Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) on Thursday named former governor Pete Ricketts (R) as the replacement for former senator Ben Sasse (R), who resigned from his seat earlier this week to become the president of the University of Florida.
The Post’s Amy B Wang reports that Ricketts served two terms as the state’s governor from 2015 until last week. Term limits prevented Ricketts from seeking reelection last year, and his early endorsement of Pillen from a crowded GOP field helped steer Pillen to the governor’s mansion. Per Amy:
The Post’s Amy B Wang reports that Ricketts served two terms as the state’s governor from 2015 until last week. Term limits prevented Ricketts from seeking reelection last year, and his early endorsement of Pillen from a crowded GOP field helped steer Pillen to the governor’s mansion. Per Amy:
You can read Amy’s full story here.Sasse formally resigned from his seat Sunday. Until Ricketts is sworn in, the Senate remains split 51-48, with Democrats holding a three-seat majority.
Ricketts will serve out two more years of Sasse’s term, then would have to run in a special election in November 2024 to fill out the remaining two years of Sasse’s term.
The Senate faces potential upheaval in 2024, when 23 Senate seats held by Democrats and 10 seats held by Republicans are up for reelection. Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow made a surprise announcement last week that she would not seek reelection in 2024, creating an open Senate seat in the swing state of Michigan.