Former NE Gov. Pete Ricketts Sworn In As US Senator

The Associated Press reports:

Former Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts was sworn in as the newest member of the U.S. Senate on Monday, replacing Republican Sen. Ben Sasse as the Senate returns from several weeks of recess to begin a new session of closely-divided government.

Ricketts is bringing the Senate back to its “full 100-person strength,” said Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who welcomed Ricketts on the Senate floor after he was sworn into office by Vice President Kamala Harris.

Ricketts was appointed by his successor and political ally, Republican Gov. Jim Pillen, and will have to run in a special election in 2024 to fill out the rest of Sasse’s term. If he wins, he would then run again in 2026 for a full six-year term.

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Ricketts, whose father founded TD Ameritrade, owns the Chicago Cubs with his siblings. The Ricketts are listed by Forbes as among the country’s wealthiest families.

US Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), sworn in today to succeed Ben Sasse, is the 4th former Nebraska governor in the past 35 years to become a US Senator (Bob Kerrey 1989, Ben Nelson 2001, Mike Johanns 2009)https://t.co/Q2TSbiCSQY #nesen pic.twitter.com/hOrSPHH01E

— Greg Giroux (@greggiroux) January 23, 2023

Former Gov. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. was sworn in as a member of the U.S. Senate Monday, officially taking the seat formerly held by former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse.https://t.co/iiDQVY0cJl

— Omaha World-Herald (@OWHnews) January 23, 2023