2020 United States Senate election in Nebraska

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.

2020 United States Senate election in Nebraska
November 3, 2020
 
Nominee Ben Sasse Chris Janicek
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 583,507 227,191
Percentage 62.7% 24.4%
 
Nominee Preston Love Jr.
(write-in)		 Gene Siadek
Party Democratic Libertarian
Popular vote 58,411 55,115
Percentage 6.3% 5.9%
County results
Sasse:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%
U.S. senator before election

Ben Sasse
Republican

 Elected U.S. Senator

Ben Sasse
Republican

Elections in Nebraska
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Incumbent Republican Senator Ben Sasse was challenged by Democratic nominee Chris Janicek, who was disavowed by his party after numerous scandals, write-in candidate Preston Love Jr., who received the support of the state Democratic Party, and Libertarian nominee Gene Siadek. Sasse was reelected to a second term in office with 64.6% of the vote and a 39.5% margin. Sasse outperformed President Donald Trump by 8.9% compared to the concurrent presidential election, the largest overperformance by any Republican Senate candidate in the country, while Janicek was the worst performing Democratic Senate candidate in the country compared to Joe Biden, underperforming him by 13.1%.[1]

Republican primary

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Declined

Endorsements
Ben Sasse
Organizations

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[lower-alpha 1]		 Margin
of error		 Matt
Innis		 Ben
Sasse		 Undecided
We Ask America February 19–20, 2020 400 (LV) ± 4.9% 17% 65% 18%

Results
Republican primary results by county
Republican primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ben Sasse (incumbent) 215,207 75.21%
Republican Matt Innis 70,921 24.79%
Total votes 284,212 100.00%

Democratic primary

Nominee
  • Chris Janicek, businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018[9]

On June 16, 2020, Janicek lost the support of the Nebraska Democratic Party after allegations 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 ago surfaced.[10][11][12] 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.[13][14]

Eliminated in primary
  • Dennis Frank Maček[15]
  • Larry Marvin, perennial candidate[16]
  • Angie Philips, mental health advocate[17]
  • Alisha Shelton, Behavioral Health Clinical Supervisor[18]
  • Andy Stock, former candidate for Lancaster County Treasurer[15][19]
  • Dan Wik, physician[20]

Declined

Results
Democratic primary results by county
Democratic primary results [8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chris Janicek 46,247 30.69%
Democratic Angie Philips 35,929 23.84%
Democratic Alisha Shelton 34,284 22.75%
Democratic Andy Stock 17,156 11.38%
Democratic Larry Marvin 6,868 4.56%
Democratic Daniel Wik 5,765 3.83%
Democratic Dennis Macek 4,453 2.95%
Total votes 150,702 100.00%

Other candidates

Nominee

Withdrawn

Results
Libertarian primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Libertarian Gene Siadek 2,517 100.00%
Total votes 2,517 100.00%

Declared

Withdrawn

General election

Predictions
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[27] Safe R August 17, 2020
Inside Elections[28] Safe R September 18, 2020
Sabato's Crystal Ball[29] Safe R August 5, 2020
Daily Kos[30] Safe R August 31, 2020
Politico[31] Safe R September 9, 2020
RCP[32] Safe R September 17, 2020
Niskanen[33] Safe R September 15, 2020
DDHQ[34] Safe R September 16, 2020
538[35] Safe R September 18, 2020

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[lower-alpha 2]		 Margin
of error		 Ben
Sasse (R)		 Chris
Janicek (D)		 Gene
Siadek (L)		 Undecided
Cygnal October 19–21, 2020 625 (LV) ± 3.9% 47% 18% 6% 29%
Hypothetical polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[lower-alpha 3]		 Margin
of error		 Generic
Republican		 Generic
Democrat		 Undecided
Cygnal October 19–21, 2020 625 (LV) ± 3.9% 53% 38% 9%

Results
United States Senate election in Nebraska, 2020[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Ben Sasse (incumbent) 583,507 62.74% -1.60%
Democratic Chris Janicek 227,191 24.43% -7.05%
Democratic Preston Love Jr. (write-in) 58,411 6.28% N/A
Libertarian Gene Siadek 55,115 5.93% N/A
Write-in 5,788 0.62% +0.54%
Total votes 930,012 100.0%
Republican hold

