Former President Trump criticized Nebraska state Sen. Mike McDonnell (R) for popping out towards Republicans’ renewed push to alter Nebraska’s electoral system to a winner-take-all state.
“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!” Trump wrote on his Reality Social platform Monday.
“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,” he continued. “Simply one other ‘Grandstander!’”
McDonnell delivered a blow to Republicans earlier Monday when he issued an announcement saying he wouldn’t help a change to the best way Nebraska awards its electoral votes — coming no less than every week after Trump and native Republicans renewed their push for the system.
“In recent weeks, a conversation around whether to change how we allocate our electoral college votes has returned to the forefront,” McDonnell mentioned in an announcement. “I respect the desire of some of my colleagues to have this discussion, and I have taken time to listen carefully to Nebraskans and national leaders on both sides of the issue. 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 and Maine each award their electoral votes primarily based on every candidate’s efficiency in every congressional district, awarding one vote per district. All of them award two extra electoral votes primarily based on whichever candidate wins the state.
Although the push amongst Republicans to alter Nebraska’s electoral system shouldn’t be new, the last-minute renewed effort may have difficult Vice President Harris’s path to 270 electoral votes simply weeks earlier than the election.
If Harris solely gained Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, whereas dropping the opposite battleground states, she would arrive at 269 votes — a state of affairs by which Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District would show crucial on her path to 270.
But McDonnell’s choice to reject the last-minute push amongst Republicans means the celebration lacks the 33 wanted votes to beat a filibuster on the transfer.
