Reversing course, former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D) announced today that he will, in fact, run for the open Senate seat in Nebraska. 

Sen. Ben Nelson (D) announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection.

Nati Harnik / AP

Though Kerrey mentions his 'commitment' to Nebraska, Republicans will surely note that Kerrey, for the past decade, has lived in New York City, where he was president of The New School.

Here's Kerrey's statement:

"Doing things the conventional way has never been my strong suit. This afternoon, I will file to become a candidate for the United States Senate in Nebraska. I came to realize that my previous decision was the easy one, not the right one. My commitment to serve Nebraska and America, and to be part of the debate about the challenges we face was too strong to dismiss. My family supports this decision 100%. I look forward to seeing you in the coming weeks. We have a lot of work to do."

Though Kerrey mentions his "commitment" to Nebraska, Republicans will surely note that Kerrey, for the past decade, has lived in New York City, where he was president of The New School.

It's welcome news for Democrats, a day after they got a big target in Maine because of Sen. Olympia Snowe (R) announced she was not seeking reelection.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, at the ready with oppo research on Kerrey's record, dismissed Kerrey as a "liberal" who has lived in "Greenwich Village for so many years" and being "simply out-of-step with Nebraska."

"After making a backroom deal to get Nebraska’s senior senator to vote for ObamaCare, it appears Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid has made a deal with an even more liberal Democrat Bob Kerrey," NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh said. “As Nebraskans reacquaint themselves with Kerrey they will quickly recognize that living in Greenwich Village for so many years tends to change a person. Whether it’s his support for cap-and-trade, his advocacy for a government-run health care system or his desire to raise taxes on Nebraska small businesses, Bob Kerrey is a loyal supporter of the Obama agenda and he’s simply out-of-step with Nebraska.”

Three weeks ago, Kerrey had announced he would not run. He said then:

"I have given the decision of becoming a candidate for the U.S. Senate very serious thought and prayer," Kerrey said in an email, per AP. "For many reasons I nearly said yes. In the end I choose to remain a private citizen. To those who urged me to do so, I am sorry, very sorry to have disappointed you. I hope you understand that I have chosen what I believe is best for my family and me."

If President Obama wins reelection, Republicans need to win a net of four seats to take control of the Senate. If a Republican wins the presidency, the GOP needs to pick up three.

Republicans are favored to win in North Dakota and would have been heavily favored in Nebraska to takeover seats currently held by Democrats. But the entry of Kerrey makes the race competitive and -- at least -- will be someplace Democrats hope Republicans will now have to spend some money and reduce their firepower elsewhere.

There are several toss-up states, for example, where control will likely rest, particularly -- Montana (D-Tester), Missouri (D-McCaskill), Virginia (D-Open), Nevada (R-Open), Massachusetts (R-Brown).

The favorite to win the GOP primary in Nebraska is Attorney General Jon Bruning, but he faces a primary, notably from state Treasurer Don Stenberg.

Kerrey served in the U.S. Senate from 1989 to 2000 and ran for president in 1992. It's not the first time Kerrey's name has come up for a Nebraska Senate seat and he declined.

But he has lived in New York City for the past decade, serving as president of The New School, far from his Nebraska roots. (He's currently President Emeritus at The New School.)

*** UPDATED AT 1:45 PM ET WITH COMMENT FROM RUBIO SPOKESMAN AND CORRECTS TIMELINE***

Quick: What religion is the son of Cuban exiles?

Answer: Roman Catholic, right? Right.

And also Mormon?

That’s right, Marco Rubio, the conservative senator on everyone’s short list for vice president, was a member of the LDS Church in his youth, BuzzFeed reports.

Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

When Rubio's family moved to a suburb of Las Vegas, many in his immediate family converted.

When Rubio's family moved to a suburb of Las Vegas, near cousins who were Mormon, many in his immediate family (but not his father) converted, including Marco. Rubio was baptized in the church when he was 8 and enthusiastically participated in the religion, according to the report.