Notes
  1. Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  2. Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  3. Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear

References
  1. Rakich, Nathaniel (December 2, 2020). "There Wasn't That Much Split-Ticket Voting In 2020". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  2. Akin, Stephanie (August 5, 2019). "Ben Sasse, one of the Senate's last remaining Republican Trump critics, to seek reelection". Roll Call. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  3. Walton, Don (July 21, 2019). "Don Walton: Hateful politics, the moonshot, another ag blow". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  4. Walton, Don (August 2, 2019). "Matt Innis will oppose Sasse in 2020 GOP primary". Hastings Tribune.
  5. Cohen, Zach C. (April 1, 2019). "How Sasse Is Prepping for 2020—in Nebraska". National Journal. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  6. Isenstadt, Alex (July 9, 2018). "Sasse tempts Trump's wrath by refusing to bow". Politico. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  7. "Ben Sasse (NE-SEN)". Club for Growth. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  8. "Primary Election Official Results" (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  9. Sherrod, Brian (September 18, 2019). "Chris Janicek runs for U.S. Senate 2020 seat representing Nebraska". NBC Nebraska Scottsbluff. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  10. Astor, Maggie. "Nebraska Democrat Urged to Quit Senate Race Over Sexual Texts to Aide". The New York Times. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  11. Astor, Maggie. "Nebraska Senate Candidate Used Racist Slur at a Party, Guests Recall". The New York Times. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  12. Nebraska, Democratic Party. "Nebraska Democratic Party demands that Chris Janicek drop out of Senate race after sexual harassment complaint". nebraskademocrats.org. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  13. Sanderford, Aaron (September 1, 2020). "Chris Janicek won't quit Senate race; Democrats eye write-in candidate". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  14. Sanderford, Aaron (September 10, 2020). "Preston Love Jr. announces write-in candidacy against Sen. Ben Sasse". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020.
  15. "Nebraska Secretary of State Statewide Candidate List as of 12/11/2019 8:49:50 AM" (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State.
  16. Walton, Don. "Don Walton: Mike Flood, Lady Liberty and Sonny Perdue". JournalStar.com. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  17. Morton, Joseph (July 15, 2019). "Will Sen. Ben Sasse seek another term? Signs point to yes". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  18. "Alisha Shelton for Senate | Official Site". Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  19. Hicks, Nancy. "Andrew Stock files for Lancaster County treasurer on Democratic ticket". JournalStar.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  20. Star, DON WALTON Lincoln Journal. "Don Walton: Mike Flood, Lady Liberty and Sonny Perdue". Hastings Tribune. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  21. Jordan, Joe (November 13, 2018). "Democrat Names for 2020 Starting to Surface". Sandhills Express. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  22. "13 changes to the candidate list". The Green Papers. December 6, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  23. Dvorak, Gina (September 10, 2020). "Nebraska Democrats announce Preston Love Jr. as write-in candidate for Senate". 6News. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  24. "Brad Ashford to Launch Write-In Bid for US Senate". KETV TV. August 24, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  25. Wasikowski, Jake (August 25, 2020). "Fmr. Rep. Ashford feels he can beat U.S. Senator Sasse as write-in candidate". 3 News Now. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  26. "Brad Ashford reverses course, says he will not run for U.S. Senate". KETV. August 27, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  27. "2020 Senate Race Ratings for April 19, 2019". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  28. "2020 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  29. "2020 Senate race ratings". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  30. "Daily Kos Elections releases initial Senate race ratings for 2020". Daily Kos Elections. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  31. "2020 Election Forecast". Politico. November 19, 2019.
  32. "Battle for White House". RCP. April 19, 2019.
  33. "2020 Negative Partisanship and the 2020 Congressional Elections". Niskanen Center. April 28, 2020.
  34. "2020 Senate Elections Model". Decision Desk HQ. September 2, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  35. Silver, Nate (September 18, 2020). "Forecasting the race for the Senate". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  36. "General Election Official Results" (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
Official campaign websites
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