Former Â鶹¹ÙÍø U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse opens up about his experimental cancer treatment and the legacy he hopes to leave behind in a new interview with CNN's Jake Tapper this evening.
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Photos: Ben Sasse through the years
Sen. Ben Sasse speaks during the 2022 federal legislative summit at Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum.
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (from left) and Sen. Deb Fischer listen as Sen. Ben Sasse speaks at the Federal Legislative Summit at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum in 2021.
Sen. Ben Sasse walks on Capitol Hill on the fifth day of the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump in February 2021. The Â鶹¹ÙÍø senator was one of seven Republicans who voted to impeach Trump.
In this image from video, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., speaks as the Senate reconvenes after protesters stormed into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021.
Sen. Ben Sasse speaks in his campaign bus in Lincoln on Sept. 3, 2020.
Republican Sen. Ben Sasse speaks during a televised debate at NET in Lincoln on Sept. 4, 2020.
From left, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., and Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., arrive at the Senate for the start of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in January 2020.
Sen. Ben Sasse poses with a Â鶹¹ÙÍø fan while selling Runzas in Memorial Stadium during the 2018 season.
Sen. Ben Sasse uses a machete to chop weeds during a visit to the Hunnicutt farms near Giltner in August 2019.Â
Fallon Hunnicutt uses a machete to cut weeds along the family's popping corn field during a visit by Sen. Ben Sasse on Thursday near Giltner.Â
Sen. Ben Sasse laughs with his communications director James Wegmann as he exits his campaign RV in August 2019 on a visit to the Hunnicutt family farms near Giltner.
Bréley Hunnicutt carries her sister Vashti on her shoulders as they head back to their house after a campaign visit from Sen. Ben Sasse on Thursday to the family's farms near Giltner.
Sen. Ben Sasse talks with Zach Hunnicutt about his farming operation in 2019 near Giltner.
Sen. Ben Sasse and Fallon Hunnicutt pull weeds in the Hunnicutt's organic popping corn field Thursday near Giltner.Â
Breslyn Hunnicutt (left), her brother Truett and Sen. Ben Sasse pet Rock Star, a husky-lab mix, during a campaign stop to the Hunnicutt farms near Giltner in August 2019.Â
Sen. Ben Sasse talks with Brandon (left) and Zach Hunnicutt on Thursday during a visit to the family's farm near Giltner.
A drone piloted by Brandon Hunnicutt flies about the family's organic popping corn field during a visit by Sen. Ben Sasse on Thursday near Giltner.Â
Breslyn Hunnicutt hugs her dad Brandon during a visit by Sen. Ben Sasse on Thursday to the family's farms near Giltner.
Sen. Ben Sasse speaks at the Federal Legislative Summit on Aug. 8, 2019, at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum.Â
Sen. Ben Sasse made it official that he will run for reelection on Aug. 5, 2019, at the Millard airport.
Sen. Ben Sasse (left) takes a photo with Matt Johnson of Bellevue on Aug. 5, 2019, at Millard Airport, where Sasse announced he is running for reelection.Â
Sen. Ben Sasse walks off stage after being handed a Runza sandwich by former Gov. Dave Heineman on Aug. 5, 2019, at the Millard Airport, where Sasse announced he is running for reelection.Â
Whitney Belin (center) fans her friends before Sen. Ben Sasse speaks Aug. 5 at Millard Airport, where he announced he's running for reelection. "I went to one of these when he was first elected," said Belin.
Former Gov. Kay Orr praises Sen. Ben Sasse's pro-life stance on Aug. 5 at Millard Airport, where Sasse announced he is running for reelection.
Sen. Ben Sasse (left) hugs his daughter Elizabeth Sasse after announcing that he is running for re-election on Aug. 5, 2019, at Millard Airport.Â
A crowd cheers U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse at a 2019 campaign event.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. (left) and Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., man the food line at a shelter at Elkhorn Middle School for those displaced by flooding in 2019.
Sen. Ben Sasse and his eldest daughter, Corrie, are presented during the Grand March, part of inaugural ceremonies in 2019.
Sen. Ben Sasse answers a question during a panel discussion for the University of Â鶹¹ÙÍø's Charter Week Celebration as students Grace Chambers (left) and Kamryn Sannicks listen Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, at the NU Coliseum.Â
Sen. Ben Sasse talks with reporters after speaking at the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce luncheon in November 2018.
U.S. Senator Ben Sasse introduces Gov. Pete Ricketts following his re-election on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at the Omaha Regency Marriott.
Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., questions Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as he testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018.
Senate Judiciary Committee members Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., left, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., third from left, and Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., second from right, arrive for the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018, with Christine Blasey Ford and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Sen. Ben Sasse speaks Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, during the 10th annual federal legislative summit at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum.Â
U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse addresses the crowd that assembled on the north side of the state Capitol in 2018 for the 44th annual Walk For Life.
