Pete Ricketts has the intelligence, background and political philosophy to represent Nebraska well in the U.S. Senate.

He wins the Journal Star’s endorsement in the race for the Republican nomination that also includes David Kramer and Don Stenberg.

Although detractors have tried to dismiss Ricketts as the fortunate son of a billionaire, that characterization ignores Ricketts’ contribution to the family fortune.

Ricketts didn’t inherit a family fortune. He helped create it. He was part of the management team that turned Ameritrade into a hugely popular Internet stock trading company.

His experience in the rapidly evolving, high-pressure, online business environment should have prepared him for the Senate, where members need to be able to analyze issues quickly and thoroughly

Rickets didn’t grow up in a privileged enclave. His experience was similar to many urban Nebraskans. Ricketts went to public school. He delivered newspapers. As a teenager, he worked at Burger King to earn spending money.

Some critics have seized on Ricketts’ big advertising budget as evidence that he is out of touch with ordinary Nebraskans. But Ricketts hasn’t relied solely on media to promote his candidacy. He’s also crisscrossed the state to meet voters face to face. This inspires confidence that he would work to keep open lines of communication.

In many ways, Ricketts and the other candidates for the GOP voice the same party line. They want to cut government spending, fight terrorism, support pro-life values and so on.

But Rickets has done more than lift a few campaign slogans out of the campaign bin.

His position on immigration, for example, takes into account the complexities and realities of the immigration issue in Nebraska. Rather than a simplistic focus just on building a wall on the 2,000-mile border between the U.S. and Mexico, Ricketts’ position includes a willingness to allow illegal workers a path to legal residency. Ricketts also thinks new surveillance technology might be more effective against border crossings than a physical fence.

Ricketts has suggested something new in the realm of agricultural policy. New agricultural savings accounts similar to a 401(k) account for wage-earners might offer an alternative for government policies that focus on production, he says. One advantage, he says, is that the accounts apparently would not violate World Trade Organization policies against subsidies. That sort of analytical creativity makes Ricketts stand out.

Nebraskans deserve a U.S. senator who is smart, achievement-oriented and shares their viewpoints. The Journal Star endorses Ricketts for advancement to the general election.