2020 United States Senate election in Nebraska explained

See also: 2020 United States Senate elections.

Election Name:	2020 United States Senate election in Nebraska
Country:	Nebraska
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2014 United States Senate election in Nebraska
Previous Year:	2014
Next Election:	2024 United States Senate special election in Nebraska
Next Year:	2024 (special)
Election Date:	November 3, 2020
Image1:	Ben Sasse official portrait (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:	Ben Sasse
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	583,507
Percentage1:	62.74%
Nominee2:	Chris Janicek
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	227,191
Percentage2:	24.43%
Image4:	Preston Love Jr., 2020.jpg
Nominee4:	Preston Love Jr. (write-in)
Party4:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote4:	58,411
Percentage4:	6.28%
Image5:	3x4.svg
Nominee5:	Gene Siadek
Party5:	Libertarian Party (United States)
Popular Vote5:	55,115
Percentage5:	5.93%
Map Size:	300px
U.S. Senator
Before Election:	Ben Sasse
Before Party:	Republican Party (United States)
After Election:	Ben Sasse
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)

The 2020 United States Senate election in Nebraska was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Nebraska, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Incumbent Republican Senator Ben Sasse was challenged by Democratic nominee Chris Janicek, who was disavowed by his party after numerous scandals; by write-in candidate Preston Love Jr., who received the support of the state Democratic Party; and by Libertarian nominee Gene Siadek.

Sasse was reelected to a second term in office with 62.7% of the vote and a 38.3% margin. He outperformed President Donald Trump by almost 27,000 votes, or 8.9%, compared to the concurrent presidential election, the largest overperformance by any Republican Senate candidate in the country that year. In contrast, Janicek was the worst performing Democratic Senate candidate in the country compared to Joe Biden, underperforming him by 13.1%. This was attributed to a sexual misconduct scandal affecting Janicek and split-ticket voting in Omaha suburbs.^{[1] [2]}

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Ben Sasse, incumbent U.S. senator^[3]

Eliminated in primary

• Matt Innis, businessman and former chair of the Lancaster County Republican Party^{[4] [5]}

Declined

• Charles Herbster, farmer^[6]
• Pete Ricketts, Governor of Nebraska^[7]

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Chris Janicek, businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018^[8]

On June 16, 2020, Janicek lost the support of the Nebraska Democratic Party after allegations surfaced of sending sexually explicit text messages about a female campaign staff member and allegedly using racist slurs to insult a guest at a party 20 years prior.^{[9] [10] [11]} Nonetheless, Janicek refused to drop out of the race and his name remained on the ballot in the general election. In September the state Democratic party supported Preston Love Jr. via a write-in candidacy.^{[12] [13]}

Eliminated in primary

• Dennis Frank Maček^[14]
• Larry Marvin, perennial candidate^[15]
• Angie Philips, mental health advocate^[16]
• Alisha Shelton, behavioral health clinical supervisor^[17]
• Andy Stock, former candidate for Lancaster County Treasurer^[18]
• Dan Wik, physician^[19]

Declined

• Chris Beutler, former mayor of Lincoln^[20]

Results

Other candidates

Libertarian Party

Nominee

• Gene Siadek, former chairman of the Libertarian Party of Nebraska

Withdrawn

• Eric Dilliard^[21]

Results

Democratic write-in

Declared

• Preston Love Jr., first vice president of the Omaha NAACP chapter and second associate chairman of the Nebraska Democratic Party, endorsed by the party after the allegations against Janicek^{[22] [13]}

Withdrawn

• Brad Ashford, former Democratic Congressman from NE-02^{[23] [24] [25]}

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	The Cook Political Report^[26]		October 29, 2020
align=left	Inside Elections^[27]		October 28, 2020
align=left	Sabato's Crystal Ball^[28]		November 2, 2020
Daily Kos^[29]		October 30, 2020
Politico^[30]		November 2, 2020
RCP^[31]		October 23, 2020
DDHQ^[32]		November 3, 2020
538^[33]		November 2, 2020
Economist^[34]		November 2, 2020

