On September 29, 2009, sitting as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Nelson joined Republican committee members in voting against the "public option" health care reform amendment of West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller. news report
On September 29, 2009, sitting as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Nelson joined Republican committee members in voting against the "public option" health care reform amendment of West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller. news report
He retired from Congress in 1990 to run for Governor of Florida but was unsuccessful. He was appointed as Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshal of Florida, serving from 1995 to 2001. In 2000, Nelson ran for and was elected to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Republican Senator Connie Mack III. He was re-elected in 2006 with 60% of the vote and in 2012 with 55% of the vote. In the Senate, he is generally considered a moderate Democrat.