Sen. Mike McDonnell says he’s a no on winner-take-all ’as of today’
State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha. Feb. 27, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
OMAHA — Nebraska State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha acknowledged Thursday through a spokesman that he discussed on Wednesday the future of how Nebraska awards its Electoral College votes.
McDonnell was among two dozen Republican state senators who met in Lincoln with Gov. Jim Pillen, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and others backing former President Donald Trump.
Most in the group, along with the Nebraska Republican Party, want Nebraska to adopt a winner-take-all approach to presidential elections, like 48 other states. They want it done this year.
Nebraska and Maine award a single Electoral College vote to the winner in each congressional district, plus two votes to the statewide winner of the presidential popular vote.
McDonnell spokesman Barry Rubin described the proposal to have Nebraska award all five of its Electoral College votes to the statewide winner as “a passionate issue for all Nebraskans.”
“Senator McDonnell has heard compelling arguments from both sides,” Rubin said Thursday. “And, as of today, (he) is still a no.”
McDonnell was a Democrat first
McDonnell was a lifelong Democrat before he switched to the Republican Party in April. He is still a labor leader in Omaha. He has aspirations of running for mayor of Omaha as early as 2025.
He said when he switched parties that he would never support winner-take-all. Several of those at the Wednesday gathering said, however, that McDonnell told them he was looking for a way to get to yes, though he expressed concerns.
Rubin did not answer questions about the Wednesday meeting. But others McDonnell spoke with on Thursday said he told some of them that he was misunderstood by his fellow Republicans on Wednesday.
The Wednesday meeting answered questions aimed at potential GOP holdouts to winner-take-all who have hinted that they might have doubts about meddling with election law so close to the general election.
Several who attended the meeting said some senators who had wavered earlier showed more support for changing to winner-take-all this year. And some noted a shift in McDonnell’s tone.
Political observers on Thursday questioned whether McDonnell can beat Republican incumbent Mayor Jean Stothert in a city that’s home to the state’s most Democrats if he backs winner-take-all.
Others described him as stuck either way, because modern Republicans value Trump more than many of the party’s policy positions and are likely to punish McDonnell if he votes no on the issue.
Republicans are treating the push for Trump to win Nebraska’s 2nd District seriously. Some have argued it could break a 269-269 Electoral College tie.
President Joe Biden won the 2nd District in 2020. In the previous election in 2016, Trump won all five of the state’s votes, as Mitt Romney did in 2012. In 2008, former President Barack Obama won the 2nd.
Others react to McDonnell
Pillen, in a statement Thursday, praised McDonnell for his help during the recent special session on property tax relief and for his work to help fund Offutt Air Force Base.
“I know him to be a diligent legislator,” Pillen said of McDonnell. “On winner-take-all, I know he is considering all the factors and I appreciate his thoughtfulness.”
Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb praised McDonnell for being “consistent and steadfast in standing up for Nebraskans having a voice in our electoral process and having a choice.”
Pillen told the senators Wednesday that he needs them to show him they have 33 firm commitments from state lawmakers to support winner-take-all — the minimum needed to overcome a probable filibuster — before he calls a special session to pursue it.
Senators attending the meeting told the Examiner that Pillen would prefer to call a session no later than next week.
Ballots will be sent to Nebraskans abroad starting this week. The first stateside ballots are to be mailed Sept. 30. Early in-person voting in Nebraska starts Oct. 7. Some lawyers have argued that the rules governing an election should not be changed after voting begins.
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