The 2012 United States Senate election in Nebraska took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic senator Ben Nelson chose to retire instead of seeking a third term. Democrat Bob Kerrey, who held this seat from 1989 to 2001, and Republican state senator Deb Fischer won their respective parties' primary elections on May 15, 2012. Fischer won the general election with 57.8% of the vote. Her election marked the first time since 1970 that a Republican was elected to Nebraska's Class 1 Senate seat, as well as the first time that a woman was elected to a full Senate term in the state's history. This was the only Republican flip of the 2012 U.S. Senate elections. Fischer's inauguration marked the first time since the resignation of Roman Hruska in 1976 where Republicans held both Senate seats from Nebraska.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrew

Declined

Endorsements

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Declined

Polling

Endorsements

Results

General election

Candidates

Debates

The first debate took place at the Heartland Events Center during the Nebraska State Fair at 4 p.m. Saturday, August 25, 2012. Kerrey and Fischer participated. The second debate took place on September 28, 2012, KETV-TV, Chamber of Commerce of Greater Omaha. Kerrey and Fischer participated. The third debate took place on October 1, 2012, NET-TV. Kerrey and Fischer participated. Topics included agriculture policy, the economy, taxes and education. External links

Fundraising

Top contributors

Top industries

Predictions

Polling

With Kerrey With Lathrop With Nelson With Robak

Results

By county

From Secretary of State of Nebraska • Burt (largest village: Tekamah) • Adams (largest city: Hastings) • Antelope (largest city: Neligh) • Box Butte (largest city: Alliance) • Boyd (largest city: Spencer) • Brown (largest city: Ainsworth) • Buffalo (largest city: Kearney) • Butler (largest city: David City) • Cass (largest city: Plattsmouth) • Cherry (largest city: Valentine) • Clay (largest city: Sutton) • Colfax (largest city: Schuyler) • Cuming (largest city: West Point) • Cedar (largest city: Hartington) • Custer (largest city: Broken Bow) • Dixon (largest city: Wakefield) • Dawes (largest city: Chadron) • Dawson (largest city: Lexington) • Dodge (largest city: Fremont) • Dundy (largest city: Benkelman) • Frontier (largest city: Curtis) • Furnas (largest city: Cambridge) • Garfield (largest city: Burwell) • Gosper (largest city: Elwood) • Grant (largest city: Hyannis) • Hall (largest city: Grand Island) • Hamilton (largest city: Aurora) • Harlan (largest city: Alma) • Hayes (largest city: Palisade) • Hitchcock (largest city: Culbertson) • Holt (largest city: O'Neill) • Hooker (largest city: Mullen) • Kearney (largest city: Minden) • Keya Paha (largest city: Springview) • Knox (largest city: Creighton) • Lincoln (largest city: North Platte) • Logan (largest city: Stapleton) • Loup (largest city: Taylor) • Madison (largest city: Norfolk) • Merrick (largest city: Central City) • Nemaha (largest city: Auburn) • Otoe (largest city: Nebraska City) • Nance (largest city: Fullerton) • Boone (largest city: Albion) • Greeley (largest city: Spalding) • Howard (largest city: St. Paul) • Sherman (largest city: Loup City) • Fillmore (largest city: Geneva) • Gage (largest city: Beatrice) • Jefferson (largest city: Fairbury) • Johnson (largest city: Tecumseh) • Pawnee (largest city: Pawnee City) • Perkins (largest city: Grant) • Phelps (largest city: Holdrege) • Pierce (largest city: Pierce) • Platte (largest city: Columbus) • Polk (largest city: Stromsburg) • Red Willow (largest city: McCook) • Richardson (largest city: Falls City) • Rock (largest city: Bassett) • Sarpy (largest city: Bellevue) • Saunders (largest city: Wahoo) • Scotts Bluff (largest city: Scottsbluff) • Seward (largest city: Seward) • Stanton (largest city: Stanton) • Thayer (largest city: Hebron) • Thomas (largest city: Thedford) • Valley (largest city: Ord) • Washington (largest city: Blair) • Wayne (largest city: Wayne) • Webster (largest city: Red Cloud) • Nuckolls (largest city: Superior) • Franklin (largest city: Franklin) • Wheeler (largest city: Bartlett) • York (largest city: York)

By congressional district

Fischer won all 3 congressional districts.