Evaluator hedges on (Ben) Nelson's (D-Ne) low rank

[Omaha Steve]

FULL story reg req: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1673&u_sid=2248482

Published Sunday
September 24, 2006

Evaluator hedges on Nelson's low rank

BY ROBYNN TYSVER


WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

The head of a company that gave U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., a low "power ranking" in Congress says the ratings are unfair to senators like Nelson who work behind the scenes to get things done.

The power rankings by Congress.org have been used by Republican Pete Ricketts to paint Nelson as an "ineffective" senator.

Brad Fitch, head of the company that established the rankings, says that his rating system clearly has limitations and that Nelson would probably score higher as it tries to account, in the future, for the "power of moderates."

For example, Fitch said, his rankings did not take into account Nelson's efforts to help put together the "Gang of 14" - a group of moderate Republicans and Democrats that headed off a filibuster on President Bush's judicial nominees.