history, Nelson defeated Stenberg 51%–49%, even as Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush won the state with 62%. Post-Attorney General career (2003–present) Private sector Stenberg left office as Attorney General in 2003 and returned to work in the private sector as of counsel at Erickson and Sederstrom, the same firm where his former boss, Charles Thone, is a partner. 2006 U.S. Senate election In 2006, Stenberg launched his third bid for the U.S. Senate. Once again, an early frontrunner, he was defeated by former Ameritrade chief operating officer Pete Ricketts 48%–38%. Ricketts went on to lose to incumbent U.S. Senator Nelson. State Treasurer In 2010, Stenberg ran for Nebraska State Treasurer to succeed retiring Shane Osborn. He won the primary over state Senator Tony Fulton 52%–28% and won the general election with 73% of the vote. 2012 U.S. Senate election In 2011, he announced his intention to run for the U.S. Senate a fourth time. After receiving endorsements from Club for Growth and Freedomworks, Stenberg split the Tea Party vote with attorney general Jon Brunning. Stenberg came in third place, taking 18.8% of the vote. The nomination went to State senator Deb Fischer. 2014 election Following the withdrawal of the two leading candidates for the Republican nomination for Governor, Stenberg said that he would consider "what is the best way to serve the state of Nebraska". He has said that it was "unlikely, but possible" that he would run for Governor. He also considered running for the open U.S. Senate seat, but decided instead to run for re-election to a second term as Treasurer. Personal life He is married to Sue Hoegemeyer of Hooper, Nebraska. They have been married 39 years and have four children. Electoral history References External links |- |- 1948 births 21st-century American politicians Harvard Business School alumni Harvard Law School alumni Living people Nebraska Attorneys General Nebraska lawyers Nebraska Republicans People from Tekamah, Nebraska State treasurers of Nebraska University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni