Trump Slams Senator Who Prevented Nebraska Changing Its Electoral Voting System
by Molly Bohannon · ForbesTopline
Former President Donald Trump slammed Nebraska Republican Sen. Mike McDonnell after the state senator said he would not support a change to the way the state allocates its Electoral College votes that would likely increase Trump’s chances of winning the presidential election in November.
Key Facts
Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Monday afternoon that McDonnell is a “Grandstander!” who “decided, for no reason whatsoever, to get in the way of a great Republican, common sense, victory.”
The criticism from the former president came hours after McDonnell reiterated he would not support a change to the way the state—which is just one of two that doesn’t use a winner-takes-all approach—allocates its electoral votes, saying he was concerned about the timing of the change and it reducing Nebraska’s national significance.
Nebraska Republicans sought to change the current system, which awards two electoral votes to the winner of the state and three to the winner of the three House districts, one of which covers the Omaha area, in order to increase the chances that Trump takes all of the state's five electoral votes.
“After deep consideration, it is clear to me that right now, 43 days from Election Day, is not the moment to make this change,” McDonnell, a Democrat-turned-Republican, said in a statement reiterating his stance against a winner-take-all model, the Omaha World-Herald reported.
Why Did Republicans Want To Change The Allocation System?
If McDonnell had changed his mind and backed a winner-take-all allocation of the state’s votes, Trump likely would have secured the Electoral College vote representing a House district inclusive of Omaha, which Vice President Kamala Harris is favored to win under the current allocation system. If Trump took that vote, won the Sun Belt swing states and Harris held the “blue wall” of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, there could have been a situation in which they tied with 269 electoral votes—sending the decision to the GOP-controlled House, which would likely select Trump as president.
Key Background
McDonnell had said in the past he didn’t support the change to a winner-take-all system, but The New York Times reported he was considering arguments for why changes should be made last week amid a renewed push for the change from lawmakers. The push came as the race between Harris and Trump is expected to be extremely close in November: As of Monday, Harris led Trump by just 2.8 points on average in polling, according to FiveThirtyEight. Both campaigns are focusing heavily on seven swing states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin—that could sway the election.
Tangent
Trump also thanked Republican Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen “for trying to help” pass the change—saying it “would have been better, and far less expensive, for everyone!”—and Omaha Republican Mayor Jean Stothert, who has voiced support for a winner-take-all allocation.