Anti-Trump Republicans launch Nebraska campaign against potential Electoral College change

A group of anti-Trump Republicans in Nebraska announced an ad blitz Monday against a potential change to the state’s Electoral College votes, which could net the former president an additional electoral vote if passed.

The effort to change Nebraska from a split district to a “winner-take-all” state for electoral votes is backed by Trump, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) and Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.). It failed a key vote in the state’s unicameral Legislature last week, though the issue could still be pursued in a special session later this year.

Defending Democracy Together, founded by a group of prominent anti-Trump Republicans in 2019, said that the Electoral College change would dilute the state’s voting power.

“Nebraskans take pride in their ability to exercise their voting power to make their congressional district’s voice heard,” spokesperson Gunner Ramer said in a statement. 

“When voters feel that their presidential vote truly matters, our democracy is better for it. That’s what makes Nebraska’s current system so powerful. Lawmakers in Lincoln need to uphold that pro-democratic principle.”

Only Nebraska and Maine split their Electoral College votes. In most presidential elections, Republicans take two districts easily in Nebraska, but District 2 — which comprises Omaha and its suburbs — is tightly contested and has gone blue in two of the past four elections. The state’s remaining two electoral votes are given to its popular vote winner, generally the Republican candidate.

If the bill were to go into effect for the 2024 election, it could cost President Biden an Electoral College vote; Trump won about 58 percent of the vote in Nebraska in 2020, meaning the GOP candidate would likely get the state’s entire slate of electoral votes in a winner-take-all system.

Defending Democracy Together will run digital ads throughout the state’s 2nd District, it said, encouraging voters to contact their state legislators about the issue and urge them to oppose it.

The electoral vote change failed a procedural vote last week, which would have likely seen it passed. The legislative session ended at the end of last week, meaning a special session would be required to pass the measure before the 2024 election.

The bill’s failure split the Nebraska GOP, with conservative activists clashing with some more moderate legislators who opposed the effort.

Every registered Republican in the nonpartisan Legislature would have to support the bill for it to have enough votes to avoid a filibuster. Multiple Republicans have publicly stated they will not consider an Electoral College change before the 2024 election.