Former Gov. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, a Republican, was appointed on Thursday as the state’s next senator, replacing Ben Sasse, a fellow Republican who resigned this week to become president of the University of Florida.
Mr. Ricketts was chosen for the Senate seat by his successor in the governor’s office, Jim Pillen, whose campaign he helped bankroll last year.
A special election will be held in 2024 to fill the seat for the remainder of Mr. Sasse’s term, which would have ended in 2026.
That means if Mr. Ricketts wants to stay in the Senate, he will have to run in the special election in 2024 and then again in 2026 for a full term.
This article will be updated.
