# 2024 United States Senate special election in Nebraska

Elections in Nebraska :
Federal offices
Presidential elections
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
1867
1869
1870
1875
1877
1880
1883
1886
1888
1889
1893
1895
1899
1899 sp
1901
1901 sp
1905
1907
1911
1913
1916
1918
1922
1924
1928
1930
1934
1934 sp
1936
1940
1942
1946
1948
1952
1952 sp
1954
1954 Class 1 sp
1954 Class 2 sp
1958
1960
1964
1966
1970
1972
1976
1978
1982
1984
1988
1990
1994
1996
2000
2002
2006
2008
2012
2014
2018
2020
2024
2024 sp
2026
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1866
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1889
2nd sp
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1899
6th sp
1900
1902
1904
1905
1st sp
1906
1908
1910
1911
3rd sp
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1st sp
6th sp
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1st sp
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1951
3rd sp
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
1st sp
2024
2026 :
State government
State elections
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1866
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1970
Secretary of State elections
2022
Attorney General elections
2022
State Treasurer elections
2022
State Legislature elections
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures
2000
Initiative 416
2008
Initiative 424
2024
Initiative 434
Initiative 439 :
Bellevue
Mayoral elections
2022 :
Grand Island
Mayoral elections
2022 :
Lincoln
Mayoral elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
Omaha
Mayoral elections
1997
2001
2005
2009
2011 (recall)
2013
2017
2021
2025 :
Government :
vte :
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. On January 12, 2023, Governor Jim Pillen appointed Republican former governor Pete Ricketts to fill the seat until the election. 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.
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.

### Applied to be appointed

In total, 111 individuals submitted applications for Sasse's seat, and nine candidates were interviewed by Pillen. Applicants included:
* Ann Ashford, attorney, widow of former U.S. Representative Brad Ashford, and candidate for Nebraska's 2nd congressional district in 2020 (Democratic)
* Tom Becka, radio personality (Independent)
* Larry Bolinger, author and perennial candidate (Republican)
* Sid Dinsdale, bank president and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 (Republican)
* Greg Ibach, former Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs (2017–2021) and former Nebraska Director of Agriculture (2005–2017) (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 (Republican)
* Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Republican candidate for governor of Nebraska in 2014 (Independent)
* Melanie Standiford, former KNOP-TV news director (Republican)
* John Glen Weaver, U.S. Air Force veteran and candidate for Nebraska's 1st congressional district in 2022 (Republican)

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Pete Ricketts, incumbent U.S. senator (2023–present)
* Mac Stevens, realtor
* John Glen Weaver, realtor and candidate for Nebraska's 1st congressional district in 2022

### Endorsements
#### Organizations

* Americans for Prosperity Action
* National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund
* Nebraska Farm Bureau

#### Political parties

* Nebraska Republican Party

### 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 ||||

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | 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

#### Declined

* Paul Theobald, Wayne State College professor and nominee for Nebraska's 3rd congressional district in 2018

### Endorsements
#### State legislators

* Tony Vargas, state senator
Party officials
* Precious McKesson, executive director of the Nebraska Democratic Party
Labor unions
* National Education Association

### 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 ||||

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Preston Love Jr. | 85,114 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 85,114 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Solid R | November 9, 2023 |
| Inside Elections | Solid R | November 9, 2023 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe R | November 9, 2023 |
| Decision Desk HQ/The Hill | Safe R | June 8, 2024 |
| Elections Daily | Safe R | May 4, 2023 |
| CNalysis | Solid R | November 21, 2023 |
| Split Ticket | Safe R | October 23, 2024 |
| 538 | 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 | $157,747 | $6,542 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission ||||

### Polling

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

### Results

2024 United States Senate special election in Nebraska :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Pete Ricketts (inc.) | 585,103 | 62.58% | −0.16% |
| | Democratic | Preston Love Jr. | 349,902 | 37.42% | +12.99% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 235,201 | 25.16% | −13.15% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 935,005 | 100.0% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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

#### By congressional district

Ricketts won all 3 congressional districts.
| District | Ricketts | Love Jr. | Representative |
| 1st | 59% | 41% | Mike Flood |
| 2nd | 50.2% | 49.8% | Don Bacon |
| 3rd | 79% | 21% | Adrian Smith |