‘It makes us relevant’: Nebraska senator elaborates on opposition to winner-take-all

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Sen. Mike McDonnell spoke to Channel 8 on Tuesday after he voiced his opposition in the winner-take-all debate.

The Omaha senator’s decision garnered national attention.

In a letter released Monday, McDonnell took the wind out of the sails of Republicans who were pushing for a change in Nebraska’s allocation of electoral votes.

SEE ALSO: ‘Profoundly disappointing’: Gov. Pillen not calling special session on winner-take-all

Former President Donald Trump urged Gov. Jim Pillen to call a special legislative session and make Nebraska a winner-take-all state. The state currently splits its electoral votes by congressional district.

Omaha and the 2nd Congressional District could be a deciding factor in the election.

McDonnell compared the timing of this push to a football game.

“The idea that if we were two minutes and Coach calls a timeout and goes over to the referee and says, ‘Can I please change the value of a field goal from 3 to 4?’ I mean, we would all shake our heads and go, ‘What are you doing?'” he said.

SEE ALSO: Nebraska state senator puts the kibosh on change to winner-take-all

McDonnell is a Republican in the officially nonpartisan Legislature.  He said the system the state uses now gives all Nebraskans an equal voice.

“I believe the city of Omaha benefits off of the way we do it right now, and also, it makes us relevant,” he said. “It definitely helps us with the economy because of the dollars that are coming into Omaha.”

He also said it makes candidates take Omaha seriously.

“Come into the 2nd Congressional District and work for it,” McDonnell said. “I think the rest of the country, all 435 congressional districts, should be doing it the way we do it.”

POLL: Should Nebraska be a winner-take-all state in the Electoral College?

Supporters are three votes shy of the 33 needed to make the change, and McDonnell was likely to sway others.

His decision to not support the winner-take-all system sparked backlash from Trump and Republicans across the country.

“If you’re pleasing everyone, you’re lying to someone,” he said. “Of course, some people are upset.”

But he said the majority of the feedback he’s received has been positive.

McDonnell said the timing of this debate is part of the reason he’s withholding his support.

With his opposition, the winner-take-all discussion dies — at least for now.

“I think the rules should stay in place,” he said. “And in the future, if people want to make the change, do it two years before a presidential election and let the people of Nebraska vote.”