Ben Sasse

Ben Sasse, born on February 22, 1972, in Plainview, Nebraska, is a prominent American politician and academic administrator. He served as a U.S. Senator representing Nebraska from 2015 until his resignation in January 2023, a decision made to accept the presidency of the University of Florida. A member of the Republican Party, Sasse is known for his critical stance towards former President Donald Trump, notably being one of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial.

His academic journey is marked by prestigious institutions, including Harvard University, St. John's College, and Yale University. Before entering the Senate, Sasse held various roles in academia and government, including teaching at the University of Texas and serving as an assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the George W. Bush administration. In 2010, he became the fifteenth president of Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska.

Sasse's political career took off in 2014 when he ran for the U.S. Senate, defeating Democratic nominee David Domina with a significant margin of sixty-four point four percent to thirty-one point five percent. He was re-elected in 2020, further solidifying his influence in Nebraska politics.

After resigning from the Senate, Sasse took on the role of president at the University of Florida. However, on July 18, 2024, he announced his resignation from this position, effective July 31, 2024, due to his wife's health issues. Tragically, in December 2025, Sasse revealed that he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, marking a poignant chapter in his life.