A blow to Trump: Nebraska’s governor won’t call a special session to change the state’s electoral votes

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced Tuesday that he will not call a special session of the legislative session to change the way the state distributes its electoral votes. In doing so, he dashed Republicans’ hopes that the change could take place before November.

Former President Donald Trump and his allies have pushed state lawmakers to switch to a system in which the winner gets all five votes. Currently, three of the state’s votes are awarded to the candidate who wins each of its three congressional districts.

Pillen, a Republican, said in a statement that Republicans still do not have the 33 votes needed to overcome a filibuster in the unicameral Legislature and said he and his team have “worked tirelessly” to find the votes.

“Unfortunately, we were unable to convince 33 state senators,” Pillen said, noting that Republican Sen. Mike McDonnell, a former Democrat, confirmed Monday that he would not support the move so close to Election Day.

“This is deeply disappointing to me and the many others who have worked so hard to ensure that the votes of all Nebraskans are equally valued in this election,” Pillen said. “Due to the lack of 33 votes, I do not plan to call a special session on this issue before the 2024 election. I am grateful to the many Nebraskans who made their voices heard during this process.”

In 2020, Joe Biden won the 2nd District based in Omaha, defeating Trump by 7 percentage points and securing the district’s electoral votes. That one vote could be crucial in a close election, prompting Trump and his allies to push for a switch to the winner before November. But Trump signaled Monday evening that the effort had stalled in light of McDonnell’s announcement.

“It would have been better for everyone and far more cost-effective!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, later adding: “I LOVE OMAHA and won it in 2016. Looks like I have to do it again!!!”

It remains to be seen whether Trump and his allies will commit more resources to the state.

According to advertising tracking firm AdImpact, Democrats spent far more money in Nebraska than Republicans. Since Vice President Kamala Harris took over the Democratic top job in late July, Democrats have spent $6.7 million on ads in Nebraska, while Republicans have spent $170,000.

Republican Rep. Don Bacon, who represents the competitive 2nd District, said Monday that Trump could win this election as long as he continues to focus on key issues like the cost of living and immigration.

“If we had a disciplined campaign and focused on these issues, I think he would do very well in our district,” Bacon told NBC News’ “Meet the Press NOW.”