Nebraska governor will vie for Senate appointment after Sasse resignation

Outgoing Nebraska Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts will seek the appointment to replace Nebraska Republican Sen. Ben Sasse, who is resigning early next month.

The governor made his interest in the seat official in a statement Tuesday, where he said he would send an application to incoming GOP Gov. Jim Pillen (who Ricketts endorsed to replace him) as part of the appointment process.

"For me, it came down to a single question: How can I best serve the people of Nebraska and advance our conservative values? In Congress, we're in a fight for the future of our nation, and it's a fight we have to win," he said.

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"I want to continue delivering results for our state, fighting to reduce taxes, grow our economy, defend our liberties and run government more like a business. I'll never stop working to get the job done, and thats why I'm asking for Governor-elect Pillen's consideration."

As the outgoing governor (he was prevented by term limits from running for another term) and a top political ally of the incoming governor, Ricketts is a favorite for the appointment. Sasse, who is leaving the Senate to lead the University of Florida, is resigning effective Jan. 8, 2023.

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Asked about the optics of Ricketts asking for an appointment from an incoming governor who he backed both financially and politically, Ricketts said during a Tuesday press conference: "I will make my case for why I think I would be the best applicant when I have the chance to talk to Governor-elect Pillen about it.”

"I'm going to be an applicant like everyone else," he added.

Sasse won re-election in 2020, which means his term lasts until 2026. Whoever Pillen appoints will fill the seat for the next two years, with the state holding a special election in 2024, with the winner of that race finishing the last two years of Sasse's term.