John Peter Ricketts

Republican junior Senator of Nebraska

  • Senator

    Nebraska

    January 23, 2023 - November 5, 2024

1

Congresses Served

1

Senate Terms

August 19, 1964 (60 years old)

Birthday

  • Served as the 40th governor of Nebraska from 2015 to 2023
  • Became the junior United States senator from Nebraska in 2023
  • Eldest son of Joe Ricketts, founder of TD Ameritrade
  • Part owner of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs
  • Unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2006
  • Won the Nebraska gubernatorial election in 2014 and was reelected in 2018
  • Approved various budgets and tax cuts as governor
  • Firm supporter of capital punishment; oversaw Nebraska’s first execution since 1997 in 2018
  • Appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2023 to fill a vacancy
  • Seeking election to complete the term in the 2024 special election and intends to seek a full term in 2026
  • Worked in executive positions at TD Ameritrade and was COO during his father’s tenure as CEO
  • Co-founded the Platte Institute for Economic Research, a “free market think tank”
  • Involved in sports, specifically with the Chicago Cubs, and has a 2016 World Series title
  • Advocated for tax reductions, opposed Medicaid expansion under the ACA, and opposed increasing the state’s minimum wage during his gubernatorial campaign
  • Signed legislation to create commemorative certificates of nonviable birth and various property and tax relief bills
  • Opposed federal COVID-19 relief conditions requiring mask mandates in local government offices
  • Supports a total ban on abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest
  • Supported an initiative to ban affirmative action in Nebraska
  • Opposes critical race theory, describing it as divisive and “Marxist”
  • Criticized the impeachment of Donald Trump, calling it a “partisan impeachment parade”
  • Opposes legalization of medicinal cannabis and has made controversial statements regarding its dangers
  • Opposed the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan and supports the Keystone XL Pipeline
  • Designated Nebraska as a “sanctuary state” for the Second Amendment
  • Proponent of fiscal conservatism and tax cuts, signed legislation providing significant tax relief as governor
  • Catholic, member of the Knights of Columbus and a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre