Donald Trump celebrated Ben Sasse’s approaching departure from the Senate as “great news” on his social media platform last week after it was revealed that Sasse would be resigning to return to academia as the new president of the University of Florida.
Sasse is leaving behind a premier national elective office that most politicians absolutely covet with four years still remaining in his second Senate term.
It was a day that exposed the character of both men as Trump hurled insults at Sasse on his social media site.
“I’m excited frankly about the opportunity to step away from politics and onto a team of big-cause, low-ego people who want to build stuff and serve students and plan for the future,” Sasse told the Tampa Bay Times.
Meanwhile, 271 miles south of Gainesville at Mar-a-Lago, the former president continues to plan a return to power while employing an army of lawyers to obstruct or slow-walk a pile of ongoing litigation, including the dispute over his decision to take top-secret documents from the White House and store them in boxes at his resort home.
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Sasse tried to prevent Trump from even happening at the very beginning, traveling to Iowa in 2016 to campaign against him in advance of Iowa’s presidential caucuses.
During the ensuing Trump presidency, Sasse ultimately was formally rebuked by the Nebraska Republican Party for his vote to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial following the 2021 insurrection at the nation’s capitol in Washington.
“Nebraskans don’t think politics should be about the weird worship of one dude,” Sasse said at the time.
By opposing Trump, Sasse became persona non grata in his state party while sticking to his conservative Republican principles and he piled up record victories in his two Senate races, winning all 93 counties in the state both times.
“Something has changed over the last four years,” he said in the wake of his party’s reprimand.
* * *
The choice of Sasse to head the University of Florida adds to a remarkable string of Nebraskans, two of them U.S. senators, who have been chosen to lead universities in three of the nation’s four largest states.
Former Sen. Bob Kerrey moved on to become president of the New School, a private university in New York City.
J.B. Milliken left as president of the University of Nebraska system to become chancellor of the City University of New York (CUNY) system and is now chancellor of the University of Texas system.
Sasse will be in Gainesville on Monday to meet with faculty, university staff and students.
* * *
Some interesting results from late September polling by Data Targeting for the Neilan Strategy Group.
The survey showed Jim Pillen leading Carol Blood by a relatively narrow 48% to 41%, in the gubernatorial race.
Minimum wage increase ballot initiative: 55% support; 34% oppose.
Voter photo identification ballot initiative: 63% support, 31% oppose.
Proposed authorization for medical marijuana: 63% support; 25% oppose.
Perhaps most interesting is the pollster’s assessment that the relatively slim lead that Pillen holds over Blood in this heavily Republican state is the result of a bruising GOP primary election last May.
Pillen is polling only 75% of the Republican vote now.
“If those voters come home, Pillen’s lead will surely increase,” the pollster suggests.
* * *
* Sens. Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz talked President Trump into his surprising endorsement of Sasse in his 2020 reelection bid, according to Maggie Haberman’s new book, “Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America.”
* So far, 10 murders in Lincoln this year, once an unthinkable number for our community.
* The Texas Rangers gave Aaron Judge a fair opportunity to try to break the American League home run record by pitching to him, rather than around him with balls outside the strike zone. Judge connected for No. 62 and the Rangers deserve some credit for giving him a fair chance.
* The wildfire in the storied Sandhills is a Nebraska tragedy.
* Sen. Tom Brewer is planning to head back to Ukraine once again at the end of the week, returning to a battleground that has become even more potentially dangerous with Russia currently in retreat and a desperate Vladimir Putin threatening to let the genie out of the bottle with the use of battlefield nuclear weapons.
* Behold: a two-game Husker winning streak, with both a tough challenge and a great opportunity waiting at Purdue on Saturday night.
Photos: Ben Sasse through the years
Sen. Ben Sasse speaks during the 2022 federal legislative summit at Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum.

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson meets with Sen. Ben Sasse, a member of the Judiciary Committee, at the Capitol in Washington on March 3.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., walks the halls of the Capitol in Washington in January 2022.

Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse speaks with reporters after watching a speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy live-streamed into the U.S. Capitol on March 16, 2022.

Sen. Ben Sasse pauses on the Senate steps between votes in 2021. Sasse, who is in his second term, announced Thursday that he intends to resign to become University of Florida president.

Sen.. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., walks from the Senate floor, on Oct. 7, 2021, in Washington. The Senate has dodged a U.S. debt disaster by approving legislation to lift the federal limit on new borrowing by nearly a half-trillion dollars.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., makes an opening statement during the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on March 21, 2022.
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (from left) and Sen. Deb Fischer listen as Sen. Ben Sasse speaks at the Federal Legislative Summit at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum in 2021.

