Pete RickettsPete Ricketts – NE

Current Position: Governor since 2015
Affiliation: Republican
Former Position: TD Ameritrade executive from 1994 – 2006

Featured Quote: 
“Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts is publicly feuding with the state’s department of education. The governor calls the curriculum unworkable and is hosting town halls across the state for hundreds of parents to voice their concerns about the sex education standards.”

Featured Video: 
Gov. Pete Ricketts Delivers 2021 State of the State Address

Source: Wikipedia

OnAir Post: Pete Ricketts – NE

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts voiced support Monday for U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, a fellow Republican who was indicted last week on allegations that he lied to FBI agents who were investigating illegal campaign contributions from a foreign national.

Ricketts defended the nine-term Republican congressman as a “man of high integrity,” and said he didn’t believe Fortenberry would knowingly violate federal law.

“I’ll be praying for him and his family as they go through this fight,” Ricketts said at a news conference.

Fortenberry has denied the charges and pleaded not guilty last week in federal court. His attorney has argued that Fortenberry was misled and wasn’t aware at the time that $30,000 in contributions funneled into his campaign had originated with a Nigerian billionaire.

Gov. Pete Ricketts on President Biden's vaccine mandate
KPTM, McKenzy ParsonsSeptember 9, 2021

Governor Pete Ricketts released the following statement after President Joe Biden’s announcement of vaccine mandates for healthcare workers:

President Biden’s announcement is a stunning violation of personal freedom and abuse of the federal government’s power. This plan isn’t about public health – this is about government control and taking away personal liberties.

Americans, not the federal government, are responsible for taking charge of their personal health. It is not the role of the federal government to mandate their choices. Nebraska will stand up to President Biden’s overreach, and we will be working with the Attorney General to explore all our options.

Summary

Current Position: Governor since 2015
Affiliation: Republican
Former Position: TD Ameritrade executive from 1994 – 2006

Featured Quote: 
“Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts is publicly feuding with the state’s department of education. The governor calls the curriculum unworkable and is hosting town halls across the state for hundreds of parents to voice their concerns about the sex education standards.”

Featured Video: 
Gov. Pete Ricketts Delivers 2021 State of the State Address

Source: Wikipedia

OnAir Post: Pete Ricketts – NE

News

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts voiced support Monday for U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, a fellow Republican who was indicted last week on allegations that he lied to FBI agents who were investigating illegal campaign contributions from a foreign national.

Ricketts defended the nine-term Republican congressman as a “man of high integrity,” and said he didn’t believe Fortenberry would knowingly violate federal law.

“I’ll be praying for him and his family as they go through this fight,” Ricketts said at a news conference.

Fortenberry has denied the charges and pleaded not guilty last week in federal court. His attorney has argued that Fortenberry was misled and wasn’t aware at the time that $30,000 in contributions funneled into his campaign had originated with a Nigerian billionaire.

Gov. Pete Ricketts on President Biden’s vaccine mandate
KPTM, McKenzy ParsonsSeptember 9, 2021

Governor Pete Ricketts released the following statement after President Joe Biden’s announcement of vaccine mandates for healthcare workers:

President Biden’s announcement is a stunning violation of personal freedom and abuse of the federal government’s power. This plan isn’t about public health – this is about government control and taking away personal liberties.

Americans, not the federal government, are responsible for taking charge of their personal health. It is not the role of the federal government to mandate their choices. Nebraska will stand up to President Biden’s overreach, and we will be working with the Attorney General to explore all our options.

Twitter

About

Pete Ricketts 2

Source: Government page

Governor Pete Ricketts was sworn in as Nebraska’s 40th Governor on January 8, 2015 and reelected to a second term in November 2018.

Over the past six years, Governor Ricketts has worked with the Legislature to deliver over $1.5 billion in direct property tax relief, dramatically reduce the rate of state spending growth, create new workforce development programming, cut unnecessary red tape to bolster Nebraska’s business-friendly climate, and expand international markets for Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers. Thanks in part to the Governor’s leadership, Nebraska won the Governor’s Cup for the most economic development projects per capita three years in a row from 2016 to 2018.

President Donald J. Trump has appointed Governor Ricketts to serve on the Council of Governors and the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.

Born in Nebraska City and raised in Omaha, Ricketts is the son of an entrepreneur and a school teacher. Governor Ricketts and his wife, First Lady Susanne Shore, have been married for 23 years and live in Omaha. They have three children: Roscoe, Margot, and Eleanor.

