Pete Ricketts

John Peter Ricketts (born August 19, 1964) is an American businessman and politician serving as the juniorUnited States senator from Nebraska since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 40th governor of Nebraska from 2015 to 2023.

Ricketts is the eldest son of Joe Ricketts, founder of TD Ameritrade. He is also, with other family members, a part owner of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs. Ricketts unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2006, losing to incumbent Ben Nelson. He ran for governor of Nebraska in 2014, and after narrowly winning the six-way Republican primary, won the general election. He was reelected in 2018. As governor, Ricketts approved various budgets and tax cuts and was a firm supporter of capital punishment; in 2018 the state carried out its first execution since 1997.

Ricketts left office after his second term as governor expired on January 5, 2023; a week later he was appointed to the U.S. Senate by his gubernatorial successor, Jim Pillen, to fill the vacancy created by Ben Sasse's resignation. He won the election to complete Sasse's term in the 2024 special election, and is running for reelection in 2026.