Sen. Ben Sasse walks on Capitol Hill on the fifth day of the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump in February 2021. The Nebraska senator was one of seven Republicans who voted to impeach Trump.

In this image from video, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., speaks as the Senate reconvenes after protesters stormed into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021.

Sen. Ben Sasse speaks in his campaign bus in Lincoln on Sept. 3, 2020.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., speaks during a confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Monday, Oct. 12, 2020.

Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse talks to the family of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett before her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in 2020.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., asks questions as former FBI director James Comey testifies via videoconference during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington on Sept. 30, 2020, to examine the FBI “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation.

Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, meets with Sen. Ben Sasse on Capitol Hill in Washington in 2020.

Republican Sen. Ben Sasse speaks during a televised debate at NET in Lincoln on Sept. 4, 2020.

From left, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., and Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., arrive at the Senate for the start of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in January 2020.

Sen. Ben Sasse poses with a Nebraska fan while selling Runzas in Memorial Stadium during the 2018 season.
Sen. Ben Sasse uses a machete to chop weeds during a visit to the Hunnicutt farms near Giltner in August 2019.
Fallon Hunnicutt uses a machete to cut weeds along the family’s popping corn field during a visit by Sen. Ben Sasse on Thursday near Giltner.
Sen. Ben Sasse laughs with his communications director James Wegmann as he exits his campaign RV in August 2019 on a visit to the Hunnicutt family farms near Giltner.
Bréley Hunnicutt carries her sister Vashti on her shoulders as they head back to their house after a campaign visit from Sen. Ben Sasse on Thursday to the family’s farms near Giltner.
Sen. Ben Sasse talks with Zach Hunnicutt about his farming operation in 2019 near Giltner.
Sen. Ben Sasse and Fallon Hunnicutt pull weeds in the Hunnicutt’s organic popping corn field Thursday near Giltner.
Breslyn Hunnicutt (left), her brother Truett and Sen. Ben Sasse pet Rock Star, a husky-lab mix, during a campaign stop to the Hunnicutt farms near Giltner in August 2019.
Sen. Ben Sasse talks with Brandon (left) and Zach Hunnicutt on Thursday during a visit to the family’s farm near Giltner.
A drone piloted by Brandon Hunnicutt flies about the family’s organic popping corn field during a visit by Sen. Ben Sasse on Thursday near Giltner.
Breslyn Hunnicutt hugs her dad Brandon during a visit by Sen. Ben Sasse on Thursday to the family’s farms near Giltner.
Sen. Ben Sasse speaks at the Federal Legislative Summit on Aug. 8, 2019, at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum.
Sen. Ben Sasse made it official that he will run for reelection on Aug. 5, 2019, at the Millard airport.
Sen. Ben Sasse (left) takes a photo with Matt Johnson of Bellevue on Aug. 5, 2019, at Millard Airport, where Sasse announced he is running for reelection.
Sen. Ben Sasse walks off stage after being handed a Runza sandwich by former Gov. Dave Heineman on Aug. 5, 2019, at the Millard Airport, where Sasse announced he is running for reelection.
Whitney Belin (center) fans her friends before Sen. Ben Sasse speaks Aug. 5 at Millard Airport, where he announced he’s running for reelection. “I went to one of these when he was first elected,” said Belin.
Former Gov. Kay Orr praises Sen. Ben Sasse’s pro-life stance on Aug. 5 at Millard Airport, where Sasse announced he is running for reelection.

Sen. Ben Sasse (left) hugs his daughter Elizabeth Sasse after announcing that he is running for re-election on Aug. 5, 2019, at Millard Airport.

A crowd cheers U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse at a 2019 campaign event.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. (left) and Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., man the food line at a shelter at Elkhorn Middle School for those displaced by flooding in 2019.

Sen. Ben Sasse and his eldest daughter, Corrie, are presented during the Grand March, part of inaugural ceremonies in 2019.
Sen. Ben Sasse answers a question during a panel discussion for the University of Nebraska’s Charter Week Celebration as students Grace Chambers (left) and Kamryn Sannicks listen Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, at the NU Coliseum.
Sen. Ben Sasse talks with reporters after speaking at the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce luncheon in November 2018.

U.S. Senator Ben Sasse introduces Gov. Pete Ricketts following his re-election on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at the Omaha Regency Marriott.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., questions Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as he testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018.

Senate Judiciary Committee members Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., left, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., third from left, and Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., second from right, arrive for the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018, with Christine Blasey Ford and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., (left) and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, listen as Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on his nomination, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018.

