Ricketts tapped to fill Nebraska's open Senate seat

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has appointed Pete Ricketts, the state’s former GOP governor, to fill retired Sen. Ben Sasse’s seat through 2024.

Ricketts, who served two terms and endorsed Pillen in the race to replace him last year, would need to run in a special election next fall to fill out the remaining two years of Sasse's Senate term. Sasse resigned this month to become president of the University of Florida.