Pressure builds from Nebraska Trump loyalists for a winner-take-all system

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Far-right conservatives loyal to former President Donald Trump aren’t slowing their push for the Republican-led Nebraska Legislature to adopt a “winner-take-all” system of awarding Electoral College votes, despite having almost no viable avenue to do so with only five days left in this year’s legislative session.

The Nebraska Republican Party, currently led by Trump loyalists, will hold a rally Tuesday in Omaha featuring conservative activist Charlie Kirk to target the state’s atypical system of splitting its five presidential electoral votes based on the popular vote within its congressional districts. Maine is the only other state to split its electoral votes.

Republicans want the switch ahead of this year’s hotly contested presidential election to ensure an electoral vote tied to Nebraska’s Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District doesn’t go to President Joe Biden, as it did in 2020. Barack Obama became the first presidential contender to shave off that electoral vote in 2008.

“California would never do this. New York would never do this. And as long as that’s the case, neither should we,” Kirk said Tuesday via X, formerly known as Twitter.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«READ MORE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> READ MORE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Nebraska lawmaker who targeted a colleague during a graphic description of rape is reprimanded </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Months ahead of the presidential election, Nebraska’s GOP governor wants a winner-take-all system