2024 United States Senate special election in Nebraska

For related races, see 2024 United States Senate elections. For the regular Senate election in Nebraska held in parallel, see 2024 United States Senate election in Nebraska.

The 2024 United States Senate special election in Nebraska was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the Class 2 member of the United States Senate from Nebraska, to complete the term of Ben Sasse, who resigned on January 8, 2023, to become the president of the University of Florida.^[1] On January 12, 2023, Governor Jim Pillen appointed Republican former governor Pete Ricketts to fill the seat until the election.^[2] Ricketts won the special election, defeating Democratic nominee Preston Love Jr. with about 63% of the vote. This was the first time since 1954 where both of Nebraska's U.S. Senate seats were concurrently up for election. Primary elections took place on May 14, 2024.^[3]

2024 United States Senate special election in Nebraska

← 2020 November 5, 2024 2026 →

Nominee Pete Ricketts Preston Love Jr. Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 585,103 349,902 Percentage 62.58% 37.42%

County results Congressional district results Precinct results Ricketts:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90%+ Love Jr.:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Tie:      50%

U.S. senator before election Pete Ricketts[a] Republican Elected U.S. senator Pete Ricketts Republican

Ricketts outperformed other Republicans who faced contested statewide elections in this cycle.

Appointment

Republican Pete Ricketts, former governor of Nebraska (2015–2023) and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2006, was appointed on January 12, 2023 by Governor Jim Pillen.^[2] Ricketts' appointment was met with controversy as Ricketts had financially supported Pillen's 2022 gubernatorial campaign.^[4]

Applied to be appointed

In total, 111 individuals submitted applications for Sasse's seat, and nine candidates were interviewed by Pillen.^[5] Applicants included:

• Ann Ashford, attorney, widow of former U.S. Representative Brad Ashford, and candidate for Nebraska's 2nd congressional district in 2020^[6] (Democratic)
• Tom Becka, radio personality^[7][5] (Independent)
• Larry Bolinger, author and perennial candidate^[5][8] (Republican)
• Sid Dinsdale, bank president and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014^[7] (Republican)
• Greg Ibach, former Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs (2017–2021) and former Nebraska Director of Agriculture (2005–2017)^[7] (Republican)
• Brett Lindstrom, state senator from the 18th district (2015–2023), candidate for Nebraska's 2nd congressional district in 2012 and for governor of Nebraska in 2022^[7] (Republican)
• Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Republican candidate for governor of Nebraska in 2014^[7] (Independent)
• Melanie Standiford, former KNOP-TV news director^[9] (Republican)
• John Glen Weaver, U.S. Air Force veteran and candidate for Nebraska's 1st congressional district in 2022^[1] (Republican)

Republican primary

Candidates

• Pete Ricketts, incumbent U.S. senator (2023–present)^[10]
• Mac Stevens, realtor^[11]
• John Glen Weaver, realtor and candidate for Nebraska's 1st congressional district in 2022^[12]

Endorsements

Pete Ricketts

Organizations

• Americans for Prosperity Action^[13]
• National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund^[14]
• Nebraska Farm Bureau^[15]

John Glen Weaver

Political parties

• Nebraska Republican Party^[16]

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of April 24, 2024
Candidate	Raised	Spent	Cash on hand
Pete Ricketts (R)	$3,507,567	$2,076,443	$1,431,125
John Glen Weaver (R)	$52,789	$36,280	$16,509
Source: Federal Election Commission[17]

Results

Results by county:

  Ricketts

•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

Republican primary results^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Pete Ricketts (inc.)	173,118	78.16%
	Republican	John Glen Weaver	32,529	14.69%
	Republican	Mac Stevens	13,669	6.17%
Total votes			219,316	100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Preston Love Jr., University of Nebraska Omaha professor, campaign manager for the Jesse Jackson 1984 presidential campaign, and write-in candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020^[19]

Declined

• Paul Theobald, Wayne State College professor and nominee for Nebraska's 3rd congressional district in 2018^[20]

Endorsements

Preston Love Jr.

State legislators

• Tony Vargas, state senator^[21]

Party officials

• Precious McKesson, executive director of the Nebraska Democratic Party^[21]

Labor unions

• National Education Association^[22]

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of April 24, 2024
Candidate	Raised	Spent	Cash on hand
Preston Love Jr. (D)	$127,850	$119,254	$8,595
Source: Federal Election Commission[17]

Results

Democratic primary results^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Preston Love Jr.	85,114	100.00%
Total votes			85,114	100.00%

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[23]	Solid R	November 9, 2023
Inside Elections[24]	Solid R	November 9, 2023
Sabato's Crystal Ball[25]	Safe R	November 9, 2023
Decision Desk HQ/The Hill[26]	Safe R	June 8, 2024
Elections Daily[27]	Safe R	May 4, 2023
CNalysis[28]	Solid R	November 21, 2023
Split Ticket[29]	Safe R	October 23, 2024
538[30]	Solid R	October 23, 2024

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of June 30, 2024
Candidate	Raised	Spent	Cash on hand
Pete Ricketts (R)	$4,294,715	$2,586,199	$1,708,516
Preston Love Jr. (D)	$164,288[b]	$157,747	$6,542
Source: Federal Election Commission[17]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[c]	Margin of error	Pete Ricketts (R)	Preston Love Jr. (D)	Undecided
Economist/YouGov[31]	October 21–28, 2024	1,202 (LV)	± 3.5%	54%	36%	7%
NYT/Siena College[32]	October 23–26, 2024	1,194 (LV)	± 3.2%	56%	38%	6%
		1,194 (RV)	± 3.1%	56%	37%	7%
SurveyUSA[33][A]	October 9–12, 2024	563 (LV)	± 4.7%	53%	37%	9%
SurveyUSA[34][A]	September 20–23, 2024	558 (LV)	± 4.8%	53%	35%	12%
SurveyUSA[35][B]	August 23–27, 2024	1,293 (RV)	± 3.6%	50%	33%	16%

Results

2024 United States Senate special election in Nebraska^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Pete Ricketts (inc.)	585,103	62.58%	−0.16%
	Democratic	Preston Love Jr.	349,902	37.42%	+12.99%
Majority			235,201	25.16%	−13.15%
Total votes			935,005	100.0%
	Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Douglas (largest city: Omaha)
• Lancaster (largest city: Lincoln)

By congressional district

Ricketts won all three congressional districts.^[37]

District	Ricketts	Love Jr.	Representative
1st	58.58%	41.42%	Mike Flood
2nd	50.16%	49.84%	Don Bacon
3rd	79.24%	20.76%	Adrian Smith

See also

• 2024 United States Senate election in Nebraska
• 2024 Nebraska elections

Notes

1. In January 2023, Ricketts was appointed by Governor Jim Pillen to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Ben Sasse, who had become the president of University of Florida.
2. $58,832 of this total was self-funded by Love Jr.
3. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

Partisan clients

1. Poll sponsored by the campaign of Dan Osborn, an independent candidate for Nebraska's other Senate seat
2. Poll sponsored by Split Ticket