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.