Rubio spokesman Alex Conant tells First Read BuzzFeed is incorrect that "Rubio's steadfast participation in the Mormon church continued for several years—until his parents decided to move them to Miami." (*** UPDATE *** BuzzFeed has clarified: "The cousins said Rubio's participation in the Mormon church continued for several years, until his parents decided to move them to Miami—though Conant said the family left the church before leaving Nevada.")

In fact, Conant said, "He left the church when he was 11 or 12, he received his first communion in 1984 when he was 13, and they didn’t move back to Miami until the next year, in 1985."

BuzzFeed’s McKay Coppins writes:

“The revelation adds a new dimension to Rubio's already-nuanced religious history—and could complicate his political future at a time when many Republicans see him as the odds-on favorite for the 2012 vice presidential nod. Vice presidential candidates are traditionally chosen to provide ethnic and religious balance to a ticket. Mitt Romney's Mormonism and Rubio's Catholic faith would already mean the first two members of minority traditions on a Republican ticket in American history. Rubio's Mormon roots could further complicate that calculation.”

NBC Latino reports that a former Rubio campaign staffer said this should have no bearing on whether the Florida senator's picked as VP and that he is a "devout Catholic":

“It should not affect it at all, that is totally unfair,” says Bertica Cabrera Morris, who ran Senator Rubio’s campaign in Central Florida and is a Senior Advisor to the Romney campaign, as well as a member of Romney’s Hispanic Steering Committee.

“Marco is a devout Catholic,” Cabrera Morris adds. “The first thing he did when he was confirmed as a Senator was have a Mass,” she adds. “His whole life is about faith.”

And Cabrera-Morris said:

"His family attended the church for a few years.  He went with his family.”

One of the cousins described Marco to BuzzFeed, though, as being “totally into it.”

“Over the years, he and his cousins frequented LDS youth groups, attended church most Sundays—often walking to the chapel because his mother didn't know how to drive—and latched on to the mainstream Mormon culture that was easily accessible in LDS-heavy Nevada.

“For example, when they were in elementary school, Rubio formed a singing group with Michelle and his sister that would put on performances for extended family. Their inspiration? The Osmonds, of course.”

But all that changed when the family was going to move to Miami.

“Rubio was just reaching high school age when his family relocated, and [cousin] Mo [Denis] speculates that their transition to an area with fewer Mormons likely took its toll.”

A Rubio spokesmantold BuzzFeed “that Rubio never requested to have his name removed from the LDS Church's records, which means officially, the church is likely still counting him as a member.”

And:

“While Rubio continues to identify as a Conservative Roman Catholic, he frequently attends a non-denominational Baptist church with his family in Florida. As his notoriety increases, both communities have sought to lay claim to the rising political star, with little resistance from Rubio himself. In fact, the politician has cooperated for profiles in both the Catholic Advocate, and the Evangelical World Magazine—granting pitch-perfect interviews to each.”

NBC Latino also talked to Ignacio García, a professor at Brigham Young University and a Latino Mormon. García said, NBC Latino writes, "it is not surprising that the Rubio family attended a Mormon church when they lived in Nevada."

"Unless you are hiding under a rock,” García said, “a Latino family in Nevada would have been approached by Mormons, who are welcoming to Latinos, especially immigrants.”

In fact, LDS Church leaders have told NBC News that Latinos are a growth area for the church and are more progressive on immigration policy than on other church policies, like abortion, for example.

Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele has said on MSNBC on various occasions that Florida's GOP primary is not winner-take-all.

That's not the case. Florida is winner-take-all. But it is true that Florida might potentially wind up being proportional. But a lot has to happen for that to be the case.

Here's why there is some confusion -- this is all based on the current RNC's interpretation of the rules (more on that below).

The only way how delegates are allocated changes is if an aggrieved Florida resident challenges the interpretation and the RNC's contest committee rules in that party's favor.

So, (1) Right now it's winner take all, (2) It's potentially possible that at some point the way the delegates will be allocated is overturned.

But again: (1) That's not the CURRENT rule, and (2) If there was a change, it wouldn't happen until the August convention.

