Ben Sasse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ben Sasse
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Sasse in 2016
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| United States Senator from Nebraska |
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| In office January 3, 2015 – January 8, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Mike Johanns |
| Succeeded by | Pete Ricketts |
| 13th President of the University of Florida | |
| In office February 6, 2023 – July 31, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Kent Fuchs |
| Succeeded by | Kent Fuchs (acting) |
| 15th President of Midland University | |
| In office December 10, 2010 – December 31, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Stephen Fritz |
| Succeeded by | Jody Horner |
| Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Planning and Evaluation | |
| In office December 19, 2007 – January 20, 2009 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Michael O'Grady |
| Succeeded by | Sherry Glied |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Benjamin Eric Sasse
February 22, 1972 Plainview, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Melissa McLeod
(m. 1995) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education |
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| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Texas at Austin Midland University |
| Thesis | The Anti-Madalyn Majority: Secular Left, Religious Right, and the Rise of Reagan's America (2004) |
| Doctoral advisor | Jon Butler Harry Stout |
Benjamin Eric Sasse (born February 22, 1972) is an American politician and former leader of a university. He represented Nebraska in the United States Senate from 2015 to 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party. After leaving the Senate, he became the president of the University of Florida from 2023 to 2024.
Sasse was born in Plainview, Nebraska. He went to college at Harvard University, St. John's College, and Yale University. He taught at the University of Texas. He also worked for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the George W. Bush administration. In 2010, Sasse became the president of Midland University.
In 2014, Sasse ran for a Senate seat in the U.S. He won the election against Democratic candidate David Domina. Sasse was reelected in 2020. In 2021, he was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial.
Sasse left the Senate on January 8, 2023. He became the president of the University of Florida. On July 18, 2024, he announced he would resign from this position. He said his wife's health issues were the reason.
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Early Life and Education
Ben Sasse was born on February 22, 1972. His hometown is Plainview, Nebraska. His father, Gary Lynn Sasse, was a high school teacher and football coach. His mother's name is Linda Sasse. He finished high school at Fremont Senior High School in 1990. He was the top student in his class.
Sasse went to Harvard College and earned a bachelor's degree in government in 1994. He also studied at the University of Oxford for a short time in 1992. In 1998, he earned a master's degree from St. John's College. He later earned more degrees, including a PhD in history, from Yale University in 2004. His PhD paper was about American politics and religion.
Early Career and Public Service
From 1994 to 1995, Sasse worked as a consultant for a company called Boston Consulting Group. He then worked for Christian organizations.
Later, from 2004 to 2005, Sasse worked for the United States Department of Justice. He also taught as a part-time professor at the University of Texas at Austin. After that, he worked for Representative Jeff Fortenberry for a few months.
Sasse also advised the United States Department of Homeland Security on national safety issues in 2005. He then returned to teaching full-time at the University of Texas.
From 2006 to 2007, Sasse worked for the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). He advised the secretary on many health topics. In 2007, President George W. Bush nominated Sasse for a higher role at HHS. The Senate approved him, and he served until 2009.
Leading Midland University
In October 2009, Ben Sasse was chosen as the 15th president of Midland Lutheran College. He was only 37 years old, making him one of the youngest university leaders in the U.S. His grandfather, Elmer Sasse, had also worked at Midland for many years.
When Sasse took over in 2010, the school was facing financial problems. It had a very low number of students. Sasse is known for helping to turn the university around. He changed its name to Midland University. He also put in place new rules, like requiring students to attend classes. He was very good at raising money for the school.
During his time as president, the number of students grew from 590 to 1,300. When a nearby college closed, Sasse hired many of its teachers. He also helped its students transfer to Midland.
Sasse announced he would run for the U.S. Senate. He offered to leave his job at Midland. But the university board asked him to stay part-time. He officially stepped down as president on December 31, 2014, after winning the Republican primary election.
Serving in the U.S. Senate
2014 Election for Senate
In October 2013, Sasse announced he would run for a Senate seat. The seat was open because Senator Mike Johanns was not running again. Sasse raised a lot of money for his campaign very quickly.
He strongly opposed the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. His opponents questioned how strong his opposition was. Sasse said he was always against the ACA.
On May 13, 2014, Sasse won the Republican nomination. He won most of the counties in Nebraska. On November 4, 2014, Sasse won the general election. He defeated the Democratic candidate, David Domina, with 64.4% of the votes.
2020 Election for Senate
In 2020, Sasse ran for reelection. He won against his Democratic opponents, Chris Janicek and Preston Love Jr.. Sasse received 62.7% of the votes.
Time in the Senate
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Sasse became a U.S. Senator on January 6, 2015.
During his time, he voted on important issues. In 2019, he voted against a bill to prevent a government shutdown. He also supported a plan to limit the number of Supreme Court justices.
In February 2020, Sasse voted to acquit (find not guilty) Donald Trump in his first impeachment trial.