Results

County	Ben SasseRepublican		Chris JanicekDemocratic		Preston Love Jr. (write-in)Democratic		Gene Siadek Libertarian		Write-in		Total votes
	%		%		%		%		%
Adams	70.88%	9,995	18.32%	2,583	3.89%	548	6.36%	897	0.56%	79	14,102
Antelope	82.14%	2,828	10.28%	354	0.84%	29	5.34%	184	1.39%	48	3,443
Arthur	84.44%	228	7.78%	21	0.00%	0	7.78%	21	0.00%	0	270
Banner	84.17%	335	9.80%	39	0.50%	2	5.28%	21	0.25%	1	398
Blaine	75.00%	222	11.82%	35	0.68%	2	11.49%	34	1.01%	3	296
Boone	79.51%	2,402	11.62%	351	1.79%	54	5.89%	178	1.19%	36	3,021
Box Butte	75.59%	3,840	16.18%	822	1.34%	68	6.42%	326	0.47%	24	5,080
Boyd	83.62%	883	8.43%	89	0.00%	0	7.10%	75	0.85%	9	1,056
Brown	85.20%	1,387	7.68%	125	0.86%	14	5.71%	93	0.55%	9	1,628
Buffalo	72.45%	16,729	16.68%	3,851	3.38%	780	6.95%	1,605	0.55%	126	23,091
Burt	73.57%	2,639	18.90%	678	1.95%	70	5.21%	187	0.36%	13	3,587
Butler	80.16%	3,512	13.99%	613	1.05%	46	4.52%	198	0.27%	12	4,381
Cass	70.77%	10,493	19.38%	2,874	3.55%	527	5.98%	886	0.31%	46	14,826
Cedar	81.34%	3,902	11.36%	545	0.96%	46	5.67%	272	0.67%	32	4,797
Chase	85.70%	1,666	8.90%	173	0.62%	12	4.06%	79	0.72%	14	1,944
Cherry	78.49%	2,365	9.39%	283	1.16%	35	9.09%	274	1.86%	56	3,013
Cheyenne	75.54%	3,505	15.47%	718	0.45%	21	6.96%	323	1.57%	73	4,640
Clay	77.73%	2,660	12.62%	432	1.55%	53	7.10%	243	0.99%	34	3,422
Colfax	73.24%	2,652	20.63%	747	1.66%	60	4.31%	156	0.17%	6	3,621
Cuming	82.07%	3,566	11.71%	509	1.57%	68	4.56%	198	0.09%	4	4,345
Custer	82.56%	4,824	9.09%	531	0.74%	43	6.18%	361	1.44%	84	5,843
Dakota	60.53%	3,951	34.24%	2,235	1.33%	87	3.68%	240	0.21%	14	6,527
Dawes	71.75%	2,883	19.54%	785	2.17%	87	6.22%	250	0.32%	13	4,018
Dawson	72.31%	6,460	20.48%	1,830	1.42%	127	5.36%	479	0.43%	38	8,934
Deuel	82.71%	837	10.28%	104	0.49%	5	6.13%	62	0.40%	4	1,012
Dixon	74.05%	2,206	16.82%	501	1.58%	47	6.92%	206	0.64%	19	2,979
Dodge	69.07%	11,397	20.65%	3,408	3.47%	572	6.51%	1,074	0.30%	50	16,501
Douglas	50.71%	136,745	32.49%	87,608	10.10%	27,229	5.94%	16,019	0.76%	2,046	269,647
Dundy	85.82%	835	7.91%	77	0.82%	8	4.93%	48	0.51%	5	973
