Trump calls Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts a ‘RINO’
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Former President Donald Trump called out Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts in a press release Wednesday.
Trump called Ricketts, along with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a “RINO,” or Republican in Name Only.
Trump made the comment in response to their support of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s reelection bid.
Former Sen. David Perdue, who is running against Kemp in the GOP primary, has been endorsed by Trump.
Yet Perdue has struggled to catch up to Kemp, according to the Associated Press.
Georgia’s primary will be held on May 24.
Trump has been giving out hundreds of endorsements to political candidates across the country in an attempt to shape the GOP in his image.
His “RINO” comment also comes after his pick in the GOP primary for Nebraska governor, Charles Herbster, lost to University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen.
On May 1, Trump held a rally in Greenwood to get out the vote for Herbster. During the event, he teased a 2024 presidential run.
See also: Charles Herbster skips deposition in legal battle with Sen. Julie Slama
Trump has yet to release a statement regarding Herbster’s loss to the Ricketts-backed Pillen.
In 2016, Trump berated the Ricketts family on Twitter, saying that they were “secretly spending dollars against me. They better be careful, they have a lot to hide.”
But Ricketts was chosen by Trump to serve on the Advisory Committee for Trade and Negotiations in 2018.
And as recently as October, Trump said Ricketts had been “terrific!” as governor.
Channel 8 reached out to Ricketts for comment but has not yet received a response.
