Candidate · November 3, 2026
Pete Ricketts
On the ballot for U.S. Senate · Nebraska
- raised through Oct 14, 2026
- $15M
- cash on hand
- $1.2M
- issues with public statements
- 13
- outside spending for or against
- $20M
§1On the ballot
Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.
| Office | U.S. Senate · Nebraska1 |
|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Republican1 |
| Status | Incumbent — Currently serves as a U.S. senator from Nebraska.2 |
| Also on the ballot |
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§2Who they are
Why this matters: Background and experience help you judge how someone might do the job. These come from public records and the candidate's own materials.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Pete Ricketts was sworn in as a U.S. senator from Nebraska on January 23, 2023.3 He was sworn in as Nebraska's governor in January 2015 and was re-elected in 2018.3 Before entering public office, he held executive roles, including president and chief operating officer, at his family's business, which became Ameritrade, and founded Drakon, LLC, which supports Nebraska startups.3 He earned a bachelor's degree in biology and an MBA from the University of Chicago, and lives in Omaha.3
Why they say they're running
His campaign website says his mission is to deliver for Nebraska, as it says he did as governor by cutting taxes and making government work better, and that he continues that work in the Senate.4
Service in Congress since 2023
Websites and accounts
- Official websitericketts.senate.gov2
- X (Twitter)x.com/SenatorRicketts5
- Facebookfacebook.com/SenatorRicketts5
- YouTubeyoutube.com/@SenatorRicketts5
- Instagraminstagram.com/SenatorRicketts5
- Campaign websitepetericketts.com4,
6 - Facebookfacebook.com/PeteRickettsNE4
- X (Twitter)twitter.com/PeteRicketts4
- YouTubeyoutube.com/@rickettsforsenate4
§3What they've said on the issues
Why this matters: These are positions the candidate has stated publicly — on their campaign website or in public statements — summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Issues they haven't spoken about publicly are left out.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Each issue has its own range of views. A position is marked on that range only when the candidate's own statement clearly matches one option; there is no overall left–right score.
Taxes and Budget
His campaign website says he helped pass what it calls the largest federal tax cut in American history.7
His campaign website lists ending taxes on tips and overtime among the tax cuts he helped pass.7
His campaign website says he helped pass legislation that will cut nearly $2 trillion in government spending.8
- Increase overall federal spending
- Hold overall spending near current levels
- Cut overall federal spending
- Cut spending enough to balance the budget within 10 years
His campaign website says he introduced the bipartisan Improper Payments Transparency Act and voted to hold states accountable for fraud in SNAP.8
Social Security and Medicare
Family and Social Policy
His campaign website lists an expanded child tax credit among the tax cuts he helped pass.7
Immigration
His campaign website says he voted for $46.5 billion in border security funding, the hiring of 16,000 Border Patrol agents and $4 billion to clear the immigration court backlog.10
Crime, Policing and Prisons
His campaign website says he opposed calls to defund the police, voted to give law enforcement more resources to fight fentanyl and cosponsored harsher penalties for criminals who target officers.10
- Increase police funding, for example to hire more officers
- Keep funding near current levels
- Shift some police funding to mental health, housing or other services
Agriculture and Rural Life
His campaign website says he introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the country's ability to stop foreign adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party, from owning farmland.11
Foreign Policy and Defense
His campaign website calls China a threat and says he introduced legislation to limit China's ability to use tax incentives meant for American citizens.11
His campaign website says he voted for $150 billion to strengthen national security, and that he also voted for funding for Offutt Air Force Base, the Sentinel ICBM program and the Golden Dome missile defense system.11
- Increase military spending
- Hold it near current levels, adjusted for inflation
- Cut military spending
Education
His campaign website says he voted to bar people born male from competing in women's sports.12
- Require teams based on sex at birth
- Let each state decide
- Let schools or sports organizations set rules case by case
- Teams based on gender identity
Environment and Public Lands
His campaign website says he opposed a Biden administration plan that it says would have taken 30% of Nebraska's land for federal conservation.12
§4Popular bills that never got a vote
Why this matters: Many bills with wide support from both parties never reach a vote, so no member of Congress is ever on record for or against them. Signing on as a sponsor or cosponsor is the only public record of support.
While Pete Ricketts served, these bills had broad support from both parties but never reached a floor vote. No officeholder ever had to vote on them. Pete Ricketts sponsored or cosponsored 28 of the 50. How bills die without a vote.
