Former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, who represented Nebraska from 2015 to 2023, has publicly disclosed a devastating diagnosis of metastasized stage-four pancreatic cancer. The 53-year-old politician characterized his condition as a “death sentence” in a candid social media post on Tuesday.
Sasse, an Ivy League-educated Republican who frequently criticized Donald Trump while supporting key presidential policies, gained national prominence as one of seven GOP senators who voted to convict Trump for incitement of insurrection following the January 6th Capitol riot. His 2021 impeachment vote represented a principled stand against what he described as congressional timidity in the face of executive overreach.
“Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence. But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do,” Sasse reflected in his characteristically philosophical tone. The former senator, who transitioned from Lutheranism to Presbyterianism, framed his announcement within the context of the Advent season, emphasizing Christian hope amid adversity.
Following his Senate tenure, Sasse assumed the presidency of the University of Florida but resigned in July 2024 citing his wife’s health needs after she suffered a stroke. His administrative tenure later faced scrutiny when the Florida Auditor General identified questionable spending practices, though Sasse maintained the appropriateness of his financial decisions.
The father of three concluded his announcement with determination: “I’m not going down without a fight,” signaling both his medical battle and the resilient approach that characterized his political career.