Ronna McDaniel, the former Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), reportedly rejected a proposal from Nebraska RNC Party Chairman Eric Underwood to modify the state’s election rules in favor of former President Donald Trump. Underwood had approached McDaniel regarding a bill in the Nebraska state legislature that aimed to allocate all five of the state’s electors to the overall winner. Currently, Nebraska divides its electoral votes, with two going to the statewide winner and three to the winners of each congressional district, a system implemented in 1991. According to Underwood, McDaniel allegedly dismissed the proposal.
“In essence, the response was: I’m a federal officer, this is a state issue,” Underwood told Semafor, noting that the pitch made no movement until Tuesday. “Thanks for the heads up, tell us how it goes.”
Tyler Bowyer, the chief operating officer of Turning Point USA and an Arizona RNC committeeman, reportedly contacted Underwood on Tuesday to inquire about the possibility of salvaging the bill, as per Semafor. The RNC underwent a change in leadership in March following McDaniel’s resignation. Laura Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, and North Carolina RNC Chairman Michael Whatley were elected to replace McDaniel as the party aligned with the Trump campaign.
After Bowyer’s communication with Underwood, Republican Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, along with Trump and Republican Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts, expressed their support for reviving the bill, according to Semafor. However, the bill faced a setback when a state senator tried to introduce “winner-take-all language” as it progressed towards the floor, the publication noted.
“There are constitutional, by-the-rules ways of making this happen, including how to amend it into another bill, to call a special session, to do a suspension of the rules,” Underwood told Semafor. “They have options.”
In spite of the obstacle, the GOP is making efforts to salvage the bill, as per Semafor. Turning Point USA and the Nebraska GOP have joined forces to organize a “Win Every Vote” rally in order to rally support for the proposed legislation. Underwood informed Semafor that there are various avenues through which the bill can progress, emphasizing the importance for Republicans to acknowledge the gravity of the situation.
“It’s an open question, but anybody opposing this effort to make Nebraska winner-take-all is in a good position right now,” Gunner Ramer, spokesperson for Defending Democracy Together, an organization opposed to the bill, told Semafor. “With Charlie Kirk coming in, with the rally happening next week, we want to put pressure on Republican lawmakers. We want to make sure the governor knows that they don’t have the votes.”
