.12% 2,0114,891
69.32%3,26030.68% 1,4434,703
57.42%1,70642.58% 1,2652,971
58.66%3,91041.34% 2,7556,665
48.70%39251.30%413805
66.54%1,58933.46% 7992,388
66.70%7,95033.30% 3,96911,919
65.16%92,13334.84% 49,257141,390
61.16%57038.84% 362932
71.49%1,78028.51% 7102,490
64.88%94635.12% 5121,458
65.34%82034.66% 4351,255
65.55%1,34734.45% 7082,055
72.98%6,45127.02% 2,3888,839
48.45%50051.55%5321,032
59.09%54340.91% 376919
62.89%62237.11% 367989
40.85%13459.15%194328
75.99%80724.01% 2551,062
61.52%10,37138.48% 6,48716,858
59.36%2,66040.64% 1,8214,481
64.63%1,12435.37% 6151,739
57.09%28242.91% 212494
68.10%82431.90% 3861,210
51.44%2,28848.56% 2,1604,448
56.23%18543.77% 144329
69.16%1,80330.84% 8042,607
71.41%2,26528.59% 9073,172
75.18%1,36924.82% 4521,821
58.76%1,61441.24% 1,1332,747
48.79%1,58851.21%1,6673,255
54.50%30345.50% 253556
46.42%75353.58%8691,622
63.65%2,05436.35% 1,1733,227
70.07%60,30929.93% 25,76286,071
61.23%7,66438.77% 4,85212,516
52.51%19947.49% 180379
64.36%24235.64% 134376
54.61%5,73045.39% 4,76210,492
44.83%11755.17%144261
63.24%1,92336.76% 1,1183,041
48.48%91251.52%9691,881
71.70%1,20628.30% 4761,682
61.79%1,74538.21% 1,0792,824
66.98%1,37533.02% 6782,053
62.51%3,55037.49% 2,1295,679
67.39%83532.61% 4041,239
52.97%66947.03% 5941,263
57.90%2,26942.10% 1,6503,919
55.99%1,37844.01% 1,0832,461
62.97%6,66437.03% 3,91910,583
62.92%1,43237.08% 8442,276
70.60%3,01629.40% 1,2564,272
64.63%2,22635.37% 1,2183,444
54.99%41345.01% 338751
78.78%3,61521.22% 9744,589
59.27%24,64040.73% 16,93541,575
67.62%5,39332.38% 2,5827,975
51.98%5,83448.02% 5,38911,223
67.39%3,93032.61% 1,9025,832
43.55%82056.45%1,0631,883
70.99%1,01829.01% 4161,434
39.85%21660.15%326542
53.92%1,06746.08% 9121,979
70.16%1,62729.84% 6922,319
53.12%17946.88% 158337
73.89%1,29626.11% 4581,754
61.90%1,29038.10% 7942,084
57.95%4,39442.05% 3,1897,583
63.90%1,96336.10% 1,1093,072
67.36%1,16432.64% 5641,728
65.72%25534.28% 133388
57.50%3,11842.50% 2,3055,423

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2006 Senate Race Ratings for November 6, 2006 . The Cook Political Report . https://web.archive.org/web/20080605093937/https://cookpolitical.com/races/report_pdfs/2006_sen_ratings_nov6.pdf . September 30, 2021. June 5, 2008 .
  2. Web site: Election Eve 2006: THE FINAL PREDICTIONS . Sabato's Crystal Ball . November 6, 2006 . June 25, 2021.
  3. Web site: 2006 Senate Ratings . Senate Ratings . The Rothenberg Political Report . June 25, 2021.
  4. Web site: Election 2006 . Real Clear Politics . June 25, 2021.
  5. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2005/Nebraska%20Senate%20Nov%2023.htm Rasmussen
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20060512161335/http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/April%202006/Nebraska%20Senate%20April.htm Rasmussen
  7. https://web.archive.org/web/20060602124204/http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/May%202006/Nebraska%20Senate%20May.htm Rasmussen
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20060720194537/http://rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/July%202006/nebraskaSenGov.htm Rasmussen
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20060922070649/http://rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/August%202006/NebraskaSenate.htm Rasmussen
  10. https://web.archive.org/web/20061021125319/http://rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/September%202006/NebraskaGovernorSenate.htm Rasmussen
  11. https://web.archive.org/web/20061021130433/http://rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/October%202006/NebraskaGovernorSenate.htm Rasmussen
  12. Web site: U.S. SENATE / NEBRASKA / COUNTY RESULTS. live. CNN. https://web.archive.org/web/20061221143533/http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/NE/S/01/county.000.html . December 21, 2006 .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "2006 United States Senate election in Nebraska".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.