"The Florida state party submitted a plan to the RNC that included Winner Take All delegate allocation," an RNC official told First Read "They lost 50 percent of their delegates because they submitted a WTA plan before the stated April 1st rule date. The only way for Florida's delegate allocation to change from winner take all at this point is for a resident of Florida to bring a contest to the RNC meeting in Tampa this summer and the contest committee will review it. Just because a contest is brought to the committee doesn't mean the committee will rule in their favor."

To better understand this, let's get into the details:

Florida violated two clauses within one rule (Rule 15b).

1. Going too early (before March 6), and
2. Submitting a plan for a winner-take-all contest even though no state that goes before April 1 should be winner-take-all.

The reason Florida was allowed to continue to have a winner-take-all contest is, because, according to the RNC's interpretation of the enforcement rule (16a), Florida only violated one rule (two clauses within the same rule, but still one rule). 16a talks about what happens if a state violates 15b, not two portions of 15b, according to their interpretation.

"It's a technicality, but, technically, it's one rule they broke -- not two separate ones," another RNC official said.

Again, it's POSSIBLE that the contest committee takes up a challenge, and it's possible that they would then revert to making Florida's allocation proportional. But it is incorrect to say that "currently" the rule IS proportional. It is winner take all.

RULE NO. 15
Election, Selection, Allocation, or Binding of
Delegates and Alternate Delegates

(b) Timing.* (Revised language was adopted
by the Republican National Committee on August 6,
2010)

(1) No primary, caucus, or
convention to elect, select, allocate, or bind delegates to
the national convention shall occur prior to the first
Tuesday in March in the year in which a national
convention is held. Except Iowa, New Hampshire,
South Carolina, and Nevada may begin their processes
at any time on or after February 1 in the year in which a
national convention is held and shall not be subject to
the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this rule.

(2) Any presidential primary,
caucus, convention, or other meeting held for the
purpose of selecting delegates to the national
convention which occurs prior to the first day of April
in the year in which the national convention is held,
shall provide for the allocation of delegates on a
proportional basis.

RULE NO. 16
Enforcement of Rules
(a) If any state or state Republican Party
violates The Rules of the Republican Party relating to
the timing of the election or selection process with the
result that any delegate from that state to the national
convention is bound by statute or rule to vote for a
presidential nominee selected or determined before the
first day of the month in which that state is authorized
by Rule No. 15(b) to vote for a presidential candidate
and/or elect, select, allocate, or bind delegates or
alternate delegates to the national convention, the
number of delegates to the national convention from
that state shall be reduced by fifty percent (50%), and
the corresponding alternate delegates also shall be
reduced by the same percentage. Any sum presenting a
fraction shall be increased to the next whole number.
No delegation shall be reduced to less than two (2)
delegates and a corresponding number of alternates.

By NBC’s Ali Weinberg
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Campaigning in South Carolina on Thursday, both Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry visited a hotel ballroom to seek the support of a crucial coalition here, as well as in Iowa: Evangelical pastors.

They were both featured speakers at the Pastors Policy Briefing, a gathering of roughly 400 church leaders hosted by the South Carolina Renewal Project, a branch of an under-the-radar evangelical group that holds similar events in other major primary states.

Gingrich and Perry– one recently thrust into the glare of public favor, the other trying to get back in it – gave speeches that demonstrated vastly different levels of comfort with religious rhetoric.

“A message that would fit in”

Shortly before Gingrich took the podium, the pastors watched a video about The Response, a prayer meeting hosted by Perry in Texas, spinoff versions of which are being planned in Iowa and South Carolina.

Gingrich first seemed to acknowledge that the tone of the revival-style gathering was one he was less familiar with.

“I was trying to think about a message that would fit in with the Response,” he said.

He spoke, as he has at many campaign events, about America’s founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Federalist Papers. Not mentioned: the Bible.

In fact, his speech was mostly free of religious references, save his belief that there will be “a great awakening in the sense of Whitefield,” an influential revivalist preacher in the mid-1700’s.

“I think that there will, in fact, be an astonishing desire by the American people to pursue freedom in a spiritual way,” he continued.

Gingrich did ask for the audience’s prayers when he described his presidential ambitions, seemingly still coming to terms with the possibility of his own success.  

