Mike McDonnell, a Republican state Senator in Nebraska, has drawn the ire of GOP nominee Donald Trump and other Republicans across the country for his refusal to support a last-minute change to how electoral votes are determined in the state.
Nebraska is one of only two states — including Maine — where electoral votes are divided between congressional districts, rather than a statewide, winner-take-all format.
Jim Pillen, the Republican governor of Nebraska, has been leading the recent effort to make his state like most of the others in the nation. If he were successful in doing so, it would almost certainly give all five of the Electoral College votes that Nebraska has to Trump in November’s election.
But, McDonnell — who only switched to being a Republican earlier this year — announced early this week that he’d not be supporting that change. That ensures that there will be at least 33 votes in the state Senate against changing the measure, which means it’ll fall at least one vote short.
In his statement, McDonnell said:
“Elections should be an opportunity for all voters to be heard, no matter who they are, where they live, or what party they support. After deep consideration, it is clear to me that right now, 43 days from Election Day, is not the moment to make this change.”
Nebraska is a deeply red state overall. But, its electoral votes can be split between the two parties.
The state gives two electoral votes to the winner of the overall popular vote. The remaining three votes are split among the winner in each congressional district, with Nebraska having three districts.
In most years, Republicans are guaranteed at least four of these five votes. But, one of the state’s three congressional districts is centered on the state’s capital of Omaha, which like a lot of other cities, is much more liberal. This means that it’s possible for Nebraska’s five electoral votes to be split, with four heading to Trump and four to Democrat Kamala Harris if Omaha’s district sides with the vice president.
While that one vote might not matter too much in some years, it certainly looks like every electoral vote is going to count this year.
Trump went off on McDonnell during his own post on Truth Social on Monday. He said that changing the state law to a winner-take-all electoral system would have been both “better” as well as “less expensive” for all people in Nebraska.
As Trump wrote:
“I would like to thank Governor Jim Pillen of Nebraska for trying to help the Republican Party simplify the complexity of the State’s Electoral Map. It would have been better, and far less expensive, for everyone!
“Unfortunately, a Democrat turned Republican (?) State Senator named Mike McDonnell decided, for no reason whatsoever, to get in the way of a great Republican, common sense, victory. Just another ‘Grandstander!’”
McDonnell ultimately switched from being a Democrat to Republican after he was censored by the liberal party earlier this year following his support for a health care bill that many believe was anti-transgender and anti-abortion.
