Pete Ricketts

Susanne Shore

​

(m. 1997)​

Pete Ricketts
Official portrait, 2023
United States Senator from Nebraska
Incumbent
Assumed office January 12, 2023 Servingwith Deb Fischer
Children	3
Parent	Joe Ricketts (father)
Relatives	Thomas S. Ricketts (brother) Laura Ricketts (sister) Todd Ricketts (brother)
Education	University of Chicago (BA, MBA)
Awards	2016 World Series champion
Website	Senate website

John Peter Ricketts (born August 19, 1964) is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Nebraska since 2023. ^[1] A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 40th governor of Nebraska from 2015 to 2023.

Ricketts is the eldest son of Joe Ricketts, founder of TD Ameritrade. He is also, with other family members, a part owner of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs. ^[2] Ricketts unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2006, losing to incumbent Ben Nelson. He ran for governor of Nebraska in 2014, and after narrowly winning the six-way Republican primary, defeated Democratic Party nominee Chuck Hassebrook, 57% to 39%. He was reelected in 2018, defeating Democratic nominee Bob Krist, 59% to 41%. As governor, Ricketts approved various budgets and tax cuts. He was also a firm supporter of capital punishment, and in 2018 the state carried out its first execution since 1997.

Ricketts left office after his second term as governor expired on January 5, 2023; several days later he was appointed to the U.S. Senate by his gubernatorial successor, Jim Pillen, to fill the vacancy created when Ben Sasse resigned to become president of the University of Florida. ^[3] Ricketts was elected to complete Sasse's term in the 2024 special election, in which he faced Democratic nominee Preston Love Jr. He has announced he intends to seek a full Senate term in 2026. ^{[1] [4]}

Early life

Ricketts was born in Nebraska City on August 19, 1964, the oldest of four children of Joe Ricketts and Marlene (Volkmer) Ricketts. The family later moved to Omaha. Joe Ricketts founded First Omaha Securities in 1975, one of the first discount stockbrokers in the United States. It prospered, changing its name to Ameritrade, going public in 1997, and changing its name to TD Ameritrade after acquiring TD Waterhouse in 2006. ^{[5] [6] [7] [8]} Marlene was a teacher.

Ricketts and his siblings, Tom, Laura, and Todd, all attended Westside High School in Omaha, from which Ricketts graduated in 1982. He attended the University of Chicago, receiving a BA in biology in 1986 and an MBA in marketing and finance in 1991. ^{[5] [6] [7] [9] [10]}

Business career

After completing graduate school, Ricketts returned to Omaha. He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for a year, then as a salesman for a Chicago environmental consultant. In 1993, he went to work for his father's business, initially in the call center for a few months, and subsequently appointed by his father to a number of executive positions, ultimately becoming the company's chief operating officer during his father's tenure as CEO. In a 2006 report, he stated his net worth at between $45 million and $50 million. ^{[11] [12] [13]}

Ricketts in 2013

In 1997, Ricketts married Susanne Shore. A native of Garden City, Kansas, Shore grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and earned a bachelor's degree in English and then an MBA from Oklahoma State University. After a stint working for the dean of students at the University of South Dakota, she came to Omaha to complete a one-year course in nursing at Creighton University. At the time of her marriage to Ricketts, she was working as a nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital in Omaha. Ricketts and Shore have three children. ^{[14] [15]}

In 2006, Ricketts left Ameritrade to run for the U.S. Senate. After his loss to incumbent Ben Nelson, he returned to the company's board, remaining until the Ricketts family relinquished its board seats in 2016. ^{[12] [16]}

In 2007, Ricketts co-founded, and became director and president of the Platte Institute for Economic Research, which he called a "free market think tank", ^[17] and which Nebraska newspapers have called "conservative". ^{[12] [18]} He resigned from the organization in 2013 to concentrate on his 2014 gubernatorial campaign. From 2007 to 2012, Ricketts was a national committeeman for the Republican National Committee; from 2007 to 2013, he was a trustee of the American Enterprise Institute. ^{[18] [19]}

Sports

In 2009, the Ricketts family trust bought the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB) from Tribune Media. Ricketts stepped down from the Cubs' board of directors in 2019 to focus on being governor. ^[20]

