BREAKING: Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NEB) to resign

[brooklynite]

Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) will announce plans to resign from the Senate later today in order to accept a job at an academic institution, KFAB reports.

https://politicalwire.com/2022/10/06/ben-sasse-to-resign-from-senate/

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. How will he be replaced, and by whom? n/t

[LeftInTX]

14. Republican Governor appoints

[lindysalsagal]

2. Wonder what's behind this?

[peppertree]

19. Kompromat, no doubt

Must be something juicy too - you know, what with GOP family values and all.

[montanacowboy]

3. Can Nebraska appoint a new Senator

or do they have to have a Special Election?

[peppertree]

20. Racketts will pick some fascist fire-breather - probably a woman (given the likely reason here)

Said appointee will then coast to election for a full term a couple of years from now.

The children of the corn are in full control in Nebraska, the sad fact is.

[Elessar Zappa]

4. To be replaced by someone worse, possibly.

Hope we can find someone competitive.

[brooklynite]

5. Nebraska Revised Statute 32-565

United States Senator; vacancy; how filled.

(1) When a vacancy occurs in the representation of the State of Nebraska in the Senate of the United States, the office shall be filled by the Governor. The Governor shall appoint a suitable person possessing the qualifications necessary for senator to fill such vacancy.

(2)(a) If the vacancy occurs sixty days or less prior to a statewide general election and if the term vacated expires on the following January 3, the appointee shall serve until the following January 3.

(b) If the vacancy occurs sixty days or less prior to a statewide general election and if the term extends beyond the following January 3, the appointee shall serve until January 3 following the second statewide general election next succeeding his or her appointment and at such election a senator shall be elected to serve the unexpired term if any.

(3) If the vacancy occurs more than sixty days prior to a statewide general election, the appointee shall serve until January 3 following the statewide general election and at such election a senator shall be elected to serve the unexpired term if any.

https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=32-565

[WestMichRad]

15. Sasse was re-elected in 2020

… so that seat has 4 years remaining in its term. Per provision (b) of the cited statute, a replacement appointed by the governor will serve until the next statewide election. I don’t know Nebraska politics enough to say whether that would be in 2023 or 2024.

[GreenWave]

6. It does seem too late for a Nov. election.

So I fear an appointment.

[GreenWave]

7. Rickets GOP will appoint

based on what brooklynite wrote.

It looks like 2B and would be for more than a year if I read that right.

[MerryHolidays]

8. He was sometimes one of the more reasonable Republican senators

I hope a firebrand is not appointed.

[FoxNewsSucks]

9. Bens Asse will be replaced by someone worse.

This reeks similar to the way a certain SCOTUS retirement reeked. He may not be personally corrupt, but I think the republicon puppetmasters want him out of the way.

[Sneederbunk]

12. Pete Ricketts?

[Tommy Carcetti]

10. Sasse was not great, but not terrible.

At least compared to some of his peers.

He'll likely be replaced with someone terrible.

[Sneederbunk]

16. Yes, but still disappointing.

[Slammer]

17. Sasse

He gives a good speech and is certainly capable of sounding reasonable.

He's a pre-Trumpist Republican who didn't go to the Dark Side during or after the Trump years in office.

Sounds like a real catch compared to most of them.

But I can hardly blame him for going back to being a university president in this environment. The reduction in death threats alone would be appealing and it's a huge pay increase (their last president made $860,000/year while a senator makes $174,000).

[themaguffin]

11. Weird that it says "academic institution & not U of Florida.

[jmowreader]

13. Sasse was one of seven Republicans to vote to convict Trump in January 2021

I wouldn't be surprised if Governor Ricketts took the job himself. He's got a perfectly terrifying light governor in Mike Foley who could take over the statehouse for him, and Ricketts has run for the Senate before.

[Slammer]

18. Exactly right

They'll likely do the dance of "I'll resign from being governor so you, the lt. governor, can become the new governor and appoint me to be the new senator".

[SergeStorms]

21. Not sufficiently "Trumpy"...

would be my guess. He's one of those old-timey republicans, the kind who would listen to reason now and then. Mostly then.

Now a brand new bat-shit crazy republican will be appointed. Gee, I hope it's an Empty Greene or BoBo Boebert clone. 😳

[kairos12]

22. I think he is going to be President of the University of Florida

As a a proud Gator I want to throw up.

[MerryHolidays]

23. I am curious what Ron DeSantis thinks of this. Any feedback yet? nt