Bill Nelson coasts to big win over Connie Mack, earns third term

Senator Bill Nelson (D) easily defeated Republican Connie Mack despite early GOP hopes and polls that suggested Nelson was vulnerable.

Florida Senator Bill Nelson

Nelson won the race with more than 55 percent of the vote (55-42), earning his third term in office.

Nelson vowed to continue working to break through Washington’s partisan divide.

“What I will try to continue to do as I have through my entire elected public life is to try reach across the aisle and bring people together and reach consensus so we can govern this country,” Nelson said in his victory speech.

“I am very proud of the campaign that we ran,” Connie Mack said.

“We did the right things. We talked about patriotism, we talked about dreams, we talked about freedom, we talked about the future of America.”

While Florida voters were nearly evenly split on President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, Nelson was a clear favorite despite a campaign that was relatively less active.