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A state Democratic lawmaker has announced he switched to the Republican Party, which should give the GOP an additional boost heading into the 2024 elections.
Nebraska state Sen. Mike McDonnell made the announcement in an interview with a local news outlet, explaining that the biggest driver of his decision was his pro-life stance.
“When I ran for reelection in 2020, I was pro-life,” McDonnell told NewsChannel Nebraska. “I have asked the Democratic Party to respect my religious-based pro-life position. Instead, over the last year, they have decided to punish me for being pro-life.”
“The Douglas County Democrats voted not to seat me as a delegate and not to share party resources with me because I am pro-life. The state Democratic Party voted to censure me because I am pro-life. Being a Christian, a member of the Roman Catholic Church, and pro-life is more important to me than being a registered Democrat,” he added.
McDonnell Switches Parties
State Sen. Mike McDonnell tells NCN, “Today I am changing my party affiliation to Republican," adding the Democratic Party has "decided to punish me for being Pro-Life." So far no word on his future political plans.— Joe Jordan (@JoeJordanNE) April 3, 2024
“Today, I am changing my party affiliation to Republican,” he continued.
McDonnell’s switch gives the Republicans a healthy 33-seat majority in the Nebraska Legislature, which could be crucial in legislative battles, particularly those involving the state’s unique electoral college system.
Currently, state lawmakers are considering a proposal that would switch Nebraska back to a winner-take-all outcome for electors, which most other states use. State lawmakers took up the issue at the urging of GOP Gov. Jim Pillen.
The bill LB 764 introduced by Senator Loren Lippincott (R-NE) aims to change Nebraska’s current method of allocating electoral votes by congressional district to a winner-take-all system. The present system allocates electoral votes by district, and in the past, they have gone both to Democratic and Republican presidential contenders.
Nebraska, however, is a GOP-dominated state, and changing the electoral vote allocation could be crucial in a very tight election, which analysts expect this year in a likely rematch between President Biden and former President Trump.
“I am a strong supporter of Senator Lippincott’s winner-take-all bill (LB 764) and have been from the start,” Pillen said in a press release.
“It would bring Nebraska into line with 48 of our fellow states, better reflect the founders’ intent, and ensure our state speaks with one unified voice in presidential elections,” Pillen added, urging the GOP-dominated legislature to quickly pass the bill and send it to him for signature.
🚨HUGE UPDATE: Republican Governor Jim Pillen has responded to our call for the great state of Nebraska to return to an electoral college winner-take-all model and promises to sign the bill if sent to his desk!
A big thank you to The Charlie Kirk Show audience and everyone who… https://t.co/EVWER3ZARF pic.twitter.com/vBfSuno4Pn
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 2, 2024
Earlier this week, Trump made a big promise to the country should he win the 2024 election while at the same time taking a huge swipe at President Joe Biden.
During a campaign rally in Green Bay, Wis., on Tuesday, Trump vowed to create a “Christian Visibility Day” after Biden announced “Transgender Day of Visibility,” which just happened to fall on Easter Sunday this year.
“And what the h— was Biden thinking when he declared Easter Sunday to be trans visibility day?” Trump asked his supporters, Fox News reported. “Such total disrespect to Christians.”
The presumptive Republican nominee for president promised that Nov. 5 would be “Christian Visibility Day” if he is elected.
“And on November 5th, it is going to be called something else. You know, it’s going to be called Christian Visibility Day,” Trump said to a big applause, the outlet noted.
The Trans day is historically recognized every March 31, one of several days throughout each year set aside for some form of LGBTQ activism.
Trump’s national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has previously called the “Trans Day of Visibility” “appalling and insulting” to a majority of the country.
