Close allies of former President Donald Trump faced a major hurdle in their efforts to change the way Nebraska distributes its electoral votes on Monday after Republican state Sen. Mike McDonnell announced he opposes the measure.
The effort was part of a push to help the former president on his way to the 270 electoral voters while the race for the White House It could be one of the closest in American history.
But without McDonnell’s support, changing the law is nearly impossible.
“After much reflection, it is clear to me that now, 43 days from Election Day, is not the time to make this change,” McDonnell said in a statement.
“I have notified Governor Pillen that I will not change my long-standing position and will oppose any attempts to change our electoral college system before the 2024 election,” he continued.
Nebraska Republican Sen. Mike McDonnell has announced he opposes changing the state’s electoral voting law to a winner-take-all system, making it nearly impossible for Republicans to make the change before the 2024 election.
Since 1992, Nebraska has been one of two states that allocate electoral votes proportionally, which includes allocating some votes by congressional district. The other state is Maine.
While Trump won Nebraska by nearly 20 points statewide in 2020, Biden was able to flip the 2nd District around Omaha and pick up its only electoral vote on his way to 306 electoral votes in the last presidential election.
In 2024, the election is expected to be even closer between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Earlier this month, Republican Gov. Jim Pillen announced he would call a special session to turn Nebraska into a winner-take-all state if he received a clear public indication that 33 senators would support him.
Pillen first signaled that he supported changing the way Nebraska allocates its electoral votes this spring.
Former President Trump has called for Nebraska to adopt a winner-take-all voting system. President Biden received one electoral vote from the state’s 2nd Congressional District in 2020
But Republicans would need thirty-three GOP votes to overcome the filibuster in the state legislature, which currently has thirty-three Republicans, fifteen Democrats and one nonpartisan lawmaker, so McDonnell’s support was crucial.
Instead, the state lawmaker said he would encourage the governor and his colleagues to pass a constitutional amendment during next year’s session so Nebraskans can make the decision at the ballot box.
“This November, Nebraskans will have the opportunity to elect candidates at every level who reflect their views, including on this issue. That’s the way it should be. Nebraska voters, not politicians from either party, should have the final say on how we elect a president,” she said in her statement.
The move comes as all members of Nebraska’s congressional delegation, all Republicans, support switching the state to a winner-take-all electoral voting system.
Separately, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina publicly advocated for the measure on NBC’s “Meet the Press” show on Sunday.
“I think Nebraska has been talking about this for years. It’s a very close election,” Graham said.
“For my friends in Nebraska, that electoral vote could be the difference between Harris being president or not, and she is a disaster for Nebraska and the world,” he said.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz during a campaign stop in Omaha, Nebraska, on Aug. 17, 2024. Walz grew up in the state.
Democrats have set their sights on Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District’s lone electoral vote as part of their surest path to 270 electoral votes.
Harris’ running mate, Tim Walz, who grew up in Nebraska, campaigned in Omaha last month.
Even if Harris were to win Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, without the opportunity to secure the electoral votes of Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district, Harris would be left with just 269 electoral votes, denying her one of the clearest paths to victory.
That scenario could also result in a tied Electoral College with each candidate having 269 votes if Trump wins Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina, meaning the presidential race would end up in the Republican-controlled House.