World Series champion

As part owner of the Cubs, Ricketts has a 2016 World Series title to his credit, as they won the championship that year, defeating the Cleveland Indians. ^{[2] [6] [21] [22]}

Governor of Nebraska (2015–2023)

Ricketts campaigning for governor with a crowd of supporters, July 2014

Elections

2014

Main article: 2014 Nebraska gubernatorial election

Final results by county in 2014:

  Pete Ricketts

•   80–90%
•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%
•   40–50%

  Chuck Hassebrook

•   50–60%
•   40–50%

In the 2014 election, Ricketts ran for the Nebraska governorship. The incumbent, Dave Heineman, was barred by Nebraska's term-limits law from running for reelection. ^[23] Two candidates considered strong contenders for the Republican nomination withdrew by early 2013: Lieutenant Governor Rick Sheehy, who was embroiled in a scandal; and Speaker of the Legislature Mike Flood, whose wife had been diagnosed with cancer. ^[24] Ricketts officially joined the race in September 2013, at which point he and state auditor Mike Foley were regarded as the front-runners in a race that also included State Senators Charlie Janssen, Beau McCoy, and Tom Carlson. ^[25] In February 2014, Janssen withdrew, ^[26] and Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning declared his candidacy. Despite his late entrance, Bruning supplanted Ricketts as the perceived front-runner. ^[27]

Ricketts won the May 2014 primary with 26.6% of the vote to Bruning's 25.5%, McCoy's 20.9%, Foley's 19.2%, Carlson's 4.1%, and Omaha attorney Bryan Slone's 3.7%. ^[28] In the general election, Ricketts faced Chuck Hassebrook, who had run unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Hassebrook was a former member of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, and former director of the Center for Rural Affairs, which calls itself "a leading nonprofit organization with a national reputation for progressive rural advocacy and policy work". ^{[29] [30]} Ricketts advocated tax reductions; Hassebrook argued that Ricketts's proposed cuts would primarily benefit the rich and deprive the state of funds for what he called needed public services. Ricketts opposed the proposed expansion of Medicaid under the provisions of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Hassebrook favored the expansion. Ricketts opposed an increase in the state's minimum wage; Hassebrook supported it. ^[29]

Over the course of the general-election campaign, Ricketts outspent Hassebrook by a considerable margin. In the last spending report filed before the election, he stated that he had loaned his campaign $930,000, and that the organization had spent about $6 million. Hassebrook reported expenditures of slightly more than $2.5 million. ^[31]

In the general election, Ricketts received 57.1% of the vote to Hassebrook's 39.2%. Libertarian Mark G. Elworth Jr. received 3.5%, and write-in votes accounted for 0.1%. ^[32]

2018

Main article: 2018 Nebraska gubernatorial election

Final results by county in 2018:

  Pete Ricketts

•   >90%
•   80–90%
•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

   Bob Krist

•   50–60%

On June 5, 2017, Ricketts announced his candidacy for reelection. During his speech, he said "lowering property taxes" would be his main concern if he were reelected. He also asked Nebraskans to "rehire" Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley. ^[33] Ricketts was reelected on November 6 with 59.0% ^[34] of the vote.

Tenure

Ricketts was inaugurated as the 40th governor of Nebraska at the Nebraska State Capitol on January 8, 2015. ^{[35] [36] [37]}

2015 session

Among the "most significant" ^[38] actions the legislature took in its 2015 session were three bills that passed over Ricketts's veto. LB268 repealed the state's death penalty; LB623 reversed the state's previous policy of denying driver's licenses to people who were living illegally in the U.S. after being brought to the country as children, and who had been granted exemption from deportation under the Barack Obama administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; and LB610 increased the tax on gasoline to pay for repairs to roads and bridges. ^{[38] [39] [40]}

