By PAUL HAMMEL
Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — Robert “Rob” Dover, president of a real estate firm in Norfolk and companies that manage and develop properties, is Nebraska’s newest state senator.
Gov. Pete Ricketts, in a brief swearing-in ceremony Friday, announced the appointment, filling the vacancy in the Nebraska Legislature’s 19th District.
Former State Sen. Mike Flood resigned after being chosen, in a special election, to serve out the remainder of the term of U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, who left office after being convicted of lying to federal agents investigating illegal campaign contributions.
Pledges to run in ’24
Dover will serve until January 2025, and the governor said Dover has pledged to run for election to the seat in 2024.
Ricketts said he was impressed with Dover’s background as an entrepreneur and with the fact that he has created jobs “and really invested in the Norfolk area,” as well with as his civic activities.
“I also know he’s going to be solid on conservative values. He’s going to be pro-life, he’s going to be defending our Second Amendment values,” the governor said.
Dover, who served on the Nebraska Real Estate Commission from 2007-13, is president of Coldwell Banker Dover Realtors, a firm founded by his father in 1963. He also heads Dover Management Company, which manages residential and commercial property, and is vice president of Whitecliff Development, which has undertaken multiple development projects.
Will work to cut taxes
“I’ll work in the Legislature to help reduce the tax burden on Nebraska’s families,” he said. “I’ll also use my education and experience in finance to ensure the State wisely stewards taxpayer dollars.”
Dover’s opposition to abortion rights mirrors that of Flood. That is important as Ricketts, who opposes abortion, searches for the 33 votes needed to pass an abortion ban, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision tossing out the right to abortion.
This spring, the Nebraska Legislature fell two votes short — 31 votes of the 33 required — of heading off a filibuster that killed a proposed “trigger” bill to enact an abortion ban if the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade.
Earlier this week, Ricketts said he’s still working with the Speaker of the Legislature, Lincoln Sen. Mike Hilgers, on whether to call a special session to enact an abortion ban.
Sources tell the Nebraska Examiner that the governor still lacks the 33 votes needed to pass such a bill, raising the possibility that a special session will not be held and the issue instead will be debated during the 2023 legislative session.