Democrats are sounding the alarm on Nebraska as Republicans, including Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) and former President Donald Trump, push an effort to award all of the state’s electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the statewide vote.
On Tuesday, Pillen formally joined the conservative-led effort to change the way Nebraska awards electoral votes. Currently, the state deviates from the winner-take-all method and awards votes based on the congressional district. In other words, a presidential candidate could successfully win the state but still lose an electoral vote if the other candidate won a specific congressional district. This has happened before, when former President Barack Obama won an electoral vote in 2008, and President Biden garnered an electoral vote in 2020 after winning District 2 by fewer than 23,000 votes.
In a post this week, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk explained why that matters so much.
“Suppose Donald Trump flips Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada next fall, as current polls all show him doing. Would he win the presidency? Not quite. In fact, if Trump flips those three states and no others, he loses by exactly ONE electoral vote Why? Nebraska,” he explained:
Suppose Donald Trump flips Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada next fall, as current polls all show him doing. Would he win the presidency? Not quite. In fact, if Trump flips those three states and no others, he loses by exactly ONE electoral vote.
Why? Nebraska.
Despite being one of…
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 2, 2024
Even Pillen jumped on board to address the issue, openly supporting the state moving to winner take all — something Democrats do not want:
Statement today on LB 764 — Winner-Take-All pic.twitter.com/g8KLOtATYo
— Governor Jim Pillen (@TeamPillen) April 2, 2024
Thank you, @TeamPillen 👏🏼
Let’s get it done, Nebraska! 💪🏼🇺🇸
Keep pressure on the committee to bring it to the floor. Keep contacting the Senators on the committee & your own State Senator! 💯@Beard_Vet @FanchonBlythe @NEGOP @charliekirk11 @tylerbowyer @TPAction_ https://t.co/eJv2wA23xf pic.twitter.com/hstHqT4p7I
— Nebraska Freedom Coalition (@NebraskaFreedom) April 2, 2024
A panel on MSNBC recently sounded the alarm, which included former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina.
“If that changes and we don’t know that it will — it’s, the state legislature is gonna look at it — but if that changes, that takes away Biden’s best path to win because if you get — if he wins Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, then loses the other swing states and no longer picks up the one in, Nebraska 269,” the panel noted, as a candidate individual needs 270 electoral votes to win.
“I think this is what the modern Republican Party has become,” Messina said, accusing Republicans of “now changing the rules in the middle of trying to benefit themselves.”
“This is the hell that Donald Trump hath wrought,” he said.
“In the middle of this changing the rules 200 days before the election is ridiculous. I think you’re right. I think there are real simulation problems,” Messina said, admitting that the one Democrat electoral vote is very important to Biden’s effort.
“When you look at the map, that one electoral vote really matters in the combination of other things, then you need another state. And so the easiest pathway to victory has always been the Midwestern three states combined with Nebraska. Something tells me they’re not going to get away with this easy,” he continued, predicting “a national outcry for trying to change the rules here.”
WATCH:
MSNBC is panicking about Nebraska:
“When you look at the map that one electoral vote really matters in the combination of other things. Then you need another state.”
“The easiest pathway to victory has always been the midwestern three states combined with Nebraska.”
BOOM! pic.twitter.com/uNRD9qvLhT
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 3, 2024
Politico Playbook also highlighted this effort on Wednesday as Kirk concluded that “panic” is ensuing:
Politico Playbook led with the Nebraska story this AM:
“For President JOE BIDEN, it would take away what is currently his easiest path to 270: win the “blue wall” states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, plus one electoral vote from metro Omaha.”
Panic ensues… pic.twitter.com/N7YdbH4hB6
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 3, 2024
Megan Hunt, the state senator in Omaha’s District 8, also sounded the alarm on these efforts, calling it “pathetic.”
“This just shows that Donald Trump has serious concerns that this election is going to come down to one electoral vote, and he’s willing to cheat and change the rules state-to-state to ensure his victory,” Hunt said. “It’s pathetic and if he wants to win Omaha’s vote, he should come earn it.”
This just shows that Donald Trump has serious concerns that this election is going to come down to one electoral vote, and he’s willing to cheat and change the rules state-to-state to ensure his victory.
It’s pathetic and if he wants to win Omaha’s vote, he should come earn it. https://t.co/bLaPcmdIxr
— Senator Megan Hunt (@NebraskaMegan) April 3, 2024
Trump publicly joined the effort on Tuesday, adding to the mounting leftist concerns.
“Governor Jim Pillen of Nebraska, a very smart and popular Governor, who has done some really great things, came out today with a very strong letter in support of returning Nebraska’s Electoral Votes to a Winner-Take-All System,” Trump said on Truth Social.
“Most Nebraskans have wanted to go back to this system for a very long time, because it’s what 48 other States do — It’s what the Founders intended, and it’s right for Nebraska,” he continued, thanking the governor.
“Let’s hope the Senate does the right thing. Nebraskans, respectfully ask your Senators to support this Great Bill!” he added:
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