After Ricketts's veto of the death-penalty repeal was overridden, capital-punishment proponents launched a petition drive to reverse the legislature's action. Their efforts gathered enough signatures to suspend the repeal until a public vote could be held. Capital-punishment opponents then filed a lawsuit arguing that the petition should be invalidated on the grounds that Ricketts, who had contributed $200,000 to the campaign, was "the primary initiating force" for the petition drive and should have been included in the list of sponsors required by Nebraska law. ^{[41] [42]} In February 2016, a Lancaster County district judge dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that Ricketts's financial support of the petition effort did not ipso facto make him a sponsor. ^{[43] [44] [45]} The plaintiffs appealed the issue to the Nebraska Supreme Court, which upheld the district court's dismissal. ^{[46] [47]} The referendum was held in the 2016 general election and the death penalty was retained with 61.2% of the vote. ^{[48] [49]}

2016 session

In its 2016 session, the legislature passed three bills that Ricketts vetoed. LB580 would have created an independent commission of citizens to draw new district maps following censuses; supporters described it as an attempt to depoliticize the redistricting process, while Ricketts maintained that the bill delegated the legislature's constitutional duty of redistricting to "an unelected and unaccountable board". The bill's sponsor, John Murante, opted not to seek an override of the veto. ^{[50] [51] [52]} A second vetoed bill, LB935, would have changed state audit procedures; it passed by a margin of 37–8, with 4 present and not voting. The bill was withdrawn without an attempt to override the veto; the state auditor agreed to work with Ricketts on a new version for the next year's session. ^{[50] [53]} A third bill, LB947, made DACA beneficiaries eligible for commercial and professional licenses in Nebraska. The bill passed the legislature on a vote of 33–11–5; the veto override passed 31–13–5. ^{[54] [55]}

At the 2016 Republican state convention, Ricketts denounced several legislators who had failed to support his and the party's positions on various bills, and called for the election of more "platform Republicans" to the officially nonpartisan legislature. In response to this, 13 legislators, including five registered Republicans, released a statement in which they accused Ricketts of placing partisanship above principle. One of the signers of the statement, Laura Ebke, changed her registration from Republican to Libertarian shortly thereafter, citing Ricketts's speech as one of the factors that drove her to make the change. ^{[56] [57] [58]}

2017 session

Ricketts speaking at CPAC, February 2017

In its 2017 session, the Ricketts administration merged two agencies. The Department of Transportation was formed from the merging of the Department of Roads and Department of Aeronautics. This merger was led by Senator Friesen. Senator Murante led the merger of the Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Division of Veterans' Homes into the Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs. Ricketts signed both merger bills into law in the spring of 2017.^{[ citation needed ]}

Ricketts signed various bills designed to strengthen Nebraska communities. LB 518 created various grants to counties to construct workforce housing. The legislature also passed 2 anti-abortion bills, the first in his tenure. LB46 created a "Choose Life" license plate, and LB506 provided information about perinatal hospice care to pregnant women diagnosed with a lethal fetal anomaly.^{[ citation needed ]}

2018 session

Ricketts speaking at CPAC, February 2018

In the start of the 2018 to 2019 biannual session, Ricketts highlighted various bills as his key priorities. In 2018, he signed LB 1040, which creates commemorative certificates of nonviable birth for miscarriages. Ricketts said this bill "affirms the pre-born baby's dignity, [and] it also provides closure to mothers, fathers, and families who are grappling with the pain and heartache of losing a child." Ricketts also signed various property and tax relief bills during the session. He vetoed a notable bill, LB350, which would have allowed felons to petition a court to set aside their convictions after serving their sentences. ^[59] Ricketts said, "This bill sends the wrong message to victims of crime and society. It represents poor public policy."^{[ citation needed ]}

2019 session

Ricketts with South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem in 2019

During the legislature's 2019 session, Ricketts approved various budgets and tax cuts. LB 103 stopped automatic property tax increases. Ricketts also spearheaded the project to increase the Property Tax Credit Relief Fund by $51 million for a total of $550 million in direct property tax relief from 2019 to 2021. He merged two state agencies, the Department of Environment and the Department of Energy, into one, the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy.^{[ citation needed ]}

2020 session

In 2020, Ricketts signed numerous laws passed by the legislature, including property and veterans tax relief bills, dismemberment abortion bans, and flood and pandemic relief. In 2020, Ricketts made some workforce reforms, providing a new partnership between Peru State College and the Nebraska Department of Corrections, to provide a path for students to go from the classroom into the corrections workforce. He also signed an infrastructure bill, funding repair of the Gering-Fort Laramie Irrigation Canal after it collapsed in 2019.^{[ citation needed ]}

