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 won election to a second term 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 US Senate candidate in the country that year. Trump won the state by 19.05%. 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.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Ben Sasse, incumbent U.S. senator

Eliminated in primary Matt Innis, businessman and former chair of the Lancaster County Republican Party

Declined Charles Herbster, farmer Pete Ricketts, Governor of Nebraska

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MattInnis BenSasse UndecidedWe Ask AmericaWe Ask AmericaFebruary 19–20, 2020400 (LV)± 4.9%17%65%18%

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Chris Janicek, businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018

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. 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.

Eliminated in primary Dennis Frank Maček Larry Marvin, perennial candidate Angie Philips, mental health advocate Alisha Shelton, behavioral health clinical supervisor Andy Stock, former candidate for Lancaster County Treasurer Dan Wik, physician

Declined Chris Beutler, former mayor of Lincoln

Results

Other candidates Libertarian Party Nominee Gene Siadek, former chairman of the Libertarian Party of Nebraska

Withdrawn Eric Dilliard

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

Withdrawn Brad Ashford, former Democratic Congressman from NE-02

General election

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report October 29, 2020 Inside Elections October 28, 2020 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 2, 2020Daily Kos October 30, 2020PoliticoNovember 2, 2020RCPOctober 23, 2020DDHQNovember 3, 2020538November 2, 2020EconomistNovember 2, 2020

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BenSasse (R) ChrisJanicek (D) GeneSiadek (L) UndecidedCygnalCygnalOctober 19–21, 2020625 (LV)± 3.9%47%18%6%29%

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error GenericRepublican GenericDemocrat UndecidedCygnalOctober 19–21, 2020625 (LV)± 3.9%53%38%9%

