Candidate Profile: U.S. Senator from Florida: Bill Nelson

Candidate: Bill Nelson (Incumbent) 

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Age: 70

Hometown: Miami

Residence: Orlando

Occupation: Senior U.S. Senator from Florida

Education:  B.A., Yale University; Juris Doctor, University of Virginia

Bill Nelson is campaigning for reelection into the U.S. Senate’s Florida seat. Nelson was first elected to the Senate in 2000 and also served 12 years in the United States House of Representatives. He credits a commitment to civil bipartisanship between colleagues as a key ingredient to his legislative success.

1971 marked Nelson’s beginning involvement with politics as he worked under Governor Reubin Askew as a legislative assistant. One year later, he became an elected member of the Florida House of Representatives and continued to earn voter approval in the 1974 and 1976 elections. He has served the military on both active and reserve duty. 

Nelson became the second sitting member of Congress to travel to space. After completing NASA space training in 1986, the Congressman traveled aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on a 6-day mission as a NASA Payload Specialist. After Congress, Nelson tried unsuccessfully to run for governor, later winning statewide election as Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida.

Nelson supported the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, space program funding and President Obama’s health care legislation. He has broken with his party several times, voting on four occasions to lower or repeal the estate tax.