Rita Sanders
Nebraska State Senator, District 45 since 2020. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 6 yrs
- Since 2020
- Bills became law
- 11
- 30 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 12.2%
- Chamber median 2.7%
- With party
- 94%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +5.7
- Won 2024
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Government, Military and Veterans Affairs · chair
- Education
- Select Committee on Committees
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Became law Apr 2026
Became law Apr 2026
Became law Apr 2026
Became law Feb 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Sanders sits in the Nebraska Legislature
Sanders is closer to the center than 64% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Carolyn Bosn, Rick Holdcroft, Robert Dover
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:56 PM ET
With Sanders’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans94%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the Nebraska Legislature.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Sanders’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Sanders | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2026 | LB 1187: Change provisions of the Livestock Brand Act | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 39–9 |
| Apr 9, 2026 | LB 1067: Change provisions relating to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the rate and… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 36–13 |
| Apr 7, 2026 | LB 1114: Adopt the Community Improvement District Act and the New Taxpayer Recruitment Grant Act,… | Present | No | Yes | Failed 21–18 |
| Apr 7, 2026 | LB 937: Adopt the Prior Learning Act and the K-12 Education Cybersecurity Act and change… | Yes | No | Yes | Failed 21–17 |
| Apr 2, 2026 | LB 986: Allow expenditure of campaign funds for security services and systems under the Nebraska… | Present | No | Yes | Failed 18–20 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Sanders was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Nebraska Legislature, District 45 | Won | R+5.7 |
| 2020 | Nebraska Legislature, District 45 | Won | R+7.6 |
Source: 99chambers results archive
Seats Sanders has held
- Nebraska Legislature, District 45 · since 2020
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Sanders has run against
- Sarah F. Centineo (I) · 2024 general, won
- Susan Hester (I) · 2020 general, won
Source: 99chambers results archive
How we know Sanders
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/de8d4e0a-36dd-4a84-96ee-e4b7bc4cf69d
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET