This should give pause to all those Charlie Crist boosters - Ben Nelson just announced that he's voting 'no' on Kagan for SC.
Of course, this is about him trying to position himself for 2012. He's going to want to look 'moderate' and perhaps he thought this was a freebie - his vote won't make a difference and he knows it. But to me, this sends a clear signal that he'd jump to the GOP if his vote would put them in the majority. Not sure if if would pay off - my guess is he'd still be opposed in his seat by a 'real' GOP candidate, but he might try anyway. I'm sure the national GOP would roll out the red carpet for him.
Other than Bork, has any senator from any party voted against a nominee from their party's president? I know that Miers was opposed, but she never got to a vote.
Update: Here is Nelson's statement.
NELSON STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT NOMINEE ELENA KAGAN
July 30, 2010 – Today, Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson issued this statement on the president’s nomination of Elena Kagan for the U.S. Supreme Court to fill the seat of retired Justice John Paul Stevens:
"As a member of the bipartisan ‘Gang of 14,’ I will follow our agreement that judicial nominees should be filibustered only under extraordinary circumstances. If a cloture vote is held on the nomination of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court, I am prepared to vote for cloture and oppose a filibuster because, in my view, this nominee deserves an up or down vote in the Senate.
"However, I have heard concerns from Nebraskans regarding Ms. Kagan, and her lack of a judicial record makes it difficult for me to discount the concerns raised by Nebraskans, or to reach a level of comfort that these concerns are unfounded. Therefore, I will not vote to confirm Ms. Kagan’s nomination."
From his webpage.