Ricketts graduated from Westside High School before attending the University of Chicago where he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology and an MBA in marketing and finance. After graduate school, Ricketts returned to Omaha and worked for Union Pacific before working as a customer services representative in his family’s business, a company that would eventually become known as Ameritrade. He went on to hold leadership roles in the company including Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, Senior Vice President of Product Development, Senior Vice President of Marketing, President, and Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Prior to his election as governor, he worked to support Nebraska entrepreneurs and startup companies. Ricketts is the founder of Drakon, LLC that supports local entrepreneurs and startup companies. He is also a past board member of TD Ameritrade’s Board of Directors and the Chicago Cubs baseball team.

Driven by a desire to give back to his community and create education and job opportunities, Governor Ricketts has taken on leadership roles in local and state associations and organizations. Currently, he serves on the board of the Mid-America Council of the Boy Scouts, as a director of the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation, a member of the Board of Advisors of Opportunity Education Foundation, a member of the Archbishop’s Committee for Development, a member of the Knights of Columbus, and a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre. Governor Ricketts and his family attend St. Margaret Mary’s church.

Office

P.O. Box 94848
Lincoln, NE 68509-4848
Phone: 402-471-2244
Fax: 402-471-6031

 

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Wikipedia Entry

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 is seeking election to complete Sasse’s term in the 2024 special election and has announced he intends to seek a full six-year 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

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

Elections

2014

Final results by county
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

Final results by county
Final results by county in 2018:

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

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

2006 election

Final results by county
Final results by county in 2006:

  •   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] Upon his appointment to the Senate, Ricketts announced that he would run in the 2024 special election to serve the remaining two years of Sasse’s term.[74]

Tenure

Ricketts was sworn in as Nebraska’s junior U.S. senator by Vice President Kamala Harris on January 23, 2023.[74][75]

Committees

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.[78]

In March 2023, Ricketts and fellow Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer visited the U.S.-Mexico border.[79] Ricketts criticized President Joe Biden for what he viewed as Biden’s failures to address the border security crisis.[80] Ricketts views border security as crucial to addressing the ongoing drug crisis.[81] He has also co-sponsored legislation to create federal felony murder charges for drug dealers who distribute fentanyl that leads to an overdose death.[82]

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.[83][84] Ricketts is a vocal supporter of the U.S.-Israel alliance.[85]

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.[86]

Political positions

Abortion

Ricketts supports a total ban of abortion, with no exceptions for rape or incest.[87]

Affirmative action

Before becoming governor, Ricketts supported an initiative to ban affirmative action in Nebraska, donating $15,000 to a group behind the effort.[88]

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.”[89]

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.[90][91]

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.[92]

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”.[93] 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.”[94]

Environment

Ricketts opposed the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.[95] 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.”[96]

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.”[97]

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.[98] 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.”[99]

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.[100]

Second Amendment

As governor, Ricketts designated Nebraska as a “sanctuary state” for the Second Amendment.[101] He believes mental illness causes most mass shootings[102] and has been critical of Biden’s support for gun control.[103]

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.[104] Ricketts was among the 31 Senate Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.[105]

Personal life

Ricketts is Catholic. He 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[106]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanPete Ricketts 129,643 48.14
RepublicanDon Stenberg96,49635.83
RepublicanDavid J. Kramer43,18516.03
Total votes269,324 100.00
2006 United States Senate election in Nebraska[107]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DemocraticBen Nelson (incumbent) 378,388 63.88% +12.88%
RepublicanPete Ricketts213,92836.12%-12.70%
Total votes590,961 100.00% N/A
Democratic hold

2014 election

Nebraska gubernatorial Republican primary, 2014[108]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanPete Ricketts 57,936 26.48
RepublicanJon Bruning55,76125.49
RepublicanBeau McCoy45,82020.94
RepublicanMike Foley42,03919.22
RepublicanTom Carlson9,0364.13
RepublicanBryan Slone8,1793.74
Total votes218,771 100
2014 Nebraska gubernatorial election[109]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
RepublicanPete Ricketts 308,751 57.15% -16.75%
DemocraticChuck Hassebrook211,90539.23%+13.13%
LibertarianMark Elworth19,0013.52%N/A
n/aWrite-ins5450.10%N/A
Total votes540,202 100.0% N/A
Republican hold

2018 election

Nebraska gubernatorial Republican primary, 2018
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanPete Ricketts (incumbent) 138,292 81.42
RepublicanKrystal Gabel31,56818.58
Total votes169,860 100.00
2018 Nebraska gubernatorial election[110]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
RepublicanPete Ricketts (incumbent) 411,812 59.00% +1.85%
DemocraticBob Krist286,16941.00%+1.77%
Total votes697,981 100.00% N/A
Republican hold