Attendees to the annual federal legislative summit watch as Â鶹¹ÙÍø Sen. Ben Sasse speaks on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, at the Strategic Air and Space Museum.
Sen. Ben Sasse answers questions during his town hall meeting in March 2017 at Elkhorn South High School.
 Sen. Ben Sasse speaks during an interview in his Lincoln offices Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017.
Sen. Ben Sasse waits to be introduced at a public policy forum at the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce in 2017.
Sen. Ben Sasse celebrated the Fourth of July in 2016 with U.S. troops at Camp Resolute Support in Afghanistan.
Sen. Ben Sasse speaks during a sendoff ceremony for members of the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Army National Guard's Company G, 2-104th General Support Aviation Battalion in 2016.
Â鶹¹ÙÍø Sen. Deb Fischer shows off a group photo of the Â鶹¹ÙÍø bowling team after it won the 2015 NCAA national championship along with Sen. Ben Sasse (left) and Rep. Adrian Smith, during a "Â鶹¹ÙÍø Breakfast" on Capitol Hill on April 27, 2016.
Sen. Ben Sasse gives a lecture on Thursday, March 31, 2016, at the University of Â鶹¹ÙÍø College of Law.Â
Rep. Brad Ashford (from left), Sens. Ben Sasse and Deb Fischer and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry await their turn to speak during a congressional report at the 2015 Legislative Summit at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum,
Â鶹¹ÙÍø Sen. Ben Sasse
U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse and his mother Linda Shepard walk the Grand March during Gov. Pete Ricketts' Inaugural Gala in 2015 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Vice President Joe Biden administers the oath to Sen. Ben Sasse, who is holding his son, Breck, and standing next to his wife, Melissa, in 2015.
U.S. Sen.-elect and outgoing Midland University President Ben Sasse carries boxes to his vehicle as he cleans out his office in the Anderson Complex in December 2014.
Ben Sasse celebrates with Gloria Erickson of Holdrege during his election party on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, at the Grand Manse.
Ben Sasse is followed by his daughter Alexandra (from left), his wife Melissa and daughter Elizabeth as he carries his son Breck from the stage following his victory speech at his election party in November 2014 at the Grand Manse.
Ben Sasse, U.S. Senate candidate, speaking in October 2014 during a campaign stop as part of the "93 Counties, 93 Days" tour at the Hastings City Auditorium.
Ben Sasse rode his 19-year-old RV to a Senate victory in 2014, touring the state in the so-called Benebago.
 U.S. Senate Republican candidate Ben Sasse speaks with a group of employees and other David City residents while campaigning in 2014.
Senate candidate Ben Sasse answers a question regarding his political priorities during the federal legislative summit in 2014 at the Strategic Air and Space Museum.
Republican nominee for Senate, Ben Sasse (center), and gubernatorial nominee Pete Ricketts laugh with Gov. Dave Heineman as they enter the room during a unity breakfast on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, at the Â鶹¹ÙÍø GOP headquarters in Lincoln.
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (from left), Republican Senate nominee Ben Sasse and Gov. Dave Heineman share a laugh at Sasse's Election Night party following the 2014 primary.
Alexandra Sasse watches as her father, Ben, speaks to the crowd at his victory party at the Grand Manse in May 2014.
Senate candidate Sid Dinsdale (second from right) answers a question during the final Republican-sponsored Senate candidates debate on Wednesday, April 9, 2014, at the University of Â鶹¹ÙÍø College of Law. Joining Dinsdale was Bart McLeay, Shane Osborn and Ben Sasse.
Republican Senate candidate Ben Sasse campaigns in Elmwood on Wednesday, March 12, 2014.
John J. Miller’s cover story in the January 2014 issue of National Review is titled “Obamacare’s Â鶹¹ÙÍø Nemesis: Rising Conservative Star Ben Sasse.â€
Midland University President Ben Sasse speaks in June 2013 in the university's gym in Fremont.
Ben Sasse, on the Midland University campus in 2013, is a potential candidate for U.S. Senate in 2014 despite minimal statewide name recognition. "Obviously, I don't have the name ID of people who have run for office before."
Ben Sasse, president and history professor at Midland University in Fremont, was a U.S. assistant secretary of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush.
Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December, said he sleeps 15-16 hours a day due to the drugs he's taking. He spoke during an hourlong interview with the Hoover Institution's Peter Robinson, a fellow at the public policy think tank.
Contact the writer at akleiber@journalstar.com or 715-370-4567. On X @annakleiber03
Anna Kleiber | Lincoln Journal Star
State government and politics reporter
