MSNBC appears to be in a frenzy, worried that a newly proposed electoral change in Nebraska might disrupt their favored political outcomes. This comes after Republican Governor Jim Pillen of Nebraska vocally supported a legislative proposal that could alter the 2024 presidential election, should it come down to the wire.
The bill in question, LB 764, introduced by Senator Loren Lippincott (R-NE) aims to shift Nebraska back to a winner-take-all system for allocating its electoral votes, a departure from its current method that creates division by congressional district.
Governor Pillen’s endorsement of the bill was stated in a press release. The bill proposes reinstating the winner-take-all system for electing presidential and vice presidential candidates, awarding all electoral votes to the candidates receiving the most votes in the state.
“I am a strong supporter of Senator Lippincott’s winner-take-all bill (LB 764) and have been from the start.”
“It would bring Nebraska into line with 48 of our fellow states, better reflect the founders’ intent, and ensure our state speaks with one unified voice in presidential elections,” Pillen wrote, urging his Republican colleagues to expedite the bill’s passage to his desk.
The move did not go unnoticed. Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative voice, took to social media to outline the potential implications of the bill, particularly for the Republican party’s chances in future presidential races.
If former President Donald Trump secures victories in Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada, as current polls suggest, he would still fall short of winning the presidency by one electoral vote.
The scenario shows the unique electoral approach of Nebraska, one of the few states that allocate electoral votes by congressional district rather than employing a winner-take-all system.
Despite Nebraska’s Republican-leaning tendencies, the state’s system has enabled Democratic candidates to win an electoral vote from the Omaha district, as seen with Barack Obama in 2008 and Joe Biden in 2020.
The state’s method contrasts sharply with that of traditionally Democratic states like California and New York, which use winner-take-all systems. Advocates for changing Nebraska’s system argue that it should align more closely with the preferences of the majority of its residents.
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The response from MSNBC to Governor Pillen’s announcement was one of concern, however. During Wednesday’s panel discussion, hosts claimed that the proposed change represents a strategy by the Republican party to reshape the electoral playing field in their favor.
“This is what the modern Republican Party has become,” said Jim Messina, a former Obama campaign aide. “They’re now changing the rules in the middle trying to benefit themselves. This is the hell that Donald Trump hath wrought.”
Critics of the bill claim that the timing and nature of the proposal are a deliberate attempt to manipulate electoral outcomes. “Something tells me they’re not going to get away with it this easy, and there will be a national outcry for trying to change the rules here,” said Messina.