COVID-19 pandemic

Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Nebraska

In June 2020, Ricketts threatened to withhold $100 million in federal COVID-19 relief if local governments in Nebraska required people who entered courthouses and other local government offices to wear face masks. ^[60] Health experts and authorities had recommended face masks as an effective way to halt the virus's spread. ^[60]

In October 2021, Ricketts ordered Nebraska state agencies not to comply with the federal government's vaccine requirements for employees. ^{[61] [62]}

2021 session

Ricketts during a meeting in 2021

Ricketts called the 2021 session "historic", as it fulfilled multiple priorities he highlighted in his January 2021 State of the State address. These included property and veterans tax relief, broadband infrastructure, and locking in the state's budget. The session limited budget growth to 2.4% annually. Ricketts's veterans tax relief program gave Nebraska veterans a 100% exemption on military retirement benefits. Ricketts signed legislation to support military spouses licensed in another state to obtain teaching permits after moving to Nebraska. He signed into law a bill that gives private schools $3 million in funding for textbook loans and $1 billion to support public K-12 education. Ricketts also passed career scholarship reform, giving public, private, and community colleges and universities state scholarship support.^{[ citation needed ]}

2022 session

After the 2022 legislative session, Ricketts praised the senators for passing legislation on his priorities. The legislature authorized construction of a canal to protect Nebraska's legal entitlement to South Platte River flowing into the state from Colorado. Ricketts also signed bills to further develop Nebraska's water infrastructure, construct new marinas at Lake McConaughy and Lewis and Clark Lake, and create a 3,600-acre reservoir between Lincoln and Omaha.^{[ citation needed ]}

U.S. Senate (2023–present)

2006 election

Main article: 2006 United States Senate election in Nebraska

Final results by county in 2006:

   Ben Nelson

•   70–80%
•   60–70%
•   50–60%

  Pete Ricketts

•   50–60%

Ricketts was the 2006 Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Ben Nelson. His opponents in the primary were former Nebraska Attorney General Don Stenberg and former state Republican chairman David Kramer. Ricketts spent nearly $5 million of his own money, outspending his opponents 10–1 in winning the nomination. ^[63]

Ricketts received some high-profile campaign assistance, most notably from President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Bush appeared at a campaign rally for Ricketts on November 5, 2006, just days before the election, in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Ricketts ran on a conservative platform, emphasizing fiscal responsibility, ^[64] immigration reform, ^[65] and agriculture, ^[66] as well as championing a socially conservative platform opposing same-sex marriage ^[67] and abortion. ^[68] In all, he contributed $11,302,078 of his own money to his campaign, triggering the Millionaire's Amendment, which allowed his opponent to raise larger amounts from each donor. ^{[69] [70]} He spent more money than any Senate candidate in Nebraska history, ^[71] but lost to Nelson by a margin of 36%–64%. ^[72]

Appointment

On January 8, 2023, U.S. Senator Ben Sasse resigned to become president of the University of Florida. ^[73] On January 12, Jim Pillen, who had succeeded Ricketts as governor one week earlier, appointed Ricketts to the Senate. Ricketts's appointment was controversial, as he had financially supported Pillen's 2022 gubernatorial campaign. Pillen denied this had any role in his decision to appoint Ricketts. ^[3] Ricketts was sworn in on January 23, 2023. ^[74] Upon his appointment to the Senate, he announced that he would run in the 2024 special election to serve the remaining two years of Sasse's term. ^[75]

2024 election

Main article: 2024 United States Senate special election in Nebraska

Ricketts is running in the special election to complete the remainder of Sasse's term. ^[76] He faces Democratic nominee Preston Love Jr. ^[77]

Tenure

Ricketts was sworn in as Nebraska's junior U.S. senator by Vice President Kamala Harris on January 23, 2023. ^{[75] [78]}

Committees

Ricketts with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron in December 2023

• Committee on Environment and Public Works
  • Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife
  • Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
• Committee on Foreign Relations
  • Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy
  • Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development
• Special Committee on Aging ^{[79] [80]}

