The Republican Party’s efforts to close all ballots in Nebraska for former President Trump may be in jeopardy after the state’s lawmaker withdrew his support for the statewide reform measure. allocate its electoral votes.
Nebraska state Sen. Mike McDonnell, former Democrat from Omaha who switched his party to the Republican party this year, issued a statement Monday about his opposition to awarding five electoral votes in that state as a winner to take all, as 48 other states currently do.
Maine and Nebraska are the only two states that award two electoral votes to the candidate who wins the state and one to the winner of each congressional district.
“The election must be an opportunity for all voters to be heard, regardless of who they are, where they live, or what party they support,” read McDonnell’s statement. “For decades, Nebraska has tried to live up to that by giving our electoral college votes in a way that gives all Nebraskans an equal voice in choosing our President. Omaha, the city I love and have called home for 58 years, brings a lot of national attention, impacts our local economy and forces presidential candidates to make their case to all the people of Nebraska, instead of just flying by and ignoring us.”
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FILE – Nebraska State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha is shown at the State Capitol in Lincoln, Neb., March 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)
He went on to say that in the past weeks there have been discussions to change the way the electoral college will be allocated.
Although McDonnell said he respects the desire of some of his colleagues on this issue, he took the time to listen to his members and national leaders on both sides of the issue.
“After careful consideration, it is clear to me that right now, 43 days from Election Day, is not the time to make this change,” he wrote. “I have informed Governor Pillen that I will not change my long-held position and will oppose any attempt to change our electoral college system before the 2024 election.”
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McDonnell also said he encouraged the governor, and will encourage his colleagues, to pass an amendment next year that would give Nebraskans the chance to decide how electoral college votes are distributed on the ballot.
“This November, Nebraskans will have the opportunity to elect candidates at all levels who express their views, including on this issue,” McDonnell wrote. “That’s the way it should be. The voters of Nebraska, not politicians of any party, should have the final say in how we elect a president.”
The senator’s decision means Republicans lack the two-thirds majority they would need in Nebraska to repeal the amendment before the Nov. 5 election.
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A Nebraska senator has said she opposes changes to electoral college votes that would allow Republicans to cover all five of Trump’s votes. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Nebraska is one of nine states that have carried Republican candidates in every presidential election since 1964. And there hasn’t been a take-all rule since 1991, and many times since then, Republican candidates have taken all of the district’s votes. .
But in 2020, President Biden held a vote for the Second Congressional District in Omaha. Former President Obama did the same in 2008.
To seal the presidency, a candidate needs to win 270 out of 538 votes.
In another scenario, Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris will win the battleground states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, while Trump will win the other four states of North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. If so, Harris would collect 269 electoral votes to Trump’s 268 — including four in Nebraska.
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The Associated Press reported that in that case, Trump’s victory in Nebraska’s 2nd district would result in a 269-269 tie, throwing the final decision in the US House of Representatives. At that point, each state would have one vote, a situation that could favor Trump. But, if Harris carries the district, he will be president.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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