Rick Sheehy
| Rick Sheehy | ||
 | ||
| Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska | ||
| Previous officeholder | ||
| In office | ||
| January 24, 2005 - February 2, 2013 | ||
| Term ends | ||
| 2014 | ||
| Party | Republican | |
| Compensation | ||
| Base salary | $75,000 | |
| Elections and appointments | ||
| Last election | November 2, 2010 | |
| First elected | November 7, 2006 | |
| Appointed | 2005 | |
| Appointed by | Governor Dave Heineman | |
| Term limits | 2 consecutive terms | |
| Prior offices | ||
| Mayor of Hastings, Nebraska | ||
| 2000 - 2005 | ||
| Hasting City Council | ||
| 1994 - 2000 | ||
| Education | ||
| High school | St. Cecilia High School | |
| Bachelor's | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | |
| Associate's | Central Community College | |
| Personal | ||
| Place of birth | October 3, 1959 | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
Contents |
Sheehy was officially elected to the position in November 2006 and re-elected in the 2010 midterm election.[1]
On Feburuary 2, 2013, Sheehy resigned his post as lieutenant governor. His sudden departure came on the heels of an investigative report from the Omaha World-Herald that revealed Sheehy had abused his state-issued mobile phone privileges by making thousands of personal phone calls to women other than his wife over the past four years.[2] "I had trusted him and that trust was broken," Gov. Dave Heinman explained at a Feb. 2 press conference where he announced Sheehy's resignation.
Heineman immediately began a search for a temporary replacement to serve as his lieutenant governor until the voters can choose a successor in the 2014 election.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag[3]
On February 25, Sheehy wrote a $500 check to pay for the calls and state officials said they considered the matter closed.[4]
Biography
Sheehy is a native of Hastings, Nebraska. He served on the Hastings City Council from 1994-2000, serving as council president from 1996-2000.[5] In 2000 Sheehy, then a Democrat, was elected Mayor of Hastings, a non-partisan office. He became a Republican in August 2003, and was re-elected as Mayor in 2004. He was serving in his second term as mayor when he was appointed Lieutenant Governor. He was Heineman's running mate in 2006 and was elected to another term as Lieutenant Governor which will last until January 2011.
In 1982, Sheehy began work as an emergency medical technician for Rural Metro Ambulance in Hastings, Nebraska. He had been a market general manager with Rural Metro for 18 years when he was appointed Lieutenant Governor.[1]
Education
- St. Cecilia High School
- Central Community College
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln[1]
Political career
Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska (2005 - 2013)
Sheehy was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska on January 24, 2005. He and Governor of Nebraska Dave Heineman were elected to their first full term in 2006. They won re-election in 2010.[5]
Phone call scandal, resignation
Sheehy resigned from office on February 2, 2013 after an investigation into his state issued-cell phone records resulted in the discovery that he had made over 2,000 inappropriate calls to women over four years.[3] Sheehy's wife, Connie, filed for divorce in July of 2012, citing “irretrievably broken” marriage.[6]
In his resignation letter to Gov. Dave Heineman, Sheehy reportedly wrote, "It has been a privilege to serve you and the great people of our state."[6]
Mayor of Hastings, Nebraska (2000 - 2005)
Sheehy was first elected Mayor of Hasting in 2000. He won re-election in 2004.[5]
Hasting City Council (1994 - 2000)
Sheehy was first elected to the Hasting City Council in 1994. He remained there until 2000 when he successfully campaigned to be the city's mayor.[5]
Elections
2014
- See also: Nebraska gubernatorial election, 2014
In July 2011, Sheehy announced his intention to run for Governor of Nebraska in 2014.[7] Incumbent Gov. Dave Heineman will vacate his seat in 2014 due to term limits.[8] Sheehy had been considered the front-runner to succeed Heineman until an investigation by the Omaha World-Herald uncovered suspicious activity in Sheehy's cell-phone records, resulting in Sheehy's abrupt resignation. The scandal also caused a "deeply disappointed" Heineman to withdraw his support for his former second-in-command's 2014 gubernatorial campaign.[9]
2010
Sheehy ran for re-election on a ticket with Dave Heineman. Their ticket beat out Mike Meister and Anne Boyle (D) in the general election on November 2, 2010.
Campaign donors
Ballotpedia collects information on campaign donors for each year in which a candidate or incumbent is running for election. The following table offers a breakdown of Dave Heineman and Rick Sheehy's donors each year.[10] Click [show] for more information.
| Dave Heineman and Rick Sheehy's Campaign Contributions | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Governor and Lt. Governor of Nebraska | 2006 Governor and Lt. Governor of Nebraska | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total Raised | $2,683,538 | $3,753,055 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total Raised by General Election Opponent | $107,458 (Dem.) | $380,498 | |||||||||||||||||
| Top 5 contributors | Nebraska Education Association | $32,185 | Dave Heineman | $390,000 | |||||||||||||||
| AFLAC | $30,000 | Service Employees International Union | $45,000 | ||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska Bankers Association | $25,500 | Larry Courtnage | $37,000 | ||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska Printing Center | $22,451 | ACC Capital Holdings | $25,000 | ||||||||||||||||
| Eldon Roth | $21,000 | Nebraska Printing Center | $21,214 | ||||||||||||||||
| Individuals | $1,023,998 | $1,072,932 | |||||||||||||||||
| Institutions | $870,951 | $797,556 | |||||||||||||||||
| In-state donations | $1,612,875 | $3,448,392 | |||||||||||||||||
| Out-of-state donations | $315,380 | $239,200 | |||||||||||||||||
Contact Information
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
State Capital, Room 2315
P.O. Box 94863
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: 402-471-2256
Fax: 402-471-6031
See also
- Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska
- Lieutenant Governor
- Governor of Nebraska
- Nebraska Secretary of State
External links
- Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy Official Nebraska Government Website
- Summary, biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Campaign contributions at Follow The Money
- Profile at Twitter
- Profile at Notable Names Database
- Profile at Wikipedia
- Heineman taps Hastings mayor as lieutenant governor, Robynn Tysver, Omaha World-Herald, January 24, 2005
- Resignation with related stories, Omaha World-Herald, February 2, 2013
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska "Biography" Accessed October 20, 2012
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Nebraska Lieutenant Governor Resigns," February 2, 2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The World Herald-Bureau, "Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy issues resignation," February 2, 2013
- ↑ Journal Star, "Former Lt. Gov. pays state $500 for calls," May 8, 2013
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska Official Page "Rick Sheehy," Accessed October 2, 2012
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gant Daily, "Nebraska Lt. Gov. resigns over phone call scandal," February 3, 2013
- ↑ Journal Star, "Sheehy says he will run for Nebraska governor in 2014," July 15, 2011
- ↑ World Herald-Bureau, "Mike Flood launches bid for governor's office in 2014," November 13, 2012
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, “Nebraska lt. governor resigns,” February 2, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money.org
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Dave Heineman |
Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska 2005–2013 |
Succeeded by NA |
