FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2023
Contact: Jose Flores, Jr., Communications Director
jose@nebraskademocrats.org
***Nebraska Democratic Party News Press Release for 8-23-2023***
Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Responds to the Re-election Announcement of Appointed Senator Pete Ricketts
LINCOLN, NE – The Nebraska Democratic Party issues the following response, from Chair Jane Kleeb, to appointed Senator Pete Ricketts’ re-election announcement. The Democratic candidate challenging Ricketts will be announced later this Fall:
“The announcement of appointed Senator Pete Ricketts’ re-election bid is a continuation of the state GOP power grab. By contributing $1.5 million to help seat current Governor Pillen, Ricketts was awarded the senate seat vacated by Ben Sasse. The corrupt revolving door and pay-to-play trend by the Nebraska Republican Party, led by Ricketts, should concern all Nebraskans. They force politicians out so they can appoint someone who gets to wear the “incumbent” title during re-election.
As Governor, the corruption by Ricketts has gone from subtle to outright bold at all levels of government. He is the epitome of a quid pro quo politician who spends millions to influence local and statewide elections in the state all with the goal of having elected officials not accountable to voters and instead accountable to Ricketts and Ricketts only.
Ricketts values and positions align with MAGA extremists and run counter to the majority of Nebraskans–everything from supporting a national ban on abortion access, giving public dollars to private schools, villainizing undocumented workers and denying the basic reality of climate change. Now he has taken his extreme stances to the US Senate. On foreign policy, he is hypocritical when it comes to China. Ricketts criticizes the country when the cameras are on while collecting money from Chinese investments and taking tax-payer funded junkets begging China for business.
While Ricketts and his billionaire parents will undoubtedly continue to pour millions into future elections, we will continue to fight him tooth and nail and send the message that Nebraskans cannot be bought by the state’s most corrupt and power hungry politician.”
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