References

  1. ^ a b Everett, Burgess (January 12, 2023). “Ricketts tapped to fill Nebraska’s open Senate seat”. Politico.com. Retrieved January 14, 2023. Ricketts will come in as a the[sic] most junior member of the chamber when he is sworn in on Jan. 23.
  2. ^ a b columnist, Matthew Hansen / World-Herald. “After ‘roller coaster of emotion,’ Pete Ricketts still processing Cubs’ World Series win”. Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Walton, Don (January 12, 2023). “Former Gov. Ricketts will fill Nebraska’s Senate seat”. Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  4. ^ Sanderford, Aaron (January 24, 2023). “New U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts is sworn in, casts first vote on ceremonial first day”. Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  5. ^ a b “Governor Pete Ricketts”. National Governors Association. Archived from the original April 20, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c Smith, Bryan. “The Ricketts Family Owns the Chicago Cubs: Who Are These People?”. Chicago. June 24, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
  7. ^ a b Reingold, Jennifer (September 21, 2012). “Joe Ricketts: The new billionaire political activist”. Fortune. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  8. ^ Hauser, Jeanne (October 31, 2016). “Timeline: Milestones in TD Ameritrade history”. Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  9. ^ Rendell,
    Aren (January 23, 2015). “Q&A with Governor of Nebraska and Westside alum Pete Ricketts”. Westside Wired. Archived from original March 15, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  10. ^ Greenberg, Jon. “Here’s the pitch”.
    University of Chicago Magazine. July–August 2010. Archived from original November 7, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  11. ^ “About Governor Pete Ricketts”. Office of Governor Pete Ricketts. Archived from original June 25, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  12. ^ a b c Duggan, Joe (October 19, 2014). “After failed tuneup in 2006, Pete Ricketts says he’s road-tested and ready to lead”. Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  13. ^ Cordes, Henry J. (March 24, 2014). “Pete Ricketts traded business world for politics”. Omaha World-Herald.
    Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  14. ^ Cordes, Henry J. (February 9, 2015). “Nebraska, meet your new First Lady”. Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  15. ^ Moore, Kathryn Cates (February 14, 2015). “Balancing family, new role are priorities for first lady Susanne Shore”. Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
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  17. ^ “Platte Institute Unveiled”. Platte Institute. Archived from original June 2, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
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External links

Party political offices
Preceded by

Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Nebraska
(Class 1)

2006
Succeeded by

Preceded by

Republican nominee for Governor of Nebraska
2014, 2018
Succeeded by

Preceded by

Chair of the Republican Governors Association
2018–2019
Succeeded by

Preceded by

Chair of the Republican Governors Association
2021–2022
Served alongside: Doug Ducey
Succeeded by

Political offices
Preceded by

Governor of Nebraska
2015–2023
Succeeded by

U.S. Senate
Preceded by

U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Nebraska
2023–present
Served alongside: Deb Fischer
Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by

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

as United States Senator from California

Preceded by

United States senators by seniority
99th
Succeeded by


X

Pete Ricketts – NE

Current Position: US Senator since 2023
Affiliation: Republican
Former Position: State Delegate from 2005 – 2013; Governor 2014-2022
Upcoming Election: Running to retain US Senate seat

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. 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.

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 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.

OnAir Post: Pete Ricketts – NE

Deb Fischer – NE

Current Position: US Senator since 2013
Affiliation: Republican
Former Position: State Delegate from 2005 – 2013

From 1990 to 2004, Fischer served on the Valentine Rural High School Board of Education. In 2004, she was elected to the Nebraska Legislature, representing the 43rd district for two terms. Fischer ran for the U.S. Senate in 2012 and was initially seen as a long-shot candidate, but pulled off an unexpected victory against state attorney general Jon Bruning in the Republican primary; in the general election, she defeated former Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey and was the only Republican to flip a Senate seat in the 2012 elections.

Featured Quote: 
Nebraska is so fortunate to have @UNMC and @NebraskaMed, which lead the nation in research and development of new techniques in health care. Thank you for showing me around your cardiac catheterization lab. The work you do is so important!

Senator Deb Fischer Speaks Against S.1, For the People Act at Senate Rules Committee

OnAir Post: Deb Fischer – NE

Ben Sasse – NE

Current Position: US Senator since 2015
Affiliation: Republican
Candidate: 2022 US Senator
Former Positions: President of Midland University from 2010 – 2014; Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Planning and Evaluation from 2007 – 2009

Featured Quote: 
This is not how we peacefully transfer power.

Sasse: DARPA Keeps Xi Up At Night

OnAir Post: Ben Sasse – NE

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