A June poll by Public Policy Polling in Raleigh, North Carolina, showed Hassebrook down by four points, though the Washington-based Cook Political Report rates the contest as “solid Republican” because of the state’s registration tilt. Forty-eight percent of voters filed as Republicans while 31 percent are affiliated with the Democratic Party, according to state election data.

Although family wealth is fueling his campaign, Ricketts is building a broader network than he did in 2006, when he spent $12 million of his own money on a losing U.S. Senate bid.

Building Base

“In ’06 I put a lot of my own money into the race, some people took away that I was trying to buy the race,” Ricketts, 49, said in an interview. “This time I’m really focused on showing I have a broad base of support. And also, quite frankly, I learned that if somebody writes you a ten dollar check they’re going to vote for you.”

The Ricketts campaign dismissed the accusation that his father gave him a cushy job at Ameritrade. He started in entry- level position, and rose to president of retail operations. During his tenure in that position and as chief operation officer, the company hired more than 2,800 employees.

“Pete played an integral role in the success and growth of Ameritrade,” said campaign spokesman Josh Moenning in an e- mail. “In the same way, he wants to help Nebraska grow. He knows what it means to manage costs, make investments, and grow jobs.”

On July 26, Ricketts marched through 90-degree Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) heat with his wife, Susanne, and one of his three children, Roscoe, at a parade in Benson. Spying a man with a shaved head -- just like his own -- he cracked a joke: “Hey, there, I like your barber!”

“That always gets a laugh,” Ricketts said.

Primary Win

In the May 13 Republican primary, Ricketts bested a field of six candidates in a race that drew spending from outside groups for the first time in a Nebraska governor’s contest. Four groups paid for television commercials, according to Kantar Media’s CMAG data. One of them, USA Super PAC, received checks from some of the same donors who gave to Ricketts’ campaign, including Singer and Ronald Gidwitz, co-founder of GCG Financial Inc., a Bannockburn, Illinois-based insurance and financial services firm.