Over in my wonderful state of Nebraska, former Sen. Bob Kerrey is running what will likely be a futile campaign to keep Sen. Ben Nelson's seat in the Democratic column. Kerrey's previous terms were quite liberal (among other things, he was one of 14 votes against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996), but this year's campaign represents a sharp shift to the right.
Democratic Senate candidate Bob Kerrey said Thursday that he hates the employer mandate in the Affordable Care Act and that his own businesses might drop employee insurance and pay the federal fine for doing so if the mandate goes into effect in 2014.
Kerrey said wealthy Americans pay their fair share in taxes. And he said President Barack Obama made a big mistake by not following the recommendations of his own bipartisan budget deficit commission. And, because someone in the Suburban Rotary Club asked, he considers New York City’s ban on supersize soft drinks “a step too far.”
“Bob, you’re almost starting to sound Republican,” said Sol Kutler, part of the largely Republican crowd of 102 people at the club luncheon in Omaha.
“Half of me is kinda Republican,” Kerrey replied.