The first three pieces of legislation Ricketts co-sponsored in the Senate were bills to permanently prohibit federal funding for abortion, make it a federal crime for physicians to perform an abortion on a minor from another state without parental consent, and reinstate the in-person dispensing requirement for abortion drugs. ^[81]

In March 2023, Ricketts and fellow Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer visited the U.S.-Mexico border. ^[82] Ricketts criticized President Joe Biden for what he viewed as Biden's failures to address the border security crisis. ^[83] Ricketts views border security as crucial to addressing the ongoing drug crisis. ^[84] He has also co-sponsored legislation to create federal felony murder charges for drug dealers who distribute fentanyl that leads to an overdose death. ^[85]

On the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ricketts has repeatedly criticized the Biden administration for "fumbled diplomacy" and called for a tougher stance against adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party, Iran, and Russia. ^{[86] [87]} Ricketts is a vocal supporter of the U.S.-Israel alliance. ^[88]

Ricketts was the first member of his freshman class to deliver his maiden speech on March 29, 2023. In it, he focused on his belief that "Nebraska is what America is supposed to be" and highlighted his view that Washington D.C. can follow Nebraska's example in running its operations. ^[89]

Political positions

Abortion

Ricketts supports a total ban of abortion, with no exceptions for rape or incest. ^[90]

Affirmative action

Before becoming governor, Ricketts supported an initiative to ban affirmative action in Nebraska, donating $15,000 to a group behind the effort. ^[91]

Critical race theory

In 2021, Ricketts said he opposed critical race theory. Asked to explain what critical race theory was, Ricketts said it was "one that really starts creating those divisions between us about defining who we are based on race and that sort of thing and really not about how to bring us together as Americans rather than—and dividing us and also having a lot of very socialist-type ideas about how that would be implemented in our state." Ricketts also called it "Marxist" and "really un-American." ^[92]

Death penalty

Ricketts supports the death penalty. In 2015, he vetoed a bill to abolish capital punishment in Nebraska, but the legislature overrode his veto. In 2016, Ricketts spent part of his family fortune to finance a referendum to reinstate capital punishment in the state. The referendum passed, and in 2018 the state executed Carey Dean Moore, the first inmate put to death in the state in 21 years. Ricketts, a Catholic, rebuffed calls from the Catholic Church to halt executions. ^{[93] [94]}

Donald Trump

Ricketts criticized the impeachment of Donald Trump over his request that Ukraine start an investigation into his political rival Joe Biden. Ricketts said the impeachment proceedings were a "partisan impeachment parade" and praised the Senate for acquitting Trump. ^[95]

Cannabis

Ricketts opposes legalization of medicinal cannabis. In 2019, he said that its "medicinal value has not been tested", and cited studies suggesting that cannabis adversely affects brain functions. He also pointed to overdoses of the synthetic cannabinoid K2 as a "reminder of how dangerous cannabis can be". ^[96] In 2021, while the Nebraska legislature was contemplating legalizing medical cannabis, he claimed, "If you legalize marijuana, you’re gonna kill your kids. That’s what the data shows from around the country." ^[97]

Environment

Ricketts opposed the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. ^[98] He supported the Keystone XL Pipeline, saying it would "create jobs here in Nebraska, lots of tax revenues here in Nebraska, of course help us become less dependent on foreign oil." ^[99]

In 2021, Ricketts said he opposed a proposal by President Joe Biden to preserve 30% of the nation's land and water by 2030, calling it a "radical climate agenda." ^[100]

In the Senate, Ricketts serves on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. He has been a vocal critic of what he calls "detached from reality" mandates from the Biden administration. ^[101] Ricketts has also opposed Biden's efforts to expand the definition of the Waters of the U.S. rule and has opposed "new proposed vehicle emissions regulations, which were designed to increase sales of electric vehicles." ^[102]

Political contributions

In July 2022, Ricketts contributed $250,000 to a political action committee created to oppose the U.S. Senate campaign of Eric Greitens in advance of Missouri's August primary election. ^[103]

Second Amendment

As governor, Ricketts designated Nebraska as a "sanctuary state" for the Second Amendment. ^[104] He believes mental illness causes most mass shootings ^[105] and has been critical of Biden's support for gun control. ^[106]

