Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse (R) is officially set to leave Congress early to become the new president of the University of Florida, after unanimous approval from the school's board of trustees this week, setting up a bid to replace him.
In normal circumstances, Gov. Pete Ricketts, the Republican businessman who has been in office since 2015, would name Sasse's replacement. But Ricketts, 58, is the odds-on favorite for the post himself. He previously ran for the Senate in 2006.
"Most of the political observers we talk to locally around the state tell us they expect Gov. Ricketts to be the next senator," Aaron Sanderford, a political reporter with the Nebraska Examiner, told NotedDC. "The biggest advantage he has is people know him everywhere."
Ricketts, who is term-limited, made clear in a statement last month that his successor would ultimately select a replacement for Sasse — and he didn't shy away from indicating his own interest in the job.
"If I choose to pursue the appointment, I will leave the appointment decision to the next governor and will follow the process established for all interested candidates," he said. "It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as the governor of Nebraska. It is the greatest job in the world, and it will remain my number one focus for the remainder of my term."
It sets up a carefully orchestrated timeline. Under Nebraska law, the governor has 45 days from the date of resignation to appoint a new senator to serve the remaining two years of Sasse's term.
According to the University of Florida's announcement of Sasse's hire this week, he's expected to start the new job in "early 2023," giving plenty of wiggle room for his formal resignation from the Senate and allowing for a new governor to be in place.
Ricketts, in a shift away from former President Trump in the GOP gubernatorial primary earlier this year, threw his weight behind Jim Pillen, who secured the Republican nomination and carries a hefty lead heading into next week's general election.
"Clearly Ricketts has wanted it, and there is no one else in the state that really has his sort of stature," Randy Adkins, a political science professor at the University of Nebraska Omaha, told NotedDC.
What they're saying in Nebraska: Ricketts, scion of the billionaire family that holds significant sway in GOP political circles, has built a reputation as a fiscally conservative Republican leader. Several experts described him as a likely reliable vote for the GOP in the Senate, though with an individualistic streak.
"He's been very much what I would call a traditional Republican," Atkins said. "He supported Trump but he's not what I would consider the MAGA-wing of the party. At the same time, he's not in the RINO-wing of the Republican Party."
As an example, Sanderford pointed to how the governor ultimately won a fight over the death penalty — sidestepping state lawmakers through politics and money.
The Nebraska legislature voted to repeal capital punishment in 2015. Ricketts vetoed the bill, but the legislature voted to override his decision. Ricketts then set out on a campaign — spending thousands of his own money — to put the issue to the voters, who ultimately sided with the governor and kept capital punishment.
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