Newsweek’s Zoe Strozewski examines the ramifications of Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse’s upcoming decision to vacate his position only 2 years into his second term to become president of the University of Florida. Will Nebraska’s next Governor name an America First lawmaker to the position, or will our state’s present Governor, Pete Ricketts, an establishment “in name only” Republican, be named instead?
Who Will Replace Trump Impeacher Senator Ben Sasse in Nebraska?
Zoe Strozewski – Oct 7
Among the names listed in an initial wave of speculation on Thursday were Nebraska GOP Representatives Mike Flood and Don Bacon, as well as outgoing Governor Pete Ricketts. Under Nebraska law, the state’s governor is responsible for filling vacancies in Nebraska’s representation in the U.S. Senate.
Geoff Lorenz, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, told Newsweek that Ricketts, a Republican who is not seeking reelection because of a term limit, is the most likely person to fill Sasse’s seat.
“I’d expect that this would happen after the new governor—who will almost certainly be Republican nominee Jim Pillen, a close Ricketts ally—takes office in January,” Lorenz said.
Ricketts endorsed Pillen in January in a notable break with Trump and even argued that Herbster wasn’t fit for the job.
Pillen won the GOP gubernatorial primary in May this year, beating out a Trump-endorsed candidate, Charles Herbster. Ricketts endorsed Pillen in January in a notable break with Trump and even argued that Herbster wasn’t fit for the job.
“While I agree with President Trump on many things, I strongly disagree that Charles Herbster is qualified to be our next governor,” Ricketts said, according to the Associated Press. Read the rest here
It will be a very sad day for Nebraska voters if last spring’s character attack against Charles Herbster was part of a larger plan to not only propel Jim Pillen to a Primary election victory and likely a general election victory, but to also position Mr. Pillen to then name Mr. Ricketts as the replacement for the departing Senator Ben Sasse.