“The most sobering thing that has happened to me this year is the very real possibility I’ll end up as president,” he said. “It’s one thing to run. That’s a big jump. Then you think you might be the Republican candidate. That’s a big jump. The other thing to think is as a Republican candidate you might beat Barack Obama. That’s pretty big. Then you suddenly realize if those three things happen, I would then have to serve as president,” he said.

Some of those in the audience seemed skeptical of Gingrich’s immigration policy, which would allow some longtime illegal residents of the U.S. to stay here. Gingrich addressed those concerns during a question-and-answer session after his speech.

“These are people who would be married, have children, grandchildren, have ties in your communities, may well be in some of your churches, candidly,” he said.

“I think churches would become sanctuaries,” he added, making a compassionate appeal. “I think you would find people who would just say, ‘we’re not going to let you take our church members away.’”

Gingrich was also asked whether he would “seek God first” when making decisions as president.

“I feel like I have to do that,” Gingrich said simply, to scattered “amens.”

“That is my message”

Unlike Gingrich, who added a few mentions of revival and prayer to an otherwise standard speech, Perry tailored his entire address to his Evangelical audience – clearly a group with which he was comfortable.

“A lot of those that criticized said it’s not the role of a public official to be involved calling people together to pray,” he said of hosting The Response. “This wasn’t about me. This was about Him.”

Sprinkling Biblical passages throughout his speech, he said that he keeps Joshua 1:9 (“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged…”) behind his desk at the statehouse.

“That is my message,” he said, displaying none of Gingrich’s apparent difficulty in finding a topic of discussion.

Perry also related some Biblical figures to himself. “Even if you suffer for righteousness sake, you are blessed,” Perry said, quoting from the book of Peter.

“It wasn’t lost on me about who said that: Brother Peter,” Perry said, pastors nodding in understanding. “Peter whose mouth sometimes seemed to work faster than his brain. I can really relate to Peter,” he continued, the audience laughing with him.

His speech also took a turn for the biographical, speaking about his mother’s influence on his spirituality.

“If there was a revival within driving distance, we were there,” he said. “I say, Jesus Christ is the reason I’m saved by his grace, but it was my momma who helped me get there,” he said, jokingly.

Perry struck a humble tone when speaking of his own presidential prospects. “I know whether this journey leads me to Washington D.C or it leads me back to Austin, Texas, I know His will will be done,” he said.

But while his fate may rest in the hands of God, Perry also applied his new consultant-made, Evangelical-friendly campaign strategy.

“We have an administration that is, from my perspective, engaged in a war against religion,” he said, slamming Obama’s policies on abortion, gay marriage and gays serving openly in the military.

Perry also briefly took on Gingrich, when he was asked to weight in on the suggestion that some illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in the U.S. “Newt and I disagree on that issue. I’m not for amnesty in any form or fashion,” he said.

While Gingrich tried for a compassionate appeal, saying some pastors might have illegal immigrants in their churches, Perry seemed to avoid looking “soft” on the issue, calling his Texas DREAM Act, in which some illegal immigrants can pay in-state college tuition, “a state sovereignty issue,” steering clear of his past assertion that the law’s opponents are heartless.

He also took an aggressive tone on border security.

“When I’m the president of the United States, within 12 months, that border will be secure and shut down. Count on it!” he said, his tone noticeably harder. “I’m sorry. I get a little bit…” he trailed off as the audience drowned him in applause.

While Gingrich received a light ovation for saying that he felt that he would “have to” be guided by God in the White House, Perry’s answer to a similar question was more enthusiastically received.

“I told my congregation that I would endorse the man that would not compromise his faith. Are you that man? “ A pastor asked Perry.

“I’m not answering you. I’m answering to the Lord Jesus Christ. Because I’ve already answered that question for him, and that answer is yes,” he said.

But addressing a room of Evangelicals did leave Perry vulnerable to questions about Mormonism, the faith of two of his presidential opponents. At the very end of the question-and-answer portion, Perry was urged to “say Mormonism is a cult.”

As some members of the audience applauded, Perry left the stage without saying a word.

