Nebraska legislators defeated a late push to change how the state allocates Electoral College votes on Wednesday night, despite public pressure from former President Donald Trump to switch to a winner-take-all system that would assist him in the fall.
It failed 8-36 in a procedural vote. Supporters may try again, but as the legislative session winds down, it's uncertain if the measure has enough support to become law.
Nebraska now awards three of its five electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins its three congressional districts. That makes Omaha's tough 2nd District in play, even though Republicans usually win the state vote.
Wednesday night's failed attempt to modify the law to give the statewide winner all the state's Electoral College votes puts the proposal in jeopardy with days left in the legislative session.
The Nebraska Examiner said that State Sen. Loren Lippincott, who initiated the winner-take-all bill, would try to vote on it one last time before the legislature session ends on April 18. However, the change's viability is uncertain.
After three dozen lawmakers decided that the amendment wasn't relevant enough to the underlying legislation, failing state law that requires an amendment to be "germane," it was rejected. Slama was one of eight who called the amendment significant.
Many lawmakers have pushed to modify the state's Electoral College distribution, failing narrowly in 2016. Lippincott introduced the new legislation idea last year, but it drew little notice until GOP podcaster Charlie Kirk addressed it this week.
Trump and Nebraska GOP Gov. Jim Pillen urged state legislators to embrace a winner-take-all system on Tuesday. Within 24 hours, the law that had seemed dormant revived.
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