Fillmore	78.46%	2,418	14.11%	435	2.21%	68	5.06%	156	0.16%	5	3,082
Franklin	82.67%	1,398	11.24%	190	1.24%	21	4.20%	71	0.65%	11	1,691
Frontier	84.14%	1,183	9.17%	129	0.92%	13	5.19%	73	0.57%	8	1,406
Furnas	81.43%	2,079	10.85%	277	0.71%	18	6.31%	161	0.71%	18	2,553
Gage	70.44%	7,656	20.61%	2,240	2.83%	308	5.70%	620	0.41%	45	10,869
Garden	82.06%	938	11.11%	127	0.09%	1	6.47%	74	0.26%	3	1,143
Garfield	84.52%	868	8.86%	91	0.78%	8	4.87%	50	0.97%	10	1,027
Gosper	82.42%	900	10.16%	111	1.56%	17	5.40%	59	0.46%	5	1,092
Grant	86.29%	321	3.76%	14	1.08%	4	6.72%	25	2.15%	8	372
Greeley	79.97%	938	14.15%	166	0.85%	10	4.77%	56	0.26%	3	1,173
Hall	68.54%	16,231	21.87%	5,180	2.76%	653	6.29%	1,489	0.54%	129	23,682
Hamilton	77.24%	4,114	12.73%	678	2.23%	119	7.02%	374	0.77%	41	5,326
Harlan	81.37%	1,529	11.07%	208	1.22%	23	5.59%	105	0.75%	14	1,879
Hayes	88.91%	457	5.84%	30	0.39%	2	4.47%	23	0.39%	2	514
Hitchcock	81.65%	1,179	9.97%	144	0.69%	10	7.55%	109	0.14%	2	1,444
Holt	77.98%	4,165	11.29%	603	1.14%	61	6.98%	373	2.60%	139	5,341
Hooker	81.73%	349	11.24%	48	0.94%	4	3.98%	17	2.11%	9	427
Howard	78.86%	2,660	13.22%	446	1.54%	52	6.14%	207	0.24%	8	3,373
Jefferson	75.17%	2,764	18.06%	664	1.25%	46	5.19%	191	0.33%	12	3,677
Johnson	72.93%	1,576	19.30%	417	1.90%	41	5.78%	125	0.09%	2	2,161
Kearney	79.56%	2,790	11.75%	412	2.02%	71	6.27%	220	0.40%	14	3,507
Keith	78.92%	3,355	13.01%	553	1.62%	69	5.98%	254	0.47%	20	4,251
Keya Paha	84.39%	427	8.10%	41	0.20%	1	6.72%	34	0.59%	3	506
Kimball	79.85%	1,458	13.36%	244	0.49%	9	6.13%	112	0.16%	3	1,826
Knox	75.78%	3,376	15.89%	708	0.65%	29	6.46%	288	1.21%	54	4,455
Lancaster	51.74%	79,436	31.75%	48,756	10.41%	15,990	5.47%	8,405	0.62%	954	153,541
Lincoln	75.39%	12,679	15.61%	2,626	1.81%	304	6.62%	1,113	0.57%	96	16,818
Logan	85.22%	369	8.31%	36	0.23%	1	5.08%	22	1.15%	5	433
Loup	84.28%	370	6.38%	28	4.10%	18	4.78%	21	0.46%	2	439
Madison	75.31%	11,552	15.64%	2,399	2.20%	337	6.15%	943	0.71%	109	15,340
McPherson	88.14%	260	4.07%	12	0.68%	2	6.44%	19	0.68%	2	295
Merrick	79.81%	3,242	12.58%	511	1.03%	42	6.57%	267	0.00%	0	4,062
Morrill	76.14%	1,870	13.23%	325	0.53%	13	9.00%	221	1.10%	27	2,456
