The 2006 United States Senate election in Nebraska was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democrat Ben Nelson won re-election to a second term, easily defeating Republican Pete Ricketts. Nelson won 63.9% of the vote to Ricketts's 36.1%. Ricketts was later appointed in January 2023 to Nebraska's other Senate seat after serving as Governor of Nebraska from 2015 to 2023.

This was one of five Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state that George W. Bush won in the 2004 presidential election.

As of , this remains the last time Democrats won any statewide election in Nebraska. This was the first election since 1978 that the winner was of a different party than the concurrent gubernatorial election.

Democratic primary Candidates Ben Nelson, incumbent U.S. Senator

Results

Republican primary Candidates Pete Ricketts, former COO of TD Ameritrade Don Stenberg, former Attorney General of Nebraska and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2000 David J. Kramer, Former Chairman of the Nebraska Republican Party

Campaign Since Ricketts was a millionaire, he could finance his own campaign. His opponents could not raise enough money to keep up. Kramer raised $330,000 and Stenberg raised $246,000 in 2005.

Results

General election Candidates Ben Nelson (D), incumbent U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R), former COO of TD Ameritrade

Campaign The primary election was held May 9, 2006. Pete Ricketts won the Republican nomination with 48% of the vote. Ben Nelson was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Nelson was elected in 2000 by a margin of 51% to 49% after serving as the state's governor for two terms. Nelson, considered the most conservative Democrat in the Senate, was the lone Democrat in Nebraska's Congressional delegation. This election was one of the most expensive in Nebraska history. In 2005, Ben Nelson raised $3.9 million for his re-election campaign. Pete Ricketts contributed $14.35 million of his own money to his campaign; he raised an additional $485,000 in contributions. The race also attracted national attention and generated several high-level campaign appearances. President George W. Bush appeared at a rally for Ricketts on November 5, 2006, in Grand Island, while then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama appeared at a fundraiser for Nelson and other Nebraska Democrats on May 5, 2006, in Omaha. However, he won re-election by a large margin.

Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Rothenberg Political Report November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 6, 2006

Polling Source Date BenNelson (D) PeteRicketts (R)RasmussenRasmussen November 23, 2005 52% 29%RasmussenRasmussen April 26, 2006 54% 36%RasmussenRasmussen May 13, 2006 54% 35%RasmussenRasmussen July 17, 2006 57% 31%RasmussenRasmussen August 17, 2006 55% 32%RasmussenRasmussen September 26, 2006 55% 32%RasmussenRasmussen October 19, 2006 54% 34%

Results

By county From CNN County Ben NelsonDemocratic Pete RickettsRepublican Totalvotes % # % #Adams 67.18%10,22232.82% 4,99315,215Antelope 57.54%1,55642.46% 1,1482,704Arthur 40.60%9559.40%139234Banner 47.85%15652.15%170326Blaine 54.95%15045.05% 123273Boone 65.23%1,66434.77% 8872,551Box Butte 68.23%2,48931.77% 1,1593,648Boyd 63.53%62236.47% 357979Brown 51.09%70648.91% 6761,382Buffalo 56.41%8,36743.59% 6,46614,833Burt 69.49%2,03430.51% 8932,927Butler 73.10%2,52726.90% 9303,457Cass 62.85%5,81937.15% 3,4409,259Cedar 66.34%2,60833.66% 1,3233,931Chase 49.05%79950.95%8301,629Cherry 53.17%1,43646.83% 1,2652,701Cheyenne 46.18%1,45053.82%1,6903,140Clay 64.47%1,66235.53% 9162,578Colfax 69.44%1,94730.56% 8572,804Cuming 63.45%1,95336.55% 1,1253,078Custer 58.88%2,88041.12% 2,0114,891Dakota 69.32%3,26030.68% 1,4434,703Dawes 57.42%1,70642.58% 1,2652,971Dawson 58.66%3,91041.34% 2,7556,665Deuel 48.70%39251.30%413805Dixon 66.54%1,58933.46% 7992,388Dodge 66.70%7,95033.30% 3,96911,919Douglas 65.16%92,13334.84% 49,257141,390Dundy 61.16%57038.84% 362932Fillmore 71.49%1,78028.51% 7102,490Franklin 64.88%94635.12% 5121,458Frontier 65.34%82034.66% 4351,255Furnas 65.55%1,34734.45% 7082,055Gage 72.98%6,45127.02% 2,3888,839Garden 48.45%50051.55%5321,032Garfield 59.09%54340.91% 376919Gosper 62.89%62237.11% 367989Grant 40.85%13459.15%194328Greeley 75.99%80724.01% 2551,062Hall 61.52%10,37138.48% 6,48716,858Hamilton 59.36%2,66040.64% 1,8214,481Harlan 64.63%1,12435.37% 6151,739Hayes 57.09%28242.91% 212494Hitchcock 68.10%82431.90% 3861,210Holt 51.44%2,28848.56% 2,1604,448Hooker 56.23%18543.77% 144329Howard 69.16%1,80330.84% 8042,607Jefferson 71.41%2,26528.59% 9073,172Johnson 75.18%1,36924.82% 4521,821Kearney 58.76%1,61441.24% 1,1332,747Keith 48.79%1,58851.21%1,6673,255Keya Paha 54.50%30345.50% 253556Kimball 46.42%75353.58%8691,622Knox 63.65%2,05436.35% 1,1733,227Lancaster 70.07%60,30929.93% 25,76286,071Lincoln 61.23%7,66438.77% 4,85212,516Logan 52.51%19947.49% 180379Loup 64.36%24235.64% 134376Madison 54.61%5,73045.39% 4,76210,492McPherson 44.83%11755.17%144261Merrick 63.24%1,92336.76% 1,1183,041Morrill 48.48%91251.52%9691,881Nance 71.70%1,20628.30% 4761,682Nemaha 61.79%1,74538.21% 1,0792,824Nuckolls 66.98%1,37533.02% 6782,053Otoe 62.51%3,55037.49% 2,1295,679Pawnee 67.39%83532.61% 4041,239Perkins 52.97%66947.03% 5941,263Phelps 57.90%2,26942.10% 1,6503,919Pierce 55.99%1,37844.01% 1,0832,461Platte 62.97%6,66437.03% 3,91910,583Polk 62.92%1,43237.08% 8442,276Red Willow 70.60%3,01629.40% 1,2564,272Richardson 64.63%2,22635.37% 1,2183,444Rock 54.99%41345.01% 338751Saline 78.78%3,61521.22% 9744,589Sarpy 59.27%24,64040.73% 16,93541,575Saunders 67.62%5,39332.38% 2,5827,975Scotts Bluff 51.98%5,83448.02% 5,38911,223Seward 67.39%3,93032.61% 1,9025,832Sheridan 43.55%82056.45%1,0631,883Sherman 70.99%1,01829.01% 4161,434Sioux 39.85%21660.15%326542Stanton 53.92%1,06746.08% 9121,979Thayer 70.16%1,62729.84% 6922,319Thomas 53.12%17946.88% 158337Thurston 73.89%1,29626.11% 4581,754Valley 61.90%1,29038.10% 7942,084Washington 57.95%4,39442.05% 3,1897,583Wayne 63.90%1,96336.10% 1,1093,072Webster 67.36%1,16432.64% 5641,728Wheeler 65.72%25534.28% 133388York 57.50%3,11842.50% 2,3055,423

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also 2006 United States Senate elections

References

External links (Not Active) Pete Ricketts for U.S. Senate (Inactive)