Economy

Ricketts is a proponent of fiscal conservatism and tax cuts. He signed legislation providing $12.7 billion in tax relief as governor of Nebraska. ^[107] Ricketts was among the 31 Senate Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. ^[108]

Personal life

Ricketts is Catholic and is a member of the Knights of Columbus and a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre. ^[19]

Electoral history

2006 election

2006 U.S. Senate primary election results, Nebraska ^[109]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Pete Ricketts	129,643	48.14
	Republican	Don Stenberg	96,496	35.83
	Republican	David J. Kramer	43,185	16.03
Total votes			269,324	100.00

2006 United States Senate election in Nebraska ^[110]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ben Nelson (incumbent)	378,388	63.88%	+12.88%
	Republican	Pete Ricketts	213,928	36.12%	−12.70%
Total votes			590,961	100.00%	N/A
	Democratic hold

2014 election

Nebraska gubernatorial Republican primary, 2014 ^[111]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Pete Ricketts	57,936	26.48
	Republican	Jon Bruning	55,761	25.49
	Republican	Beau McCoy	45,820	20.94
	Republican	Mike Foley	42,039	19.22
	Republican	Tom Carlson	9,036	4.13
	Republican	Bryan Slone	8,179	3.74
Total votes			218,771	100

2014 Nebraska gubernatorial election ^[112]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Pete Ricketts	308,751	57.15%	−16.75%
	Democratic	Chuck Hassebrook	211,905	39.23%	+13.13%
	Libertarian	Mark Elworth	19,001	3.52%	N/A
	n/a	Write-ins	545	0.10%	N/A
Total votes			540,202	100.0%	N/A
	Republican hold

2018 election

Nebraska gubernatorial Republican primary, 2018

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Pete Ricketts (incumbent)	138,292	81.42
	Republican	Krystal Gabel	31,568	18.58
Total votes			169,860	100.00

2018 Nebraska gubernatorial election ^[113]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Pete Ricketts (incumbent)	411,812	59.00%	+1.85%
	Democratic	Bob Krist	286,169	41.00%	+1.77%
Total votes			697,981	100.00%	N/A
	Republican hold

2024 election

2024 United States Senate special election in Nebraska

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Pete Ricketts (incumbent)	585,103	62.58%	−0.16%
	Democratic	Preston Love Jr.	349,902	37.42%	+12.99%
Total votes			935,005	100.00%	N/A
	Republican hold

