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Nebraska’s Sasse Plans to Resign From Senate for University Post Nebraska’s Ben Sasse Plans to Resign From Senate for University Post
(about 5 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Senator Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska, plans to leave the Senate by the end of the year to become president of the University of Florida, after a presidential search committee for the state’s flagship university announced on Thursday that he was the sole finalist for the post.WASHINGTON — Senator Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska, plans to leave the Senate by the end of the year to become president of the University of Florida, after a presidential search committee for the state’s flagship university announced on Thursday that he was the sole finalist for the post.
Mr. Sasse, who voted with six other Republican senators to convict President Donald J. Trump on impeachment charges following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol, and has harshly criticized his own party for backing Mr. Trump, was re-elected to his second term in 2020 and was not set to be on the ballot again until 2026.Mr. Sasse, who voted with six other Republican senators to convict President Donald J. Trump on impeachment charges following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol, and has harshly criticized his own party for backing Mr. Trump, was re-elected to his second term in 2020 and was not set to be on the ballot again until 2026.
But his academic background evidently was a draw for the group seeking a replacement for Kent Fuchs, the current University of Florida president who is returning to teaching as the campus has been roiled by disputes over academic freedom. But his academic background evidently was a draw for the group seeking a replacement for Kent Fuchs, the current University of Florida president, who is returning to teaching as the campus has been roiled by disputes over academic freedom.
“This is right for the University of Florida, right for the state of Florida and right for the Sasse family,” said Rahul Patel, chair of the Presidential Search Committee. “Ben brings intellectual curiosity, a belief in the power and potential of American universities, and an unmatched track record of leadership spanning higher education, government and the private sector.” “This is right for the University of Florida, right for the state of Florida and right for the Sasse family,” said Rahul Patel, the chairman of the Presidential Search Committee. “Ben brings intellectual curiosity, a belief in the power and potential of American universities, and an unmatched track record of leadership spanning higher education, government and the private sector.”
The recommendation of Mr. Sasse was the beginning of an extended formal process that might not be concluded until November or December, but the senator made it clear he would take the job if it was offered.The recommendation of Mr. Sasse was the beginning of an extended formal process that might not be concluded until November or December, but the senator made it clear he would take the job if it was offered.
In a statement provided by the university and posted on Twitter, he said that he had previously been pursued by other institutions, but asked not to be named a finalist.In a statement provided by the university and posted on Twitter, he said that he had previously been pursued by other institutions, but asked not to be named a finalist.
“This time is different because the University of Florida is very different,” he said in the statement. “I think Florida is the most interesting university in America right now.”“This time is different because the University of Florida is very different,” he said in the statement. “I think Florida is the most interesting university in America right now.”
Should Mr. Sasse leave as expected, it would mark the latest exit from Congress by a member of the tiny and dwindling group of Republicans who have publicly broken with Mr. Trump. Many of them have since announced their resignations or been defeated in party primaries in which they were targeted as disloyal.Should Mr. Sasse leave as expected, it would mark the latest exit from Congress by a member of the tiny and dwindling group of Republicans who have publicly broken with Mr. Trump. Many of them have since announced their resignations or been defeated in party primaries in which they were targeted as disloyal.
In Mr. Sasse’s case, the departure is exceedingly unlikely to affect the balance of power in Congress given Nebraska’s reliably Republican slant. His seat would be filled through an appointment by Governor Pete Ricketts, a Republican, before a special election at a future date in which a G.O.P. candidate would be all but certain to prevail. In Mr. Sasse’s case, the departure is exceedingly unlikely to affect the balance of power in Congress given Nebraska’s reliably Republican slant. His seat would be filled through an appointment by Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican, before a special election at a future date in which a G.O.P. candidate would be all but certain to prevail.
Mr. Sasse, who easily won election to an open seat in 2014, has a doctorate from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College. He was previously the president of Midland University, a small private Lutheran school in Nebraska. Mr. Sasse, who easily won election to an open seat in 2014, has a doctorate from Yale and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard. He was previously the president of Midland University, a small Lutheran school in Nebraska.
In the Senate, Mr. Sasse has made it clear that he does not see the government as the solution to every problem and that he was not committed to a life in politics. More than some of his colleagues, he has vented his frustration about the partisan warfare that has come to dominate and paralyze the Senate; during confirmation hearings last spring for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, he lamented “the jackassery we see around here” of “people mugging” for the cameras.In the Senate, Mr. Sasse has made it clear that he does not see the government as the solution to every problem and that he was not committed to a life in politics. More than some of his colleagues, he has vented his frustration about the partisan warfare that has come to dominate and paralyze the Senate; during confirmation hearings last spring for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, he lamented “the jackassery we see around here” of “people mugging” for the cameras.
Those views appeared to have been at least one reason for his interest in moving on. In his statement on Thursday, Mr. Sasse said that work force disruption was the biggest problem facing the nation today, and suggested that political leaders were ill-suited to addressing it. Those views appeared to have been at least one reason for his interest in moving on. In his statement on Thursday, Mr. Sasse said that work force disruption was the biggest problem facing the nation today, and suggested that political leaders were ill suited to addressing it.
“Washington partisanship isn’t going to solve these work force challenges — new institutions and entrepreneurial communities are going to have to spearhead this work,” he said.“Washington partisanship isn’t going to solve these work force challenges — new institutions and entrepreneurial communities are going to have to spearhead this work,” he said.
Mr. Sasse’s sharp criticism of Mr. Trump, whom he castigated in a lengthy rant to his constituents just weeks before the 2020 elections, and his vote to convict Mr. Trump for incitement of insurrection earned him anger from the right. But while he has been involved in some bipartisan efforts in the Senate, the senator has maintained a solidly conservative voting record. Mr. Sasse’s sharp criticism of Mr. Trump, whom he castigated in a lengthy rant to his constituents just weeks before the 2020 election, and his vote to convict Mr. Trump for incitement of insurrection earned him anger from the right. But while he has been involved in some bipartisan efforts in the Senate, the senator has maintained a solidly conservative voting record.
Mr. Sasse is scheduled to visit the campus in Gainesville on Monday and take questions from students and faculty. The university’s board of trustees will review the feedback and interview Mr. Sasse on Nov. 1 before making a final recommendation on filling the post. Unless there is some unforeseen snag, Mr. Sasse is expected to resign his Senate seat before the end of the year.Mr. Sasse is scheduled to visit the campus in Gainesville on Monday and take questions from students and faculty. The university’s board of trustees will review the feedback and interview Mr. Sasse on Nov. 1 before making a final recommendation on filling the post. Unless there is some unforeseen snag, Mr. Sasse is expected to resign his Senate seat before the end of the year.
The state-run university has been roiled by a dispute over whether faculty members could serve as expert witnesses in cases against the state on voting rights issues and other topics, raising questions of academic interference at the highest levels of state government. Mr. Sasse’s views on the issue will be closely watched as he navigates the remaining interview process.The state-run university has been roiled by a dispute over whether faculty members could serve as expert witnesses in cases against the state on voting rights issues and other topics, raising questions of academic interference at the highest levels of state government. Mr. Sasse’s views on the issue will be closely watched as he navigates the remaining interview process.
Members of the search committee said more than 700 people were initially considered as prospects for the high-profile academic post but the list was eventually narrowed to about a dozen before Mr. Sasse was unanimously recommended. Members of the search committee said that more than 700 people were initially considered as prospects for the high-profile academic post, but that the list was eventually narrowed to about a dozen before Mr. Sasse was unanimously recommended.