The One Unlikely Ally Eric Adams May Have Left

Ever since Republicans in the unicameral Nebraska Legislature earned a two-thirds supermajority in April, there’s been intense pressure on them from the Trump campaign and the national party to allocate Nebraska’s electoral votes by winner-take-all, rather than the hybrid system it has now. The single Nebraska electoral vote that Biden won in 2020, centered around Omaha, could prove pivotal this November. Were Kamala Harris to win that electoral vote again, along with Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, but lose all other swing states—a distinct possibility—she would win the presidency, 270 to 268. If Nebraska went winner-take-all, though, the same scenario would result in a 269-to-269 tie, throwing the election to the House and, consequently, Trump. The pressure finally came to a head this week in Nebraska. But ultimately, the very same Republican who gave Republicans their supermajority in April when he switched parties from the Democrats—Mike McDonnell—announced he couldn’t go along with the change. “After deep consideration, it is clear to me that right now, 43 days from Election Day, is not the moment to make this change,” McDonnell said in a statement. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen called off the effort shortly thereafter. Trump let McDonnell off relatively easy, merely questioning whether he was a real Republican and calling him a “Grandstander!” He may have more words for McDonnell—indeed, many Republicans will, yikes!—if this actually does end up deciding the presidential election.