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Bill Nelson

Clarence William Nelson

    Bill Nelson is a Democratic U.S. senator elected in 2000. He is serving his third term.

    Nelson has spent most of his life in politics, serving three terms in the Florida House, six terms in the U.S. House and six years as insurance commissioner. He served in the U.S. Army and as an astronaut on a space shuttle flight.

    Nelson was born in Miami on Sept. 29, 1942. He graduated from Melbourne High School and attended the University of Florida. He received a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a law degree from the University of Virginia. He and his wife, Grace Cavert, have two children.

    • IN THE NEWS

    1. Gov candidate Nan Rich faults Fla Dem senators on Medicaid expansion

      05/20/13 Blog Adam C. Smith

      Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Rich is campaigning in Pinellas County today, where she caught up with The Buzz at the Safety Harbor Library. It's time Democrats nominate a south Floridian for governor, she said, and whether Bill Nelson or Charlie Crist runs, she's staying in the race.

      The former …

    2. Rubio votes against Senate water bill; Nelson votes for it

      05/15/13 Blog Alex Leary

      The Senate voted 84-13 to approve a wide-ranging water bill today that includes millions in funding for the Everglades and other Florida-related projects. But Florida's senators were at odds.

    3. Sen. Bill Nelson targeting regulators for short-sale reporting quirk

      05/14/13 Blog Drew Harwell

      Sen. Bill Nelson wants regulators to fix a "disturbing" credit-reporting quirk that is torching the credit of people who sold their homes in short sales.

    4. Don't underestimate Rick Scott re-election prospects

      05/13/13 Blog Adam C. Smith

      It's way too early to count out Rick Scott for a second term. • His poll numbers are stubbornly bleak — only one in three voters say he deserves a second term — and despite plenty of coaching, he still displays the natural charm and warmth of an automaton. • But 77 weeks before Election Day, …

    5. A 'very frustrated' Bill Nelson leaves crack open to run for governor

      05/10/13 Blog Alex Leary

      I caught up with Sen. Bill Nelson, talking to him about President Obama's call to close Guantanamo (he agrees), his letter to Gov. Rick Scott urging a special session on Medicaid (no response) and Marco Rubio's role in immigration ("I'm very proud of him").

    6. Nelson says yes, Rubio no as Senate passes online sales tax bill

      05/06/13 Blog Alex Leary

      The Senate this evening approved a bill that would allow states to collect sales tax. More here from Associated Press.

    7. Nelson, Rubio at odds over internet sales tax

      04/24/13 Blog Alex Leary

      The Senate today voted to advance a bill that would allow states to collect online sales tax. Florida's senators were on opposite sides ofthe vote, as is common.

    8. Four reasons Bill Nelson should run for Florida governor — and four reasons he shouldn't

      04/20/13 NationalBy Adam C. Smith, Times Political Editor

      Bill Nelson looked like the heavy favorite for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination to unseat vulnerable Republican Gov. Bob Martinez in April 1990. But as Martinez continued to beef up his re-election campaign account and then-U.S. Rep. Nelson remained little known to much of Florida, Democrats fretted over Nelson's …

    9. Nelson calls for lifting liability cap on oil spills

      04/19/13 Blog Craig Pittman

      ST. PETERSBURG -- Florida Sen. Bill Nelson announced Friday that he's trying again to pass a bill that would lift the current cap on liability for future oil spills like the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

    10. Exclusive Fla Insider Poll: Bill Nelson toughest challenger to Rick Scott

      04/16/13 Blog Adam C. Smith

      Gov. Rick Scott's re-election prospects would be much weaker if he faced Sen. Bill Nelson as the Democratic nominee, rather than Charlie Crist. That's the overwhelming sentiment of 119 veteran Florida political experts in the latest Tampa Bay Times Florida Insider Poll.