Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning (R) announced this morning that he would form an exploratory committee for the 2012 U.S. Senate election to challenge Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), the Omaha World Herald reports.
His announcement came a day after Gov. Dave Heineman (R) said that he would skip the race and serve his full four-year term as governor.
The news is also insurance for Senate Democrats who worry Nelson might switch parties. With Bruning already in the race, it's unlikely Nelson could win a GOP primary.