Nance	78.57%	1,353	14.05%	242	1.63%	28	5.23%	90	0.52%	9	1,722
Nemaha	75.11%	2,511	15.67%	524	2.54%	85	6.16%	206	0.51%	17	3,343
Nuckolls	82.27%	1,856	11.30%	255	1.20%	27	4.74%	107	0.49%	11	2,256
Otoe	73.18%	5,961	18.43%	1,501	2.49%	203	5.59%	455	0.32%	26	8,146
Pawnee	77.46%	1,072	15.68%	217	2.02%	28	4.70%	65	0.14%	2	1,384
Perkins	85.18%	1,270	9.26%	138	0.74%	11	4.63%	69	0.20%	3	1,491
Phelps	80.46%	3,896	10.08%	488	1.18%	57	6.69%	324	1.59%	77	4,842
Pierce	83.85%	3,261	9.08%	353	1.05%	41	5.25%	204	0.77%	30	3,889
Platte	79.26%	12,055	14.35%	2,183	1.40%	213	4.77%	725	0.22%	34	15,210
Polk	80.97%	2,276	12.63%	355	1.39%	39	4.66%	131	0.36%	10	2,811
Red Willow	80.65%	4,290	10.79%	574	1.69%	90	6.39%	340	0.47%	25	5,319
Richardson	76.05%	3,023	17.11%	680	1.06%	42	4.93%	196	0.86%	34	3,975
Rock	86.94%	699	5.35%	43	0.00%	0	5.97%	48	1.74%	14	804
Saline	65.91%	3,675	25.29%	1,410	1.99%	111	6.81%	380	0.00%	0	5,576
Sarpy	61.46%	57,763	25.00%	23,500	6.88%	6,471	6.20%	5,826	0.46%	432	93,992
Saunders	74.06%	9,210	16.06%	1,997	3.22%	400	6.18%	768	0.49%	61	12,436
Scotts Bluff	71.36%	10,820	20.06%	3,042	1.82%	276	6.29%	953	0.47%	71	15,162
Seward	75.04%	6,718	16.35%	1,464	3.21%	287	5.08%	455	0.32%	29	8,953
Sheridan	78.87%	2,042	11.20%	290	0.50%	13	8.07%	209	1.35%	35	2,589
Sherman	75.60%	1,233	15.14%	247	0.98%	16	7.85%	128	0.43%	7	1,631
Sioux	84.92%	597	7.40%	52	0.71%	5	6.69%	47	0.28%	2	703
Stanton	76.80%	2,304	12.47%	374	1.63%	49	8.07%	242	1.03%	31	3,000
Thayer	81.38%	2,356	12.85%	372	1.38%	40	4.25%	123	0.14%	4	2,895
Thomas	82.25%	329	10.00%	40	0.00%	0	5.25%	21	2.50%	10	400
Thurston	53.30%	1,218	38.73%	885	2.36%	54	3.24%	74	2.36%	54	2,285
Valley	80.47%	1,821	12.37%	280	1.33%	30	5.39%	122	0.44%	10	2,263
Washington	72.88%	8,808	16.39%	1,981	4.10%	495	6.30%	761	0.34%	41	12,086
Wayne	73.62%	3,000	15.66%	638	3.26%	133	6.77%	276	0.69%	28	4,075
Webster	80.43%	1,443	12.82%	230	1.78%	32	4.96%	89	0.00%	0	1,794
Wheeler	80.79%	387	10.23%	49	0.63%	3	7.52%	36	0.84%	4	479
York	77.84%	5,406	14.64%	1,017	1.83%	127	5.46%	379	0.23%	16	6,945