See all 50
- Requires sanctions and tariffs if Russia refuses peace talks with Ukraine or invades again (S. 1241, 119th Congress · 84 cosponsors)13Cosponsored
- Lets combat-disabled military retirees receive full retired pay and disability pay (S. 1032, 119th Congress · 80 cosponsors)14Cosponsored
- Lets combat-disabled veterans with under 20 years' service get full retirement pay (S. 344, 118th Congress · 74 cosponsors)15Cosponsored
- Permanently expands Medicare coverage of telehealth services (S. 1261, 119th Congress · 73 cosponsors)16Cosponsored
- Sets prior authorization standards for Medicare Advantage plans (S. 1816, 119th Congress · 71 cosponsors)17Cosponsored
- Permanently expands Medicare coverage of telehealth services (S. 2016, 118th Congress · 65 cosponsors)18Cosponsored
- Allows Medicare to cover FDA-approved tests that screen for many types of cancer (S. 2085, 118th Congress · 64 cosponsors)19Cosponsored
- Requires AM radio as standard equipment in new passenger vehicles (S. 1669, 118th Congress · 62 cosponsors)20Cosponsored
- Lets surviving military and veteran spouses who remarry keep certain benefits (S. 410, 119th Congress · 61 cosponsors)21Cosponsored
- Sets electronic prior-approval and reporting rules for Medicare Advantage plans (S. 4532, 118th Congress · 59 cosponsors)22Cosponsored
- Bans connected vehicles and parts tied to China, Russia, Iran or North Korea (S. 4429, 119th Congress · 57 cosponsors)23Cosponsored
- Sets criminal penalties for charging unauthorized fees to help with VA benefit claims (S. 740, 118th Congress · 55 cosponsors)24Cosponsored
- Bars insurance discrimination against living organ donors and clarifies their leave rights (S. 1552, 119th Congress · 50 cosponsors)25Cosponsored
- Limits VA cuts to payment rates for ambulances and other special transportation (S. 2757, 118th Congress · 49 cosponsors)26Cosponsored
- Lowers U.S. taxes on Taiwan residents if Taiwan gives Americans similar treatment (S. 199, 119th Congress · 48 cosponsors)27Cosponsored
- Has education civil rights officials consider a specific definition of antisemitism (S. 558, 119th Congress · 47 cosponsors)28Cosponsored
- Bars insurer bias against living organ donors; counts recovery for job-protected leave (S. 1384, 118th Congress · 43 cosponsors)29Cosponsored
- Restores immediate tax deductions for research costs and expands startup research credits (S. 866, 118th Congress · 43 cosponsors)30Cosponsored
- Authorizes stillbirth research, data collection and public education programs (S. 2647, 118th Congress · 41 cosponsors)31Cosponsored
- Expands and revises the low-income housing tax credit for affordable rentals (S. 1515, 119th Congress · 41 cosponsors)32Cosponsored
- Funds state stillbirth data collection and federal stillbirth guidelines (S. 2858, 119th Congress · 41 cosponsors)33Cosponsored
- Expands tax breaks and federal support for employee ownership of S corporations (S. 2515, 118th Congress · 40 cosponsors)34Cosponsored
- Adds military spouses to the tax credit for hiring workers from targeted groups (S. 1027, 119th Congress · 39 cosponsors)35Cosponsored
- Expands and extends the military's authority to counter drone threats through 2030 (S. 1793, 119th Congress · 39 cosponsors)36Cosponsored
- Creates a White House coordinator and task force to counter antisemitism (S. 4091, 118th Congress · 38 cosponsors)37Cosponsored
- Expands tax deferral and federal support for employee ownership of S corporations (S. 2461, 119th Congress · 33 cosponsors)38Cosponsored
- Adds a presentation on VA benefits to military transition counseling (S. 3938, 119th Congress · 32 cosponsors)39Cosponsored
- Expands U.S.-Israel military cooperation on counter-drone and emerging technology (S. 554, 119th Congress · 32 cosponsors)40Cosponsored
- Renews the repair-backlog fund for national parks and other public lands (S. 1547, 119th Congress · 70 cosponsors)41Did not cosponsor
- Adds Medicare coverage of tests that screen for many types of cancer, starting in 2028 (S. 339, 119th Congress · 68 cosponsors)42Did not cosponsor
- Gives new-car dealers more time to restock inventory under a tax accounting method (S. 443, 118th Congress · 63 cosponsors)43Did not cosponsor
- Adds Medicare coverage of early Alzheimer's screening tests starting in 2028 (S. 3267, 119th Congress · 57 cosponsors)44Did not cosponsor
