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 62.5% 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 by Governor Jim Pillen. Ricketts' appointment was met with controversy as Ricketts had financially supported Pillen's 2022 gubernatorial campaign.

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 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 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 in 2022 (Republican)

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Pete Ricketts, incumbent U.S. senator (2023–present) Eliminated in primary Mac Stevens, realtor John Glen Weaver, realtor and candidate for in 2022

Endorsements

Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of April 24, 2024CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handPete Ricketts (R)$3,507,567$2,076,443$1,431,125John Glen Weaver (R)$52,789$36,280$16,509Source: Federal Election Commission

Results

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 in 2018

Endorsements

Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of April 24, 2024CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handPreston Love Jr. (D)$127,850$119,254$8,595Source: Federal Election Commission

Results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 9, 2023 Inside Elections November 9, 2023 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 9, 2023 Decision Desk HQ/The Hill June 8, 2024 Elections Daily May 4, 2023 CNalysis November 21, 2023 Split Ticket October 23, 2024 538 October 23, 2024

Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of June 30, 2024CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handPete Ricketts (R)$4,294,715$2,586,199$1,708,516Preston Love Jr. (D)$164,288$157,747$6,542Source: Federal Election Commission

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error PeteRicketts (R) PrestonLove Jr. (D) UndecidedEconomist/YouGovOctober 21–28, 20241,202 (LV)± 3.5%54%36%7%NYT/Siena CollegeOctober 23–26, 20241,194 (LV)± 3.2%56%38%6%1,194 (RV)± 3.1%56%37%7%SurveyUSAOctober 9–12, 2024563 (LV)± 4.7%53%37%9%SurveyUSASeptember 20–23, 2024558 (LV)± 4.8%53%35%12%SurveyUSAAugust 23–27, 20241,293 (RV)± 3.6%50%33%16%

Results

By county CountyPete RickettsRepublicanPreston Love Jr.DemocraticTotalvotes % # % #Adams73.8%10,43826.2%3,71514,153Antelope90.0%3,06610.0%3423,408Arthur93.7%2676.3%18285Banner93.5%3576.5%25372Blaine90.0%26110.0%29290Boone85.9%2,56914.1%4232,992Box Butte79.7%3,87620.3%9854,861Boyd80.4%84919.6%2071,056Brown89.6%1,46710.4%1701,637Buffalo75.4%17,70724.6%5,79123,498Burt75.2%2,69624.8%8883,584Butler83.4%3,75816.6%7494,507Cass70.1%10,80829.9%4,50615,314Cedar87.4%4,25312.6%6144,867Chase91.0%1,6699.0%1651,834Cherry89.7%2,67110.3%3062,977Cheyenne83.4%3,68916.6%7334,422Clay84.5%2,76715.5%5063,273Colfax77.8%2,71322.2%7723,485Cuming84.9%3,72015.1%6644,384Custer89.2%5,20610.8%6325,838Dakota67.2%5,20632.8%1,9817,187Dawes76.8%2,92223.2%8843,806Dawson77.7%6,57922.3%1,8878,466Deuel85.6%85114.4%143994Dixon81.7%2,31418.3%5202,834Dodge69.2%11,19530.8%4,99116,186Douglas47.3%127,72652.7%142,256269,982Dundy91.3%8348.7%79913Fillmore81.4%2,43518.6%5572,992Franklin87.7%1,39512.3%1951,590Frontier88.6%1,23111.4%1581,389Furnas87.2%2,09612.8%3082,404Gage72.1%7,79527.9%3,01510,810Garden88.1%97211.9%1311,103Garfield91.4%9028.6%85987Gosper86.1%97113.9%1571,128Grant96.4%3453.6%13358Greeley86.9%1,04913.1%1581,207Hall72.0%16,10028.0%6,27322,373Hamilton83.2%4,58516.8%9275,512Harlan87.0%1,55813.0%2331,791Hayes95.7%4724.3%21493Hitchcock89.4%1,27110.6%1501,421Holt89.1%4,81810.9%5895,407Hooker88.1%37011.9%50420Howard83.2%2,92516.8%5903,515Jefferson77.4%2,78622.6%8133,599Johnson73.4%1,55626.6%5622,118Kearney82.5%2,96317.5%6273,590Keith84.2%3,48615.8%6564,142Keya Paha93.6%4986.4%34532Kimball85.6%1,44414.4%2421,686Knox84.9%3,72715.1%6624,389Lancaster49.5%77,18950.5%78,598155,787Lincoln79.8%13,03420.2%3,29616,330Logan94.3%4175.7%25442Loup85.0%36415.0%64432Madison80.2%12,37619.8%3,05415,430McPherson96.1%2683.9%11279Merrick84.8%3,64515.2%6544,299Morrill86.0%2,04714.0%3322,379Nance82.8%1,47317.2%3061,779Nemaha74.1%2,49025.9%8693,359Nuckolls85.2%1,89414.8%3282,222Otoe71.0%5,71729.0%2,3318,048Pawnee79.3%1,07820.7%2821,360Perkins88.8%1,24711.2%1581,405Phelps86.7%4,28313.3%6574,940Pierce89.7%3,47110.3%3983,869Platte81.9%12,70918.1%2,81815,527Polk84.0%2,36016.0%4482,808Red Willow74.5%3,91925.5%1,3385,257Richardson77.9%2,98022.1%8473,827Rock92.1%7457.9%64809Saline68.3%3,80931.7%1,7655,574Sarpy58.4%57,90741.6%41,33299,239Saunders75.7%10,08124.3%3,2404,321Scotts Bluff75.8%11,30224.2%3,59914,901Seward76.4%6,98123.6%2,1579,138Sheridan86.9%2,12313.1%3192,442Sherman82.7%1,36717.3%2861,653Sioux91.1%6128.9%60672Stanton85.3%2,59914.7%4473,046Thayer84.1%2,38415.9%4522,836Thomas89.4%34610.6%41387Thurston59.9%1,23440.1%8252,059Valley85.8%1,93514.2%3212,256Washington73.8%9,14526.2%3,23912,384Wayne77.9%3,16022.1%8944,054Webster84.9%1,47715.1%2621,739Wheeler89.5%41910.5%49468York79.1%5,47020.9%1,4486,918 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Douglas (largest city: Omaha) Lancaster (largest city: Lincoln)

By congressional district Ricketts won all three congressional districts. District Ricketts Love Jr. Representative 59% 41%Mike Flood 50.2% 49.8%Don Bacon 79% 21%Adrian Smith

See also 2024 United States Senate election in Nebraska 2024 Nebraska elections

Notes

Partisan clients

References

External links Official campaign websites Preston Love Jr. (D) Pete Ricketts (R)