Ben Sasse Makes It Official, Leaves Senate

January 9, 2023 by Dan McCue
Ben Sasse Makes It Official, Leaves Senate

WASHINGTON — Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., officially resigned from the Senate on Sunday to become the next president of the University of Florida.

Sasse, who previously led Midland University, a small private college in Fremont, Nebraska, submitted his resignation last month saying he would leave office at noon on Jan. 8.

Last week, the outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump delivered farewell remarks in the Senate chamber, in which he observed that the institution “doesn’t work very well right now.”

“Each of us knows we should be taking a look in the mirror and acknowledging that lives lived in a politicized echo chamber are unworthy of a place that calls itself a deliberative body, let alone the world’s greatest deliberative body,” he said.

Sasse also took aim at the polarized and polarizing media landscape, saying that, “When we’re being honest with each other, which usually means when, on one of the very rare occasions cameras aren’t present, we all know that a big chunk of the performative yelling that happens here and in every hearing room is just about being booked for even more performative yelling at night on TV,” he said.

Sasse’s replacement will be appointed by Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican. 

The previous governor, Republican Pete Ricketts, has said he’s interested in the job.

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue

A+
a-
  • Ben Sasse
  • Retirement
  • University of Florida
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    U.S. Senate

    Senate Passes $1.2T Funding Package in Early Morning Vote

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills in the early morning hours Saturday, a long overdue... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills in the early morning hours Saturday, a long overdue action nearly six months into the budget year that will push any threats of a government shutdown to the fall. The bill now goes to President... Read More

    March 15, 2024
    by Tom Ramstack
    Senate Told Growing Wildfire Threat Needs New Strategies

    WASHINGTON — The number of wildfires driven by climate change has grown but the U.S. effort to control them has... Read More

    WASHINGTON — The number of wildfires driven by climate change has grown but the U.S. effort to control them has not, according to emergency response officials at a Senate hearing Thursday. At least not fast enough to prevent disasters like the fire that ravaged Maui in... Read More

    March 14, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    Schumer Calls for New Elections in Israel

    WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Thursday called on Israel to hold new elections, strongly criticizing Prime... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Thursday called on Israel to hold new elections, strongly criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for becoming an obstacle to peace in the region. Speaking for roughly 40 minutes on the Senate floor, Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official... Read More

    March 12, 2024
    by Tom Ramstack
    Defense Analysts Say Threats to US Have Risen to Dangerous Levels

    WASHINGTON — Defense analysts repeated warnings Tuesday about a dangerous world the United States cannot afford to ignore in a... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Defense analysts repeated warnings Tuesday about a dangerous world the United States cannot afford to ignore in a second Senate hearing this week leading to a vote on an annual military budget. Russia is trying to expand its borders through war with Ukraine, China... Read More

    Senate Passes Bill to Compensate Americans Exposed to Radiation by the Government

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed legislation Thursday that would compensate Americans exposed to radiation by the government by renewing a law... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed legislation Thursday that would compensate Americans exposed to radiation by the government by renewing a law initially passed more than three decades ago. The bill by Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., would expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act... Read More

    March 5, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    Kyrsten Sinema Won’t Seek Reelection in Arizona

    WASHINGTON — Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., said Tuesday that she will not seek reelection this year, clearing the way for... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., said Tuesday that she will not seek reelection this year, clearing the way for a likely matchup between Republican and Trump acolyte Kari Lake and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego. "The only political victories that matter these days are symbolic —... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top