- Requires health plans to cover birth defect care for the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth or jaw (S. 1677, 119th Congress · 54 cosponsors)45Did not cosponsor
- Expands federal support for community development lenders, including Native lenders (S. 3940, 119th Congress · 53 cosponsors)46Did not cosponsor
- Requires employer health plans to offer exceptions to step therapy drug rules (S. 2903, 119th Congress · 52 cosponsors)47Did not cosponsor
- Adds military spouses to the groups covered by the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (S. 596, 118th Congress · 49 cosponsors)48Did not cosponsor
- Requires health plans to offer exceptions to step-therapy drug rules (S. 652, 118th Congress · 48 cosponsors)49Did not cosponsor
- Raises the railroad track maintenance tax credit and updates which track qualifies (S. 1532, 119th Congress · 48 cosponsors)50Did not cosponsor
- Lets surviving military and veteran spouses who remarry keep certain benefits (S. 1266, 118th Congress · 40 cosponsors)51Did not cosponsor
- Lowers Medicare drug plan costs and limits for non-opioid pain medicines (S. 475, 119th Congress · 36 cosponsors)52Did not cosponsor
- Expands and renames the low-income housing tax credit (S. 1557, 118th Congress · 34 cosponsors)53Did not cosponsor
- Funds two federal diabetes programs, including one for Native Americans, through 2027 (S. 2211, 119th Congress · 34 cosponsors)54Did not cosponsor
- Adds permanent Medicare coverage of pharmacist testing and treatment for common infections (S. 2426, 119th Congress · 33 cosponsors)55Did not cosponsor
- Creates a federal data system on college students' enrollment, costs and outcomes (S. 1349, 118th Congress · 31 cosponsors)56Did not cosponsor
- Funds SNAP food assistance benefits during a lapse in fiscal 2026 Agriculture funding (S. 3024, 119th Congress · 31 cosponsors)57Did not cosponsor
- Expands and extends federal and local authority to detect and stop threatening drones (S. 1631, 118th Congress · 30 cosponsors)58Did not cosponsor
- Makes the federal adoption tax credit refundable (S. 2895, 118th Congress · 30 cosponsors)59Did not cosponsor
- Sets federal criminal penalties for illicit use of xylazine, an animal sedative (S. 993, 118th Congress · 30 cosponsors)60Did not cosponsor
- Adds Medicare payment for pharmacist testing and treatment of flu, COVID-19 and more (S. 2477, 118th Congress · 29 cosponsors)61Did not cosponsor
- Expands tech company reporting duties and victim remedies for online child sexual abuse (S. 1829, 119th Congress · 29 cosponsors)62Did not cosponsor
§5Money
Why this matters: Campaigns report where their money comes from and how much they have left. Outside groups that spend on their own, without coordinating with the campaign, report that too.
Reported to the Federal Election Commission for the 2025–2026 election cycle, through October 14, 2026.63
| Raised | $14,546,959 |
|---|---|
| Spent | $13,815,790 |
| Cash on hand | $1,218,139 |
Where the money came from
Outside spending
Groups spending independently reported $1,511,769 supporting and $18,429,087 opposing Pete Ricketts this cycle, primary and general combined, in the 24- and 48-hour reports the law requires for larger expenditures, filed through October 26, 2026.64
| Group | Supporting | Opposing |
|---|---|---|
| NEBRASKA VALUES PAC | — | $11,420,249 |
| WORKING CLASS MAJORITY PAC, INC | — | $3,083,846 |
| Freedom from Politics | — | $2,055,000 |
| The Edge Action Fund (SuperPAC) | — | $1,113,750 |
| Retire Career Politicians | — | $533,523 |
| SLF PAC | $495,635 | — |
| FELLOWSHIP PAC | $350,000 | — |
| DEFENDING OUR VALUES PAC | $262,625 | — |
Smaller expenditures that appear only on a group's regular monthly or quarterly report aren't in these totals, so the full amounts can be somewhat higher. When a group amends a report, only its latest version is counted.
§6Financial disclosures
Why this matters: Federal candidates and members of Congress must report their assets, income, debts and outside jobs, and members must report stock trades. These filings show possible conflicts of interest.
Senate candidates and senators file with the Senate's own disclosure system, which asks each visitor to agree to its terms before searching, so we can't link straight to a filing. You can search for Pete Ricketts at efdsearch.senate.gov65.