ABOUT THIS REPORTING
Pete Ricketts and his family have spent at least $18.6 million on Nebraska political campaigns and causes in the dozen years he was running for governor, serving as governor and then serving in the United States Senate.
The family spending rose to its highest-ever level during the 2024 election cycle, when Pete Ricketts and his parents accounted for roughly 9% of all political giving in the state, according to reporting done by FFP reporter Sara Gentzler and Syracuse University’s Alex Richards. Put another way, the U.S. senator and his parents spent $1 out of every $11 spent by anyone on any Nebraska political race, political action committee or ballot initiative.
“The numbers startle,” said the former governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, a Democrat. “At this level of giving … they may not own Nebraska politics but they seem to have a long-term lease.”
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Ricketts’ Riches: Record election spending shows senator’s family far from done in Nebraska
Sen. Pete Ricketts and his parents shattered their previous spending records during the recent election cycle. The family spent roughly $1 of every $11 spent by anyone on any Nebraska political race, PAC or ballot initiative. Much of it was on the white-hot abortion race.
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Ricketts’ Riches: Wealthy governor widened gulf in Nebraska Legislature, observers say
While Pete Ricketts was governor, he and his parents spent serious money supporting state senators – and opposing fellow Republicans who had displeased the governor. Longtime observers say that money helped morph the Legislature, making it less independent and more partisan.
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Ricketts’ Riches: Nebraska politician and family deliver deluge of campaign cash
THE SKINNY: Pete Ricketts and his family have spent at least $18.6 million on Nebraska political campaigns and causes in the dozen years he was running for governor,…
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Ricketts’ Riches: How we did it
The Flatwater Free Press analyzed public state and federal campaign finance records to get the most complete look at the Ricketts’ political giving possible. We reached out to…
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Ricketts’ Riches: Wealthy governor, billionaire family changed Nebraska elections
A new Flatwater Free Press analysis shows the breadth of Nebraska campaign giving by Pete Ricketts and his parents, which spiked when he ran for governor and spiked again to support Jim Pillen, who soon appointed Ricketts to the U.S. Senate.
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The Ricketts family donates millions to Nebraska campaigns. They aren’t the top donors.
Charles Herbster, who largely self-funded two campaigns for governor, has given the most to Nebraska campaigns in the past quarter century, the analysis shows. After the Ricketts family, the rest of the top donors are a grab-bag of big Nebraska names on both sides of the political aisle.