Donald Trump allies face surprising setback in changing election laws in state that could decide the 2024 race

Close allies of erstwhile President Donald Trump faced a monolithic snag successful their efforts to alteration however Nebraska gives retired its electoral votes connected Monday aft Republican State Senator Mike McDonnell announced helium opposes the move.

The effort was portion of a propulsion to help the ex-president connected his way to 270 electoral voters arsenic the contention for the White House could beryllium 1 of the closest successful U.S. history. 

But without McDonnell's support, changing the instrumentality is astir impossible. 

'After heavy consideration, it is wide to maine that close now, 43 days from Election Day, is not the infinitesimal to marque this change,' McDonnell said successful a statement. 

'I person notified Governor Pillen that I volition not alteration my long-held presumption and volition reason immoderate attempted changes to our electoral assemblage strategy earlier the 2024 election,' helium continued.

Nebraska since 1992 has been 1 of 2 states that allocates electoral votes successful a proportional mode that includes doling retired immoderate votes by congressional district. The different authorities being Maine.

While Trump carried Nebraska by astir 20 points statewide successful 2020, Biden was capable to flip the 2nd territory astir Omaha and instrumentality its 1 electoral ballot connected his way to 306 electoral votes successful the past statesmanlike election.

In 2024, the predetermination is expected to beryllium adjacent tighter betwixt Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Earlier this month, Republican Governor Jim Pillen announced helium would telephone for a peculiar league to alteration Nebraska to a winner-take-all authorities if helium receives a wide nationalist denotation determination are 33 senators who would enactment it.

Pillen archetypal signaled helium supported changing however Nebraska allocates its electoral votes this spring. 

But Republicans would request thirty-three GOP votes to flooded the filibuster successful the authorities legislature. It presently has thirty-three Republicans, 15 Democrats and 1 nonpartisan lawmaker, truthful McDonnell's enactment was crucial.

Instead the authorities lawmaker said helium would promote the politician and colleagues to walk a law amendment during adjacent year's session, truthful Nebraskans could marque the determination astatine the ballot box.

'This November, Nebraskans volition person the accidental to elite candidates astatine each level who bespeak their views, including connected this issue. That’s however it should be. Nebraska voters, not politicians of either party, should person the last accidental connected however we prime a President,' helium said successful his statement. 

The determination comes arsenic each subordinate of Nebraska's legislature delegation, each Republicans, enactment switching the authorities to a winner-take-all electoral ballot system. 

Separately, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina advocated for the determination publically connected NBC's 'Meet the Press' connected Sunday.

'I deliberation Nebraska's been talking astir this for years. It is simply a precise adjacent election,' Graham said. 

'To my friends successful Nebraska, that 1 electoral ballot could beryllium the quality betwixt Harris being president oregon not, and she's a catastrophe for Nebraska and the world,' helium said.

Democrats person acceptable their sights connected the lone electoral ballot retired of Nebraska's 2nd legislature territory arsenic portion of their surest way to 270 electoral votes. 

Harris' moving mate Tim Walz who grew up successful Nebraska campaigned successful Omaha past month. 

Even if Harris were to triumph Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, without the accidental to prime up the electoral ballot from Nebraska's 2nd legislature district, Harris would travel up abbreviated with lone 269 electoral votes, denying her 1 of the clearest paths to victory.

That script could besides effect successful a tied electoral assemblage with each campaigner astatine 269 votes if Trump wins Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina, meaning the statesmanlike contention would extremity up successful the Republican-controlled House.