Trump criticizes Nebraska state senator for not flipping on Electoral College system

Former President Trump criticized Nebraska state Sen. Mike McDonnell (R) for coming out against Republicans’ renewed push to change 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 Truth 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. “Just another ‘Grandstander!’”

McDonnell delivered a blow to Republicans earlier Monday when he issued a statement saying he would not support a change to the way Nebraska awards its electoral votes — coming at least a week after Trump and local 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 said in a statement. “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 both award their electoral votes based on each candidate’s performance in each congressional district, awarding one vote per district. They all award two more electoral votes based on whichever candidate wins the state. 

Though the push among Republicans to change Nebraska’s electoral system is not new, the last-minute renewed effort could have complicated Vice President Harris’s path to 270 electoral votes just weeks before the election.

If Harris only won Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, while losing the other battleground states, she would arrive at 269 votes — a situation in which Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District would prove critical on her path to 270.

Yet McDonnell’s decision to reject the last-minute push among Republicans means the party lacks the 33 needed votes to overcome a filibuster on the move.