Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb issued the following statement Tuesday after Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts announced that he would seek the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by GOP Sen. Ben Sasse.
“Gov. Ricketts bought this U.S. Senate seat. He tried to win against Sen. Ben Nelson with his parents’ money in 2006, and the voters rejected him two-to-one,” Kleeb said. “Now, in the state’s most obvious pay-to-play case, Ricketts will be able to call himself a senator.”
Sasse is resigning to become the next president of the University of Florida. Ricketts must leave office in January due to term limits.
Republican Gov.-elect Jim Pillen, who was supported by massive spending from Ricketts for election, will appoint Sasse’s replacement.
