Staff Reports
Governor Jim Pillen, a staunch Republican from Nebraska, has thrown his weight behind a new bill that could change how the state assigns its electoral votes in presidential elections. The proposed bill, known as LB 764, would shift Nebraska from its current system, where electoral votes are divided based on the popular vote in each congressional district, to a “winner-take-all” approach where all five electoral votes would go to the overall winner of the state. This, of course, could potentially be a big win for former President Donald Trump.
Nebraska governor backs winner-take-all system that tightens electoral math for Biden https://t.co/Qolbh5P406 https://t.co/Qolbh5P406
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 3, 2024
Pillen made his support for the bill loud and clear in a statement on Tuesday, calling on his fellow Republicans in the Legislature to push it through so he can happily sign it into law. He argued that the winner-take-all system, which is used by 48 other states, would better align with the intentions of the nation’s founders and ensure Nebraska speaks with one unified voice in presidential elections. Go, team Pillen!
Nebraska has mostly doled out its electoral votes to Republicans since the provision to split allocation was put in place, but there have been a few juicy exceptions. The 2nd Congressional District, which has a history of being a bit of a swing district, has broken ranks and voted for Democratic candidates twice. Barack Obama swiped a single electoral vote from the state’s 2nd Congressional District in 2008, and then Joe Biden scooped up another one in 2020. But Republicans are none too pleased about this Democratic success in their territory.
The Nebraska Democratic Party has fired back, vowing to “protect” the current system in place and accusing Republicans of trying to “dilute” the state’s influence nationwide. They warned that the GOP’s eagerness to shift to a winner-take-all system is a direct response to their fear that the 2nd Congressional District might vote blue once again in 2024. Ooh, the drama!
And of course, the man himself, former President Donald Trump, couldn’t resist jumping in on the action. He commended Governor Pillen for his “bold leadership” and threw his weight behind the push for a winner-take-all system in Nebraska. He argued that this change would be “right for Nebraska” and aligned with what the nation’s founders apparently intended. Trump even hopped on Truth Social (his favorite new social media platform) to rally support for the bill, urging Nebraskans to push their senators to get on board with the plan.
With the state legislature’s current session ending on April 18, the pressure is on for Republicans to hustle and push this bill through. Will they succeed in their mission to change the rules and potentially give Trump a boost in the next presidential election? Stay tuned for the next episode of “Nebraska Politics: Where Every Vote Counts (But Some More Than Others).”
