Senator Ben Sasse (R- Neb.) is expected to resign from the Senate two years into his second term in order to accept a top position at the University of Florida.
The Tampa Bay Times reported on Wednesday that the University of Florida considers Sasse to be “the lone finalist to be the school’s next president.”
The UF Presidential Search Committee has unanimously endorsed former Yale and UT Austin professor, past Midland University president and current U.S. Senator Dr. Ben Sasse as the sole finalist to become the 13th president of the University of Florida. https://t.co/vDmNxRe10w pic.twitter.com/tlJoU8wT3t
— FLORIDA (@UF) October 6, 2022
Sasse will “announce his intent to resign from the U.S. Senate to pursue another opportunity in higher education,” tweeted KFAB reporter Ian Swanson Thursday afternoon. “While the process could take a bit, the announcements are expected “imminently.”
🚨BREAKING on @kfabnews: @SenSasse will imminently announce his intent to resign from the U.S. Senate to pursue another opportunity in higher education. While the process could take a bit, the announcements are expected "imminently".
— Ian M. Swanson (@IanMSwanson) October 6, 2022
Under Nebraska law, the governor will appoint a replacement for Sasse who will serve until his term ends in 2027.
The never-Trump senator’s reputation for giving long “pious homilies” on the Senate floor, while avoiding tough fights, has generated a great deal of contempt and derision among some on the right.Â
“Sasse’s specialty was avoiding confronting Democrats about difficult issues or taking difficult positions,” wrote Ace of Spades.
He wasted valuable time in committee not asking probing questions, but instead offering pious but gauzy homilies about vague notions like “citizenship” and “a duty beyond self.” Things no one could really disagree with because they sounded nice and were fundamentally… devoid of actual content.
To call them platitudinous would be a gross insult to platypuses.
“Given his record of having accomplished absolutely nothing, I had actually forgotten he was even in the Senate,” tweeted the Federalist’s Sean Davis.
Conservative columnist Josh Hammer opined that the move is a “win win” for conservatives.
“With Ben Sasse poised to take over the Univ. of Florida presidency, the UF board (filled with DeSantis appointees) has given us both (1) A chance for a real conservative senator from Nebraska; and (2) A well-above-average, pro-campus speech university president,” Hammer tweeted.
The Senate is currently evenly split along party lines, with Vice President Kamala Harris having the tie-breaking vote.