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Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-C., met Wednesday with Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and about two dozen Republican lawmakers to discuss how the state allocates its electoral votes, according to a source with direct knowledge of the trip. .
Graham, who is acting on behalf of the Trump campaign, worked to encourage Pillen to call a special legislative session in which lawmakers could consider changing the distribution of the state’s electoral votes, the source said.
Nebraska allocates its electoral votes by congressional district. The swing district around Omaha often goes to Democrats in an otherwise ruby red state.
Wednesday’s meeting, previously reported from KOLN– TVIt happened in Lincoln. Graham’s office confirmed the local report but declined to comment further.
If Nebraska were to switch to a winner-take-all system, almost certainly giving former President Donald Trump an extra electoral vote in what is expected to be a close presidential race.
That electoral vote could be decisive.
If Vice President Kamala Harris wins Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin but loses every other swing state, she and Trump will be tied at 269 Electoral College votes under a winner-take-all setup in Nebraska with Trump winning the state. In that scenario, the race would be thrown to the US House, where each state delegation would get one vote for president. Republicans have a majority of delegations and are favored to retain it, although the House majority could change hands after the November elections.
Pillen, a Republican, was “receptive” to Graham’s opening on Wednesday and indicated he would call a special session if he thought he had the votes, the source said.
Pillen has already expressed this sentiment.
“As I’ve always made clear, I strongly support state unity and joining 48 other states in awarding all five of our electoral college votes to the presidential candidate who wins the majority of Nebraskans’ votes,” Pillen said. in a statement last week. “As I have also made clear, I am willing to call the Legislature into a special session to resolve this 30-year-old problem before the 2024 election.”
He added that he has not yet “received concrete and public indication that 33 (state) senators will vote” for the winner-take-all system.
Supporters of the legislation have long said they still don’t have enough support to overcome a procedural hurdle that has previously prevented the bill from passing.
The Trump campaign did not respond to questions about Graham’s role in Nebraska. Pillen’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday night.
Trump has publicly called for the state to move to a winner-takes-all system, saying this year that it would be “right for Nebraska.”
The effort to move the state to winner-take-all failed earlier this year due to procedural issues.
Maine is the only other state that does not have a winner-take-all system for electoral votes. The Democratic State House Majority Leader said the state should consider moving to a first-past-the-post electoral system as a counter if Nebraska moves to change its system.
Good Kamisar and Bridget Bowman contributed.