Results

By county CountyBen Sasse RepublicanChris Janicek DemocraticPreston Love Jr. (write-in) DemocraticGene SiadekLibertarianWrite-inTotalvotes %# %# %# %# %#Adams70.88%9,995 18.32%2,583 3.89%548 6.36%897 0.56%7914,102Antelope82.14%2,828 10.28%354 0.84%29 5.34%184 1.39%483,443Arthur84.44%228 7.78%21 0.00%0 7.78%21 0.00%0270Banner84.17%335 9.80%39 0.50%2 5.28%21 0.25%1398Blaine75.00%222 11.82%35 0.68%2 11.49%34 1.01%3296Boone79.51%2,402 11.62%351 1.79%54 5.89%178 1.19%363,021Box Butte75.59%3,840 16.18%822 1.34%68 6.42%326 0.47%245,080Boyd83.62%883 8.43%89 0.00%0 7.10%75 0.85%91,056Brown85.20%1,387 7.68%125 0.86%14 5.71%93 0.55%91,628Buffalo72.45%16,729 16.68%3,851 3.38%780 6.95%1,605 0.55%12623,091Burt73.57%2,639 18.90%678 1.95%70 5.21%187 0.36%133,587Butler80.16%3,512 13.99%613 1.05%46 4.52%198 0.27%124,381Cass70.77%10,493 19.38%2,874 3.55%527 5.98%886 0.31%4614,826Cedar81.34%3,902 11.36%545 0.96%46 5.67%272 0.67%324,797Chase85.70%1,666 8.90%173 0.62%12 4.06%79 0.72%141,944Cherry78.49%2,365 9.39%283 1.16%35 9.09%274 1.86%563,013Cheyenne75.54%3,505 15.47%718 0.45%21 6.96%323 1.57%734,640Clay77.73%2,660 12.62%432 1.55%53 7.10%243 0.99%343,422Colfax73.24%2,652 20.63%747 1.66%60 4.31%156 0.17%63,621Cuming82.07%3,566 11.71%509 1.57%68 4.56%198 0.09%44,345Custer82.56%4,824 9.09%531 0.74%43 6.18%361 1.44%845,843Dakota60.53%3,951 34.24%2,235 1.33%87 3.68%240 0.21%146,527Dawes71.75%2,883 19.54%785 2.17%87 6.22%250 0.32%134,018Dawson72.31%6,460 20.48%1,830 1.42%127 5.36%479 0.43%388,934Deuel82.71%837 10.28%104 0.49%5 6.13%62 0.40%41,012Dixon74.05%2,206 16.82%501 1.58%47 6.92%206 0.64%192,979Dodge69.07%11,397 20.65%3,408 3.47%572 6.51%1,074 0.30%5016,501Douglas50.71%136,745 32.49%87,608 10.10%27,229 5.94%16,019 0.76%2,046269,647Dundy85.82%835 7.91%77 0.82%8 4.93%48 0.51%5973Fillmore78.46%2,418 14.11%435 2.21%68 5.06%156 0.16%53,082Franklin82.67%1,398 11.24%190 1.24%21 4.20%71 0.65%111,691Frontier84.14%1,183 9.17%129 0.92%13 5.19%73 0.57%81,406Furnas81.43%2,079 10.85%277 0.71%18 6.31%161 0.71%182,553Gage70.44%7,656 20.61%2,240 2.83%308 5.70%620 0.41%4510,869Garden82.06%938 11.11%127 0.09%1 6.47%74 0.26%31,143Garfield84.52%868 8.86%91 0.78%8 4.87%50 0.97%101,027Gosper82.42%900 10.16%111 1.56%17 5.40%59 0.46%51,092Grant86.29%321 3.76%14 1.08%4 6.72%25 2.15%8372Greeley79.97%938 14.15%166 0.85%10 4.77%56 0.26%31,173Hall68.54%16,231 21.87%5,180 2.76%653 6.29%1,489 0.54%12923,682Hamilton77.24%4,114 12.73%678 2.23%119 7.02%374 0.77%415,326Harlan81.37%1,529 11.07%208 1.22%23 5.59%105 0.75%141,879Hayes88.91%457 5.84%30 0.39%2 4.47%23 0.39%2514Hitchcock81.65%1,179 9.97%144 0.69%10 7.55%109 0.14%21,444Holt77.98%4,165 11.29%603 1.14%61 6.98%373 2.60%1395,341Hooker81.73%349 11.24%48 0.94%4 3.98%17 2.11%9427Howard78.86%2,660 13.22%446 1.54%52 6.14%207 0.24%83,373Jefferson75.17%2,764 18.06%664 1.25%46 5.19%191 0.33%123,677Johnson72.93%1,576 19.30%417 1.90%41 5.78%125 0.09%22,161Kearney79.56%2,790 11.75%412 2.02%71 6.27%220 0.40%143,507Keith78.92%3,355 13.01%553 1.62%69 5.98%254 0.47%204,251Keya Paha84.39%427 8.10%41 0.20%1 6.72%34 0.59%3506Kimball79.85%1,458 13.36%244 0.49%9 6.13%112 0.16%31,826Knox75.78%3,376 15.89%708 0.65%29 6.46%288 1.21%544,455Lancaster51.74%79,436 31.75%48,756 10.41%15,990 5.47%8,405 0.62%954153,541Lincoln75.39%12,679 15.61%2,626 1.81%304 6.62%1,113 0.57%9616,818Logan85.22%369 8.31%36 0.23%1 5.08%22 1.15%5433Loup84.28%370 6.38%28 4.10%18 4.78%21 0.46%2439Madison75.31%11,552 15.64%2,399 2.20%337 6.15%943 0.71%10915,340McPherson88.14%260 4.07%12 0.68%2 6.44%19 0.68%2295Merrick79.81%3,242 12.58%511 1.03%42 6.57%267 0.00%04,062Morrill76.14%1,870 13.23%325 0.53%13 9.00%221 1.10%272,456Nance78.57%1,353 14.05%242 1.63%28 5.23%90 0.52%91,722Nemaha75.11%2,511 15.67%524 2.54%85 6.16%206 0.51%173,343Nuckolls82.27%1,856 11.30%255 1.20%27 4.74%107 0.49%112,256Otoe73.18%5,961 18.43%1,501 2.49%203 5.59%455 0.32%268,146Pawnee77.46%1,072 15.68%217 2.02%28 4.70%65 0.14%21,384Perkins85.18%1,270 9.26%138 0.74%11 4.63%69 0.20%31,491Phelps80.46%3,896 10.08%488 1.18%57 6.69%324 1.59%774,842Pierce83.85%3,261 9.08%353 1.05%41 5.25%204 0.77%303,889Platte79.26%12,055 14.35%2,183 1.40%213 4.77%725 0.22%3415,210Polk80.97%2,276 12.63%355 1.39%39 4.66%131 0.36%102,811Red Willow80.65%4,290 10.79%574 1.69%90 6.39%340 0.47%255,319Richardson76.05%3,023 17.11%680 1.06%42 4.93%196 0.86%343,975Rock86.94%699 5.35%43 0.00%0 5.97%48 1.74%14804Saline65.91%3,675 25.29%1,410 1.99%111 6.81%380 0.00%05,576Sarpy61.46%57,763 25.00%23,500 6.88%6,471 6.20%5,826 0.46%43293,992Saunders74.06%9,210 16.06%1,997 3.22%400 6.18%768 0.49%6112,436Scotts Bluff71.36%10,820 20.06%3,042 1.82%276 6.29%953 0.47%7115,162Seward75.04%6,718 16.35%1,464 3.21%287 5.08%455 0.32%298,953Sheridan78.87%2,042 11.20%290 0.50%13 8.07%2091.35%352,589Sherman75.60%1,233 15.14%247 0.98%16 7.85%128 0.43%71,631Sioux84.92%597 7.40%52 0.71%5 6.69%47 0.28%2703Stanton76.80%2,304 12.47%374 1.63%49 8.07%242 1.03%313,000Thayer81.38%2,356 12.85%372 1.38%40 4.25%123 0.14%42,895Thomas82.25%329 10.00%40 0.00%0 5.25%212.50%10400Thurston53.30%1,218 38.73%885 2.36%54 3.24%74 2.36%542,285Valley80.47%1,821 12.37%280 1.33%30 5.39%122 0.44%102,263Washington72.88%8,80816.39%1,981 4.10%495 6.30%761 0.34%4112,086Wayne73.62%3,000 15.66%638 3.26%133 6.77%276 0.69%284,075Webster80.43%1,443 12.82%230 1.78%32 4.96%89 0.00%01,794Wheeler80.79%387 10.23%49 0.63%3 7.52%36 0.84%4479York77.84%5,406 14.64%1,017 1.83%127 5.46%379 0.23%166,945

Notes

References

External links

(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