Former Governor Ricketts takes seat in the Senate
Jim Pillen announces Ben Sasse’s successor
Newly-elected Governor Jim Pillen announced that former Governor Pete Ricketts will be assuming the position of State Senator on Thursday, January 12. Ricketts assumed the position on Monday, January 23.
The seat was occupied by Ben Sasse, who announced his retirement from the Senate to accept the role of the president of the University of Florida. The appointment was highly expected, due to Ricketts' refusal to name Sasse’s successor, waiting for Pillen to take office.
111 individuals applied for the position including former State Sen. Brett Lindstrom, Pinnacle Bank Chairman Sid Dinsdale, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce President Bryan Slone, and lawyer Ann Ashford. Nine of the candidates were interviewed by Pillen, all of whom were Republicans.
In his announcement, Pillen stated that he chose Ricketts due to their shared conservative values that, according to Pillen, accurately represent the state’s mindset. He praised Ricketts for a record of tax cuts and controlled spending and emphasized the importance of a “servant heart” and pushing for accountability and government downsizing.
Ricketts has announced his intention to run for the seat, which will be decided by a special election in 2024 and up for reelection in 2026. He spoke about his intention to support strong national defense, hold leaders accountable for waste and fraud, and reduce Chinese influence in geopolitics.
Jim Pillen was elected in November. His campaign was supported by Ricketts who provided over $100,000 in direct contributions and contributed close to $1.3 million to Conservative Nebraska, a political action committee that ran attack ads against Pillen’s opponents. This has led Democrats to critique the appointment, with Nebraska Democratic Party Chairwoman stating, “Gov. Pillen appointed Pete Ricketts in order to pay him back for buying the governor’s seat. This is the most blatant pay-to-play scheme we’ve seen in our state, and it’s happening right in front of us all. Nebraskans deserve a Senator who will work for them, not someone who buys elections as a hobby.” Pillen responded to the criticism by stating that he respects Nebraskans too much to select an individual that he didn’t believe would win in an election.
Rickett’s appointment follows a Nebraska precedent of former governors continuing their political careers in the U.S. Senate. The most recent was Republican Mike Johanns, who was governor from 1995 to 2005 and served as a senator from 2009 to 2015, and Democrat Ben Nelson, who served as governor from 1991 to 1999 and a senator from 2001 to 2013.
By: Aubrey Benton