References

• Nebraska portal

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38. Knapp, Fred (June 3, 2015). "2015 Legislature Leaves Its Mark On Nebraska". NET (Nebraska public radio and television). Retrieved June 4, 2015.
39. Walton, Don (May 28, 2015). "Senators override Ricketts' veto of Dreamers licenses". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
40. Pluhacek, Zach (May 7, 2015). "Gas tax hike gets Nebraska lawmakers' OK, governor's veto". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
41. Martin, Brent (September 29, 2015). "Gov. Ricketts denies being a sponsor of the death penalty petition drive". Archived January 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Nebraska Radio Network. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
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43. Duggan, Joe. "Judge dismisses lawsuit claiming death penalty voter petition drive is invalid". Omaha World-Herald. February 1, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
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48. "Nebraska Referendum 426 — Nebraska Death Penalty Repeal Veto — Results: Rejected". The New York Times . November 21, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
49. Berman, Mark (November 9, 2016). "Nebraska and California Voters Decide to Keep the Death Penalty". The Washington Post . Retrieved November 21, 2016.
50. Matheny, Ryan. "Nebraska legislators wrap up 2016 session". KMA. April 25, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
51. Nohr, Emily. "'Unconstitutional, unelected and unaccountable': Ricketts vetoes bill to revamp how political maps are drawn". Omaha World-Herald. April 18, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
52. "Independent redistricting commission vetoed, no override attempt offered". Unicameral Update. April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
53. "Legislative Journal: Carryover Legislation". Archived April 7, 2016, at the Wayback Machine pp. 1579–80. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
54. Duggan, Joe. "Legislature to vote on overriding veto on bill that would allow work licenses for those brought to U.S. illegally as kids". Omaha World-Herald. April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
55. "Legislative Journal: Carryover Legislation". Archived April 7, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Passage of LB947 is on p. 1614; the veto override is on pp. 1637–38. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
56. Szalewski, Susan. "Responding to Ricketts' 'platform Republicans' comment, 13 Nebraska lawmakers call for nonpartisanship". Omaha World-Herald. June 1, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
57. Duggan, Joe. "'Frustrated' State Sen. Laura Ebke switches from Republican to Libertarian". Omaha World-Herald. June 1, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
58. Walton, Don. "Ebke bolts GOP after Ricketts speech". Lincoln Journal Star. June 5, 2016. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
59. "Nebraska legislator mulling options after Pete Ricketts vetoes bill on setting aside convictions". AP NEWS. March 22, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
60. Bureau, Paul Hammel World-Herald (June 18, 2020). "Ricketts tells local governments they won't get federal COVID-19 money if they require masks". Omaha.com. Retrieved June 18, 2020.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
61. "Gov. Pete Ricketts prohibits Nebraska agencies from complying with vaccine mandate". KETV. October 29, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
62. "Gov. Ricketts bars state agencies from complying with President Biden's vaccine mandate". KHGI. October 29, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
63. Cordes, Henry J. (May 10, 2006). "High-spending race for Senate ahead". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on April 22, 2005. Retrieved October 13, 2006.
64. Cordes, Henry J. (March 19, 2006). "For Ricketts, it's about earning what you get". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on April 22, 2005. Retrieved October 13, 2006.
65. Gonzalez, Cindy (October 13, 2006). "Ricketts criticized for immigrant idea". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on April 22, 2005. Retrieved October 13, 2006.
66. Walton, Don (March 2, 2006). "Ricketts proposes new agricultural savings accounts". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved October 13, 2006.
67. Norman, Andrew. "GOP The Prelims: Candidates Spar Over the Details". The Reader. Retrieved October 13, 2006.
68. Walton, Don (September 19, 2006). "Ricketts pokes Nelson's pro-life credentials". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved October 13, 2006.
69. Bratton, Anna Jo. "Ricketts' bid for office hits nearly $10M out of pocket". Columbus Telegram. Retrieved October 13, 2006.
70. Tysver, Robynn (October 16, 2006). "In last debate, Ricketts attacks Nelson tie to Columbus firm". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on August 4, 2007. Retrieved October 16, 2006.
71. Tysver, Robynn (September 21, 2006). "Ricketts digs deeper into wallet". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on April 22, 2005. Retrieved October 13, 2006.
72. "United States Senator". www.sos.ne.gov. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
73. Martinez, Gina (January 8, 2023). "Ben Sasse officially resigns from Senate to become University of Florida president". CBS News . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
74. "Pete Ricketts Sworn In As Nebraska's Newest Senator". Pete Ricketts (Press release). January 23, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
75. Everett, Burgess (January 12, 2023). "Ricketts tapped to fill Nebraska's open Senate seat". Politico . Retrieved January 13, 2023.
76. Sanderford, Aaron. "Ricketts announces run for election to his appointed seat in U.S. Senate". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
77. Sanderford, Aaron. "Fundraising for Nebraska's U.S. Senate races tilts toward GOP incumbents". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
78. Jalonick, Mary (January 23, 2023). "Pete Ricketts sworn in as Nebraska senator, replacing Sasse". Associated Press . Retrieved January 23, 2023.
79. "Ricketts Announces Senate Committee Assignments".
80. "Ricketts Announces Subcommittee Assignments".
81. "Sen. Ricketts co-sponsors pro-life legislation". central.newschannelnebraska.com. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
82. "Nebraska senators cite Biden's failure to secure U.S. Mexico border during visit". KLKN-TV. March 5, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
83. "Ricketts hits Biden again on immigration, this time from Senate floor". metro.newschannelnebraska.com. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
84. Ricketts, U. S. Senator Pete (April 24, 2023). "Sen. Pete Ricketts: Addressing Our Drug Crisis". Star-Herald. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
85. "Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts says fentanyl dealers should face murder charges". KLKN-TV. April 20, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
86. "VIDEO: Ricketts Questions Secretary of State for Biden Administration's "Fumbled Diplomacy"". Ricketts. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
87. Ricketts, U. S. Senator Pete (July 23, 2023). "Pushing Back on Putin". Star-Herald. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
88. Ricketts, Pete (July 27, 2023). "It was a pleasure to hear from Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Washington last week. I'm disgusted by radical Democrats in Congress who have called Israel a "racist state." America is proud to stand with Israel!". Twitter. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
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90. Landen, Xander (May 15, 2022). "Ricketts Vows Total Abortion Ban if Roe Overturned, Even for Rape, Incest". Newsweek. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
91. "Nebraska affirmative action fight raking in money". Sioux City Journal. August 8, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
92. Writer, Sara Gentzler World-Herald Staff (June 16, 2021). "Gov. Ricketts says he is 'opposed to critical race theory'". Omaha.com. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
93. Williams, Timothy (August 3, 2018). "Pope's Death Penalty Stance Won't Stop Execution, Nebraska's Catholic Governor Says". The New York Times. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
94. Joe Ruff (July 9, 2018). "Nebraska Catholic bishops oppose execution of death-row inmate". Catholic News Service – via National Catholic Reporter.
95. Walton, Don (February 5, 2020). "Sasse on impeachment: Let the voters render their verdict on Election Day". JournalStar.com. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
96. Ricketts, Pete. "Marijuana Is a Dangerous Drug". Office of Gov. Pete Ricketts. Archived from the original on March 17, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
97. Cummings, William. "Nebraska Gov. Ricketts warns: 'If you legalize marijuana, you're going to kill your kids'". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
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99. Brown, Ben (May 5, 2017). "Gov. Ricketts on Keystone: Being Less Dependent on Foreign Oil is a Big Deal". Fox Business Network . Retrieved May 5, 2017.
100. Bureau, Paul Hammel World-Herald (June 6, 2021). "Nebraska Gov. Ricketts stirs up opposition to Biden's 30-by-30 conservation plan". Omaha.com. Retrieved July 12, 2021.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
101. "Trucking industry worries US EPA put 'cart before the horse' with emissions proposal". www.spglobal.com. April 19, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
102. Beaman, Jeremy (April 18, 2023). "Sullivan pledges resolutions to cancel EPA's proposed vehicle emissions rules". Washington Examiner. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
103. "Nebraska governor makes big donation to take out Greitens". Politico. July 22, 2022.
104. Dvorak, Gina (April 14, 2021). "Gov. Ricketts declares Nebraska a '2nd Amendment sanctuary state'". www.wowt.com. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
105. "Ricketts: Mental Health Issues, Not Firearms, at the Root of Most Mass Shootings". KOLT – 690 AM and 101.7 FM. June 1, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
106. Dvorak, Gina (April 9, 2021). "Gov. Ricketts attacks Biden's gun control agenda, says it's 'just the beginning'". www.wowt.com. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
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108. Folley, Aris (June 1, 2023). "Here are the senators who voted against the bill to raise the debt ceiling". The Hill . Retrieved June 17, 2023.
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External links