A parting image

Both Gingrich and Perry participated in a group prayer after their speeches, in which the pastors were invited to approach the candidates, lay their hands on them and worship.

Standing on the podium, Gingrich was flanked by a few pastors, who, heads bowed, reached for his shoulders as Luis Cataldo, a minister who hosted The Response with Perry, said a prayer.

But Perry, who had left the stage by the time the prayer began, attracted many more pastors to his side. Kneeling, he was almost completely concealed by those surrounding him as Cataldo began the prayer.

When the prayer was over, Perry rose slowly, hugging and shaking the hands of those who surrounded him with an ease that suggested that for Perry, unlike for Gingrich, this gathering was as familiar to him as those revivals his mother used to bring him to. 

NASHUA, N.H. -- Newt Gingrich declared that the congressional "Super Committee's collapse" would be "good for America."

"I think it's going to fail,” Gingrich said at a campaign stop at Rivier College. “And I think it should fail, because it's exactly wrong.”

Today is considered the final day for Democrats and Republicans to agree on a plan that would need pass before Thanksgiving in order to avoid automatic spending cuts to Defense and social programs.

"It's not that Washington is inherently gridlocked,” the former Speaker contended. “It is that the current players are behaving in the current way are inherently gridlocked. It's partially president's fault, partially Congress's fault, but it's a mess.”

He added, "They were trying to break out of the mess by being, in my judgment, even dumber -- that is creating a committee of 12 picked by the political leadership to magically get in a room to come up something that 535 couldn't solve. It's profoundly the wrong direction.... It's a major reason I am running for president.”

As for what he would propose if he were in office, Gingrich was unclear. He said he encourages every subcommittee to revisit their budgets and cut spending, and he does not support repealing the Bush tax cuts.

"I'm in favor of not raising any taxes on an economy that has 9% unemployment," he said. "The reason is simple -- we know how to create jobs."

Gingrich, whose campaign team quit on him months ago and was low on resources, has ridden his debate performances -- and benefited from the stumbles of rivals -- to higher poll numbers both nationally and in New Hampshire. Today, he attempted to distinguish himself from the rest of the GOP field and make a general-election argument focused on those debate performances.

"If you stop and ask yourself, 'It's October of 2012, we get to the debates -- who do you want to have debate Obama to draw clarity between the various lies he will be telling and the truth?'” Gingrich said. “And I think most people end up thinking I'm a better debater than my friends are.”

Gingrich also slammed Obama on spending and leadership, calling his administration "a 16-year-old with the first credit-card kind of problem."

On immigration, Gingrich quipped, "FedEx and UPS track 24 million packages…. They allow you to track them at no extra cost. The federal government cannot currently find a million people," he said to laughter. "FedEx and UPS can track packages while they're moving; the federal government can't find people when they're sitting still! My policy is send everybody a package."

By NBC's Alex Moe and Garrett Haake

DES MOINES-- Without media or fanfare, last week Mitt Romney took yet another quiet, but meaningful, step towards making a full-fledged play to win Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses: his campaign opened an official headquarters office here in the Hawkeye State.

“We’ve got a lot of volunteers and more activity as the caucuses approach and we thought it was time to get a little more space," David Kochel, Romney's top adviser in Iowa, told NBC News. "We opened the office several days ago. We don’t plan any grand opening events there.”

Romney's five paid Iowa staffers had previously been operating out of a small workspace at Kochel's consulting firm. Paid staff in Iowa will not be expanding, Kochel also noted.

The decision not to open the office with a ribbon-cutting rally or a stirring speech by the candidate is in keeping with Romney's demonstrated Iowa strategy thus far: keep the people wanting more.

Romney has campaigned in Iowa only three times since announcing his current run for the presidency, a far cry from his immersion strategy of 2008, in which he spent north of $10 million dollars and much of his time in Iowa. Romney, then a little-known former governor from a Northeastern state, had work to do just to raise his name recognition. Now, despite his comparative scarcity in the state, Romney leads or sits in a close second in nearly every statewide poll.