On January 6, 2021, Sasse was at the U.S. Capitol when it was stormed by supporters of Donald Trump. Sasse said that Trump was responsible for the events. He also said he would consider voting for impeachment if it came to the Senate. Sasse voted to confirm the 2020 election results.
After the House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump a second time, Sasse was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump. This happened on February 13, 2021.
Senate Committees
Sasse served on several important committees in the Senate. These included:
- Committee on Finance (which deals with money and taxes)
- Select Committee on Intelligence (which deals with national security information)
- Committee on the Budget (which deals with the government's spending plan)
- Committee on the Judiciary (which deals with laws and the justice system)
President of the University of Florida
In the fall of 2022, the University of Florida chose Sasse to be its next president. He was the only person considered for the job. Sasse left the Senate on January 8, 2023. He started his new role at the University of Florida on February 6, 2023.
His appointment caused some discussion on campus. Some students protested because of Sasse's past comments on same-sex marriage. The university's faculty also expressed concerns about how he was chosen.
On July 18, 2024, the University announced that Sasse would be leaving his position on July 31. Sasse said he was resigning because of his wife Melissa's health issues. The University will continue to pay his salary for some time after his resignation.
During his time as president, Sasse increased his office's budget. He also hired more staff, including former political allies. Many of these new hires worked from outside Florida.
Political Views
Ben Sasse is known for his conservative political views. He often votes in line with conservative ideas.
Views on China
Sasse has spoken about China's actions. He believes China sometimes works against U.S. national security. He supported Canada's arrest of a Chinese company's executive.
In 2020, Sasse gave a speech where he criticized China regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. These comments caused some debate.
Term Limits for Congress
Sasse supports setting term limits for senators and representatives. This would mean they could only serve a certain number of terms. He has also suggested changing how senators are chosen. He thinks state legislatures should choose them, not popular vote.
Views on Donald Trump
Sasse has often criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump.
In 2016, Sasse said he would not support Trump if he became the Republican nominee. He questioned Trump's respect for the U.S. Constitution. He also said he might vote for a third candidate instead. Some other Republican politicians disagreed with Sasse's statements.
In 2017, Sasse said he thought about leaving the Republican Party often. He described himself as an "independent conservative." He also criticized Trump's trade policies.
In 2018, Sasse criticized Trump for congratulating Vladimir Putin on his election victory. Sasse said it was wrong because Putin's election was not fair.
Sasse has been criticized for speaking out against Trump but often voting with him. However, Sasse voted to acquit Trump in his first impeachment trial. He said removing Trump would be bad for the country.
In 2020, Sasse again disagreed with Trump over an executive order. Trump called Sasse a "RINO" (Republican In Name Only). Sasse continued to criticize Trump's behavior and policies.
Sasse recognized Joe Biden's win in the 2020 presidential election. He also spoke against Trump's efforts to change the election results. Sasse was the first Republican senator to say he would consider impeaching Trump after the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. He voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial.
Despite his criticisms, Sasse voted with Trump's positions most of the time.
Environment Views
Sasse has said that he thinks there is too much "alarmism" about climate change. He believes that "innovation" is the best way to solve climate change issues.
Gun Rights
In his 2014 Senate campaign, Sasse received a high rating from the NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF). This group supports gun rights. The NRA-PVF supported Sasse in his election.
Sasse has said he might support "red flag" gun laws. These laws allow temporary removal of guns from people who might be a danger. But he says such laws must protect gun owners' rights and require a fair legal process.
Health Care Views
Sasse strongly opposed the Affordable Care Act (ACA). He called himself "the anti-Obamacare candidate." In the Senate, he continued to support getting rid of the ACA.
LGBT+ Rights
Sasse does not support same-sex marriage. After the Supreme Court ruled that states could not ban same-sex marriage, Sasse said he was disappointed. He believed voters in each state should decide on marriage laws. In 2022, he did not vote on a law that would protect same-sex marriage rights across the country.
Ukraine Views
After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sasse supported giving more military help to Ukraine. He said the U.S. should send Ukraine all the weapons they can use.
Sasse also said the U.S. should share more intelligence with Ukraine quickly. However, Sasse does not support direct U.S. military involvement in the conflict. He believes Ukrainians have the will to fight and just need weapons.
Books Written by Sasse
Ben Sasse has written two books:
- The Vanishing American Adult (2017)
- Them: Why We Hate Each Other – and How to Heal (2018)
He also helped edit a book called Here We Stand!: A Call from Confessing Evangelicals for a Modern Reformation.
Personal Life
Ben Sasse, his wife Melissa, and their three children lived in Fremont, Nebraska, for a long time. Their children were homeschooled. When Sasse became president of the University of Florida, he and his wife and youngest child lived on the university campus.
Sasse was raised as a Lutheran. He later became a member of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). He served as an elder in his church.
