Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) may take post in Bush cabinet

Well, it seems Dubya has finally followed through on his post-election promise to reach out to Democrats .. by raiding Democratic senators in red states with Republican governors.  

Ben Nelson is reportedly at the top of the short list to replace Ann Veneman as secretary of agriculture.  If he leaves, Republican Mike Johanns would appoint a Republican to replace him, bringing the GOP one vote closer to the magic 60. Nelson is up for re-election in 2006, and his anticipated opponent is Johanns (term-limited).  It would be a very tough race, but Nelson (himself a former governor) has pulled it off before.  Still, I could see why he'd take the job.

Link and more info here.

Highlights:

President Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove, spoke to Nelson about the possibility in a telephone conversation last Friday, according to the two sources familiar with their conversation. Nelson has thus far declined to accept what the sources described as an offer or solicitation.

Nelson told CNN he could not confirm or deny that an offer from Rove was made, adding that he is "happy" in his current job.

But when pressed as to whether he would consider the job if Bush offered it, Nelson said, "Any time the president talks, you listen."

...

Nelson, 63, a former two-term governor, faces a potentially tough re-election race in 2006, running as a Democrat in a state that Bush carried by 33 points. However, the Nebraska moderate has been willing to cross the aisle to support Bush's agenda, including his tax cuts and the war in Iraq.

Given Nelson's past work with the administration, a senior administration aide said he had "certainly the profile of someone we would look at" because of his past experience as a governor. He also hails from a major farm state.