Romney's Iowa strategy has been the subject of reams of criticism, speculation and analysis by media pundits and other politicians. This week, the state's long-time Governor Terry Branstad, whose weekend birthday party will be attended by every candidate, save Romney, took a shot of his own.

“The advisers in Boston don’t get it,” Branstad said Wednesday in Des Moines. “They have that East Coast mentality... I think he’s making a big mistake by not coming here and spending more time."

Doug Gross, an unaffiliated Republican consultant here, who ran Romney's Iowa effort in 2008, believes the former Massachusetts governor's decision to not to run a more traditional ground-game in Iowa will hurt him with the state's voters, who take their role in vetting candidates very seriously.

"When a candidate like Mitt Romney only comes out here very infrequently, tries to ride sort of on the national polls and national debates, and then comes out here and doesn’t take questions or answer questions of the media either, it doesn’t suit us well," Gross said. "We think that person is, in a job interview, refusing to answer questions.”

Slowly but surely, that approach seems to be changing. Romney's campaign did not dispute reports they were shooting a television ad on their last trip to Iowa, and this Wednesday, when most candidates will be "down" for Thanksgiving, Romney will return to the Hawkeye state once again to campaign. The caucuses will be forty days away. 

URBANDALE, Iowa -- Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich acknowledged an extended consulting relationship with mortgage giant Freddie Mac, though he said he couldn't verify just how much he or his firm received in fees.

Gingrich denied having lobbied on behalf of the mortgage giant, but said his staff was looking into a Bloomberg News report that said Gingrich "made between $1.6 and $1.8 million in consulting fees" in his work for Freddie Mac between 1999 and 2008.

Gingrich said that his staff was poring through records, which he suggested they might make public, to calculate the exact amount of money paid by Freddie Mac for Gingrich's services.

"All I can tell you is that Gingrich Group was paid in the amount, I don't know what the amount is," Gingrich said at an energy forum sponsored by Politico in Des Moines.

Gingrich said at a separate event in Urbandale that not all of the money had been paid to him; his firm, Gingrich Group, received some of the consulting fees.

"I offered strategic advice over a long period of time," the former Speaker said in Urbandale. He also confirmed that he had only consulted for Freddie, and had never worked with Fannie Mae, the other troubled lender.

If accurate, the Bloomberg story would suggest that Gingrich received much more than was originally thought, and for a more extended period of time. Gingrich was asked about his work for Freddie in 2006 -- for which he earned $300,000 -- at a debate last week in Michigan. He said it was for consulting in his capacity as a historian, and Gingrich denied having been employed as a lobbyist.

Alex Moe/NBC News

Newt Gingrich before speaking at The Machine Shed in Urbandale, Iowa Wednesday morning.

"I have never done any lobbying. Every contract was written during the period when I was out of the office, specifically said I would do no lobbying, and I offered advice," he said at the debate, which was hosted by CNBC.

It was a sentiment Gingrich's spokesman, R.C. Hammond, reiterated on Wednesday.

"The Gingrich Group provided consulting for Freddie – there were a series of contracts. He provided strategic advice … he would meet with them on a monthly basis about problems an he would come back to them about solutions. He never lobbied. He never directly contacted lawmakers on their behalf," Hammond told NBC News.

Hammond said that the campaign will release a list of clients the Gingrich Group had maintained, along with how much each company paid for the firm's services. The campaign will also report the annual revenue of the Gingrich Group.

Gingrich also said at that debate that he warned that the subprime mortgage practices that Freddie and its counterpart, Fannie, were helping support were leading to a housing bubble. Both companies are now under the conservatorship of the federal government, a practice which has drawn the ire of conservatives who charge the government with propping up failed companies at taxpayer expense.

The Bloomberg story said that Gingrich's initial contract with Freddie Mac started in 1999, shortly after he resigned both the Speakership and his seat in Congress. Gingrich's work was meant to encourage homeownership.

Gingrich said he favored expanded housing, but only in a responsible way (i.e., not through methods pursued by Fannie and Freddie during the 2000s).

"I favor people who need help getting housing if it's done in a prudent way. That's public record. I give speeches all over about that," the former Speaker said in Des Moines.