Arlene Nelson

Arlene B. Nelson (July 15, 1925 – August 22, 2017) was a Democratic politician from Nebraska who served as a member of the Nebraska Legislature from the 35th district from 1985 to 1993.

Early career Nelson was born in 1925 in Doniphan, Nebraska. She graduated from Trumbull High School, and worked as a sales manager for Morton Aircraft in Omaha from 1942 to 1946, and as a bookkeeper for the Twin Rivers Company in Grand Island from 1946 to 1953. From 1983 to 1984, Nelson worked as a program assistant for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service. In the primary election, Nelson placed first over Peterson in a landslide, receiving 62 percent of the vote to his 38 percent, which observers suggested was because of Peterson's rhetoric during the impeachment debate and for seeing things "in absolutes" in the Senate. In the general election, Nelson defeated Peterson by a wide margin, winning 56–44 percent.

Nelson ran for re-election in 1988, and was challenged by Hall County Supervisor Gary Quandt. In the primary election, Nelson received 60 percent of the vote to Quandt's 40 percent. In the general election, she defeated Quandt in a landslide, winning 60–40 percent. She was challenged by businessmen Bill Bremer and Dan Fisher. In the primary election, Nelson placed first, receiving 43 percent of the vote to Fisher's 32 percent and Bremer's 25 percent. Nelson and Fisher advanced to the general election, where Fisher defeated Nelson by a wide margin, winning 59 percent of the vote to her 41 percent.