Sen. Ben Sasse (right) confers with Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake as President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2018.

Sen. Ben Sasse speaks Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, during the 10th annual federal legislative summit at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum.

U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse addresses the crowd that assembled on the north side of the state Capitol in 2018 for the 44th annual Walk For Life.
Attendees to the annual federal legislative summit watch as Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse speaks on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, at the Strategic Air and Space Museum.

In this photo provided by HBO, Bill Maher (left) speaks with Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska during a segment of his “Real Time with Bill Maher” in 2017.

Sen. Ben Sasse answers questions during his town hall meeting in March 2017 at Elkhorn South High School.

Sen. Ben Sasse speaks during an interview in his Lincoln offices Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017.
Sen. Ben Sasse waits to be introduced at a public policy forum at the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce in 2017.

Sen. Ben Sasse celebrated the Fourth of July in 2016 with U.S. troops at Camp Resolute Support in Afghanistan.

Sen. Ben Sasse speaks during a sendoff ceremony for members of the Nebraska Army National Guard’s Company G, 2-104th General Support Aviation Battalion in 2016.
Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer shows off a group photo of the Nebraska bowling team after it won the 2015 NCAA national championship along with Sen. Ben Sasse (left) and Rep. Adrian Smith, during a “Nebraska Breakfast” on Capitol Hill on April 27, 2016.

Sen. Ben Sasse gives a lecture on Thursday, March 31, 2016, at the University of Nebraska College of Law.

Rep. Brad Ashford (from left), Sens. Ben Sasse and Deb Fischer and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry await their turn to speak during a congressional report at the 2015 Legislative Summit at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum,

Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse
U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse and his mother Linda Shepard walk the Grand March during Gov. Pete Ricketts’ Inaugural Gala in 2015 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Vice President Joe Biden administers the oath to Sen. Ben Sasse, who is holding his son, Breck, and standing next to his wife, Melissa, in 2015.

U.S. Sen.-elect and outgoing Midland University President Ben Sasse carries boxes to his vehicle as he cleans out his office in the Anderson Complex in December 2014.

Ben Sasse celebrates with Gloria Erickson of Holdrege during his election party on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, at the Grand Manse.

Ben Sasse is followed by his daughter Alexandra (from left), his wife Melissa and daughter Elizabeth as he carries his son Breck from the stage following his victory speech at his election party in November 2014 at the Grand Manse.

Ben Sasse, U.S. Senate candidate, speaking in October 2014 during a campaign stop as part of the “93 Counties, 93 Days” tour at the Hastings City Auditorium.
Ben Sasse rode his 19-year-old RV to a Senate victory in 2014, touring the state in the so-called Benebago.
U.S. Senate Republican candidate Ben Sasse speaks with a group of employees and other David City residents while campaigning in 2014.

Senate candidate Ben Sasse answers a question regarding his political priorities during the federal legislative summit in 2014 at the Strategic Air and Space Museum.

Republican nominee for Senate, Ben Sasse (center), and gubernatorial nominee Pete Ricketts laugh with Gov. Dave Heineman as they enter the room during a unity breakfast on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, at the Nebraska GOP headquarters in Lincoln.
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (from left), Republican Senate nominee Ben Sasse and Gov. Dave Heineman share a laugh at Sasse’s Election Night party following the 2014 primary.

Alexandra Sasse watches as her father, Ben, speaks to the crowd at his victory party at the Grand Manse in May 2014.

Senate candidate Sid Dinsdale (second from right) answers a question during the final Republican-sponsored Senate candidates debate on Wednesday, April 9, 2014, at the University of Nebraska College of Law. Joining Dinsdale was Bart McLeay, Shane Osborn and Ben Sasse.

Republican Senate candidate Ben Sasse campaigns in Elmwood on Wednesday, March 12, 2014.

Republican-backed Senate candidate Shane Osborn (right) and tea-party backed Ben Sasse (left) leave the stage after a debate in Omaha on March 11, 2014.

John J. Miller’s cover story in the January 2014 issue of National Review is titled “Obamacare’s Nebraska Nemesis: Rising Conservative Star Ben Sasse.”

Midland University President Ben Sasse speaks in June 2013 in the university’s gym in Fremont.

Ben Sasse, on the Midland University campus in 2013, is a potential candidate for U.S. Senate in 2014 despite minimal statewide name recognition. “Obviously, I don’t have the name ID of people who have run for office before.”
Ben Sasse, president and history professor at Midland University in Fremont, was a U.S. assistant secretary of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush.
Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com.
On Twitter @LJSdon