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Bob Kerrey
| Bob Kerrey | ||
 | ||
| Candidate for | ||
| U.S. Senate, Nebraska | ||
| Party | Democratic | |
| Prior offices | ||
| Governor, US Senator | ||
| Websites | ||
| Campaign website | ||
Contents |
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He defeated Larry Marvin, Steven P. Lustgarten and Sherman Yates in the May 15, 2012 Democratic primary.
Biography
Kerrey was born in Lancaster County, Nebraska. Upon graduation from Lincoln public schools, he earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska in 1966 and then served in the U.S. Navy SEAL special forces unit. He was wounded in Vietnam and awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. He operated a chain of restaurants and fitness centers in Nebraska from 1972 through 1982, at which point he was elected Governor of Nebraska. He served as Governor for four years before being elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served from 1989 through 2001. Most recently, he served as president of the New School in New York City. [2]
Elections
2012
Kerrey ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. Senate, representing Nebraska. He squared off against former state Senator Deb Fischer (R) and independent candidate Russell Anderson in the November general election. Fischer won.[1]
He defeated Larry Marvin, Steven P. Lustgarten and Sherman Yates in the May 15, 2012 Democratic primary.
| U.S. Senate, Nebraska, General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Deb Fischer |
57.8% | 455,593 | |
| Democratic | Bob Kerrey | 42.2% | 332,979 | |
| Total Votes | 788,572 | |||
| Source: Nebraska Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
Lawsuit to Remove Kerrey
In late March, the Nebraska Supreme Court dismissed the Republican Party's case to remove Senate contender Bob Kerrey (D) from the May 15 primary election ballot, paving the way for a big-money, high-stakes battle that could conceivably alter the balance of power in Washington.[3]
Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale (R) had expressed misgivings about whether Kerrey, a former Nebraska Governor and U.S. Senator, had established residency at the time of filing, but ultimately ruled that the U.S. Constitution protected his status as a candidate in the race to replace retiring Sen. Ben Nelson (D).[3]
State Republicans asked the courts to overturn Gale's decision, claiming that Kerrey had resorted to the "New York-style political trick" of filing at the eleventh hour to avoid scrutiny from election officials, but the judges ruled that they had no authority to grant relief.[3]
The Nebraska Supreme Court upheld District Court Judge Steven Burns' decision that there was "no evidence to suggest that Mr. Kerrey knowingly and willfully violated any laws of the state of Nebraska."[3]
Primary results
The primary took place on June 5, 2012.[4]
| US Senate - Nebraska Democratic Primary, 2012 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|
Bob Kerrey |
81% | 66,586 |
| Chuck Hassebrook | 12% | 9,886 |
| Steven P. Lustgarten | 2.6% | 2,177 |
| Larry Marvin | 2.5% | 2,076 |
| Sherman Yates | 1.8% | 1,500 |
| Total Votes | 82,225 | |
Campaign donors
2012
Kerrey lost the U.S. Senate election in 2012. During that election cycle, Kerrey's campaign committee raised a total of $5,818,391 and spent $6,116,555.[5]
| United States Senate, 2012 - Bob Kerrey Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $5,818,391 |
| Total Spent | $6,116,555 |
| Total Raised by Election Winner | $5,253,975 |
| Total Spent by Election Winner | $5,146,461 |
| Top contributors to Bob Kerrey's campaign committee | |
| Rural Media Group | $62,500 |
| MacAndrews & Forbes | $54,500 |
| Tenet Healthcare | $27,400 |
| Nix, Patterson & Roach | $25,000 |
| Kirkland & Ellis | $23,000 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $528,047 |
| Retired | $416,387 |
| Securities & Investment | $282,000 |
| Leadership PACs | $279,500 |
| TV/Movies/Music | $172,500 |
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 CNN "Nebraska Senate Race - 2012 Election Center"
- ↑ Bioguide "Kerrey, J. Robert" April 13, 2012
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lincoln Journal Star "Supreme Court dismisses Kerrey case" March 28, 2012
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State "Canvass Report" Accessed October 11, 2012
- ↑ Open Secrets " 2012 Election Cycle," Accessed March 2013
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