External links

• • • Web site: League of Women Voters of Nebraska . (state affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)

Official campaign websites

• Ben Sasse (R) for Senate
• Chris Janicek (D) for Senate
• Gene Siadek (L) for Senate
• Preston Love Jr. (D) for Senate

Notes and References

1. Web site: Rakich. Nathaniel. 2020-12-02. There Wasn't That Much Split-Ticket Voting In 2020. 2020-12-02. FiveThirtyEight. en-US.
2. News: Nebraska Sen. Sasse bets political future on opposing Trump. Associated Press. Beaumont. Thomas. February 12, 2021. February 13, 2021.
3. Web site: Akin . Stephanie . Ben Sasse, one of the Senate's last remaining Republican Trump critics, to seek reelection . Roll Call . August 6, 2019 . August 5, 2019.
4. Web site: Walton . Don . Don Walton: Hateful politics, the moonshot, another ag blow . Lincoln Journal Star . August 2, 2019 . July 21, 2019.
5. News: Matt Innis will oppose Sasse in 2020 GOP primary . Walton . Don . August 2, 2019 . Lincoln Journal Star.
6. News: Cohen. Zach C.. How Sasse Is Prepping for 2020—in Nebraska. National Journal. April 1, 2019. April 2, 2019.
7. News: Isenstadt. Alex. Sasse tempts Trump's wrath by refusing to bow. Politico. July 9, 2018. November 14, 2018.
8. Web site: Sherrod . Brian . Chris Janicek runs for U.S. Senate 2020 seat representing Nebraska . NBC Nebraska Scottsbluff . September 19, 2019 . September 18, 2019 . September 20, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190920135939/https://www.ksnblocal4.com/scottsbluff/content/news/Chris-Janicek-runs-for-US-Senate-2020-seat-representing-Nebraska-560700301.html . dead .
9. News: Nebraska Democrat Urged to Quit Senate Race Over Sexual Texts to Aide. Astor. Maggie. The New York Times . June 16, 2020 . en. 2020-06-22.
10. News: Nebraska Senate Candidate Used Racist Slur at a Party, Guests Recall. Astor. Maggie. The New York Times . June 17, 2020 . en. 2020-06-22.
11. Web site: Nebraska Democratic Party demands that Chris Janicek drop out of Senate race after sexual harassment complaint. Nebraska. Democratic Party. nebraskademocrats.org. June 16, 2020 . en. 2020-06-22.
12. News: September 1, 2020 . Aaron . Sanderford . Chris Janicek won't quit Senate race; Democrats eye write-in candidate. Omaha World-Herald. en. 2020-10-06.
13. News: September 10, 2020 . Aaron . Sanderford . Preston Love Jr. announces write-in candidacy against Sen. Ben Sasse . . live . https://archive.today/20200918015154/https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/preston-love-jr-announces-write-in-candidacy-against-sen-ben-sasse/article_aa4ec90c-f11b-56e5-be6b-a30eaa5517f7.html . September 18, 2020 . October 6, 2020 .
14. Web site: Nebraska Secretary of State Statewide Candidate List as of 12/11/2019 8:49:50 AM. Nebraska Secretary of State.
15. Web site: Don Walton: Mike Flood, Lady Liberty and Sonny Perdue. Walton. Don. JournalStar.com. August 18, 2019 . en. 2019-08-20.
16. Web site: Morton . Joseph . Will Sen. Ben Sasse seek another term? Signs point to yes . Omaha World-Herald . August 2, 2019 . July 15, 2019.
17. Web site: Alisha Shelton for Senate Official Site. en-US. 2019-12-02.
18. Web site: Andrew Stock files for Lancaster County treasurer on Democratic ticket. Hicks. Nancy. JournalStar.com. February 15, 2018 . en. 2020-02-29.
19. Web site: Don Walton: Mike Flood, Lady Liberty and Sonny Perdue. Star. DON WALTON Lincoln Journal. Hastings Tribune. en. 2019-08-20. August 20, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190820193616/http://www.hastingstribune.com/news/state/nebraska/don-walton-mike-flood-lady-liberty-and-sonny-perdue/article_b4a65b18-f308-5e07-ab41-afdc455d8440.html. dead.
20. News: Jordan. Joe. Democrat Names for 2020 Starting to Surface. Sandhills Express. November 13, 2018. November 15, 2018.
21. Web site: The Green Papers . 13 changes to the candidate list . May 15, 2020 . December 6, 2019.
22. Web site: Nebraska Democrats announce Preston Love Jr. as write-in candidate for Senate . September 10, 2020 . September 10, 2020 . Gina . Dvorak . 6News.
23. News: August 24, 2020 . Brad Ashford to Launch Write-In Bid for US Senate . KETV TV . 2020-10-06.
24. Web site: Fmr. Rep. Ashford feels he can beat U.S. Senator Sasse as write-in candidate . August 26, 2020 . August 25, 2020 . 3 News Now . Jake . Wasikowski.
25. Web site: Brad Ashford reverses course, says he will not run for U.S. Senate. KETV . August 27, 2020 . August 27, 2020 .
26. Web site: 2020 Senate Race Ratings for October 29, 2020 . The Cook Political Report . March 11, 2021.
27. Web site: 2020 Senate Ratings . Senate Ratings . The Rothenberg Political Report . March 11, 2021.
28. Web site: 2020 Senate race ratings . Sabato's Crystal Ball . March 12, 2021.
29. Web site: 2020 Senate Race Ratings . Daily Kos Elections. March 13, 2021.
30. Web site: 2020 Election Forecast. November 19, 2019 . Politico.
31. Web site: Battle for the Senate 2020. October 23, 2020 . RCP.
32. Web site: September 2, 2020 . 2020 Senate Elections Model. September 2, 2020 . Decision Desk HQ.
33. Web site: Silver . Nate . Forecasting the race for the Senate . . September 18, 2020 . September 18, 2020.
34. Web site: November 2, 2020 . Forecasting the US elections . March 13, 2021 . The Economist.