Sara Gentzler

LINCOLN, Neb. ( Flatwater Free Press ) - On an autumn day in 2022, Matt Williams' phone lit up with friends urging him to check his mail.

In the decade that he was running for and serving as governor, Pete Ricketts and his family spent at least $9.8 million on Nebraska political campaigns and causes.

Despite their massive giving, Pete Ricketts and wife Susanne Shore are only Nebraska's second-largest donors of the past quarter century. Joe and Marlene Ricketts rank third.

The Ricketts family has plowed millions of dollars into Nebraska politics over the past decade. An analysis of their spending shows how it sets the family apart.

How a wealthy governor and his family changed Nebraska Politics

Omaha and Lincoln law enforcement officials said allowing Nebraskans to carry concealed handguns without permits would make their jobs harder and jeopardize public safety.

Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts Discussed the U.S. Budget during a visit in Grand Island on Tuesday.

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New 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.

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.