Report: Nelson (D-Ne) no party player

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20100112/NEWS01/701129881

Published Tuesday January 12, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A report looking at partisanship in Congress shows U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska voted with his party less often than any other Democrat in the Senate last year.

A Congressional Quarterly study released Monday shows Nelson voted with the GOP 37 percent of the time in 2009.

But he wasn't the most rebellious. Maine GOP Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe took that honor, departing from the GOP nearly half the time.

Nebraska's Republican Sen. Mike Johanns fell on the other end of the political spectrum, voting with his party 94 percent of the time in 2009.

Nebraska's three House representatives, all Republicans, also offered strong party support.

Rep. Adrian Smith voted with the GOP 97 percent of the time, Rep. Lee Terry 90 percent, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry 81 percent.