Former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is a political icon in Florida Politics. Cumulatively, he spent 30 years serving in Washington.
“You have to have respect for his longevity,” said Tallahassee lobbyist Gus Corbella. “You can’t talk about the last 30 years without mentioning Bill Nelson.”
Nelson doesn’t have too many standout battles, but he was an essential ally for Democrats, especially representing one of the nation’s most crucial swing states.
In 2011, Vice President Joe Biden said during a Florida fundraiser that without Nelson’s victory in 2012, there would not be a President Barack Obama second term, noting that “as goes Bill Nelson in Florida, so go Barack Obama and Joe Biden in Florida,” according to a pool report from the time.
“He’s a truly, truly decent guy who has the absolute respect of his colleagues, and I’ve heard that from both sides of the aisle,” Biden said of his former Senate colleague at that event.
Rep. Jennifer Webb praised Nelson’s diplomatic approach to politics.
“The political process would be better with more leaders like Bill Nelson. He and Grace epitomize civility and service through politics. Regardless of whether you like his policies, his face is synonymous with statesmanship,” Webb said.
“Plus, at 76 years old, he can still do more pushups than Cory Booker — why wasn’t this a campaign ad?” Webb quipped on his recent loss to now Sen. Rick Scott.
Nelson voted against the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court and launched a filibuster during the Senate confirmation process.
Policy-wise, Nelson towed the party line over the last decade. He strongly supported gun reform and spoke out against the onslaught of mass shootings in schools and public places.
Nelson also supported environmental policy protecting the nation, and Florida in particular, from climate change. He supported the U.S.’s inclusion into the Paris Climate Accord and spoke sternly against President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from it.
Nelson also voted in favor of Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act that imposed strict sanctions against Iran, North Korea and Russia, which many Republicans strongly opposed. Despite pushback, Trump signed it into law after taking office.
On LGBT issues, Nelson was initially opposed to same-sex marriage. He voted in favor of repealing the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Act that blocked gay and lesbian individuals from serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. In 2013 he came out in favor of same-sex marriage.
Nelson also led efforts to reduce student loan debt by cutting interest rates on student loans to 4%.
But Nelson’s personal claim to fame? He was the second sitting member of Congress to fly in space in 1986. Ask any political insider, and they will all agree, Nelson frequently includes “when I flew in space” in his public appearances. See here, here, here and here, for reference. He served as a payload specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia.
“Sen. Nelson is the kind of statesperson the political process no longer produces,” said prominent Democratic fundraiser Beth Matuga. “His calm, steady leadership and institutional knowledge — both terrestrial and extra — are sorely missed by Democrats in Florida. The state and country are poorer for his absence from elective office.”