• Senator Pete Ricketts official U.S. Senate website
• Pete Ricketts for Senate official campaign site
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• 2006 CD1 campaign funding for Pete Ricketts

Party political offices
Preceded by Don Stenberg	Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Nebraska (Class 1) 2006	Succeeded by Deb Fischer
Preceded by Dave Heineman	Republican nominee for Governor of Nebraska 2014, 2018	Succeeded by Jim Pillen
Preceded by Bill Haslam	Chair of the Republican Governors Association 2018–2019	Succeeded by Greg Abbott
Preceded by Doug Ducey	Chair of the Republican Governors Association 2021–2022 Served alongside: Doug Ducey	Succeeded by Kim Reynolds
Preceded by Ben Sasse	Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Nebraska (Class 2) 2024	Most recent
Political offices
Preceded by Dave Heineman	Governor of Nebraska 2015–2023	Succeeded by Jim Pillen
U.S. Senate
Preceded by Ben Sasse	U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Nebraska 2023–present Served alongside: Deb Fischer	Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Markwayne Mullin as United States Senator from Oklahoma	Order of precedence of the United States as United States Senator from Nebraska since January 23, 2023	Succeeded by Andy Kim as United States Senator from New Jersey
Preceded by Katie Britt	United States senators by seniority 98th	Succeeded by Adam Schiff