Former Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts was appointed by his successor to fill out a term in the United States Senate.
Gov. Jim Pillen on Jan. 12 selected Ricketts to replace Sen. Ben Sasse, 50, who had resigned to become president of the University of Florida this month. Ricketts, 58, will hold the seat until a special election in 2024. Ricketts recently completed his second term as governor. All three men are Republicans.
"Pete Ricketts fits the bill," Pillen said. "He is hard-working, a positive leader, and someone who advocates for conservative and Christian values. Pete has a proven record of serving the state, both in times of plenty and in times of crisis. These are the attributes that he will take with him on his journey to Washington."
In total, 111 applicants applied for the seat. Nine candidates were interviewed.
Pillen listed five criteria for his process in identifying the right candidate:
• Someone who would represent the state’s values and ideals;
• Someone who understood the nature of the job and could hit the ground running;
• Someone who would garner support from Nebraskans across the state;
• Someone who was committed and wanted the position for the long term; and
• Someone who would bring enthusiasm to the role and do what’s best for Nebraska.
Ricketts said he looks forward to representing Nebraskans in the Senate.
“I’m humbled and honored by this unexpected opportunity to continue serving the people of Nebraska,” Ricketts said. “It’s never been more important that we advance Nebraska’s interests and commonsense, conservative values in Congress, and that’s what my focus will be."
Sasse had been a senator the past eight years.
In his farewell address on Jan. 3 he noted his concerns for a more civil discussion to solve issues that matter to Nebraskans and Americans.
“Let there be debates across the continuum from far left to center left, to center right to far right. Debate policy with vigor, but we need a different kind of moderation. We need a Senate that is characterized by tonal and dispositional moderation,” Sasse said. “And tonal and dispositional moderation flows chiefly from humility, and wisdom, and for an awareness that we are ensouled and that souls cannot be coerced; and a government that recognizes and respects us as souls should elicit from each of us great gratitude. In this moment, what we need as a nation more than anything else, is more gratitude; not more grievance. We Americans have been given so much to be thankful for. We are blessed with a limited government that exists to protect historic freedoms.”
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
