KPTM FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; Nebraska News, Sports; kptm.com | Split Nebraska Vote Could Help Elect Obama
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FREMONT (KPTM) - It's a claim you don't often hear in a red state. State Democrats say Nebraska could help put Barack Obama in the White House.
The comments came Saturday during the party's state convention in Fremont.
Nebraska's five electoral votes have never split in a presidential election and no Democrat has carried Nebraska since Lyndon Johnson 44 years ago. Still some Democrats say this year could be different.
Obama drew 11,000 people in February at the Civic Auditorium. "This is our year," says one man.
As Nebraska Democrats gathered to pick national delegates and approve the party platform Saturday, some said Obama could win two of Nebraska's five electoral votes. "I think there's a good chance either in the Omaha area or in the Lincoln congressional district that we could see Obama come close or even pick off that electoral vote," said Obama national delegate and State Senator Amanda McGill.
The winner of the popular vote in each congressional district takes one electoral vote. The statewide winner gets the other two.
An Obama victory though is not something state Republican leaders are overly worried about. "Nebraska is a reliably Republican state, we vote for Republican presidential candidates and John McCain is an ideal person in that he appeals not only to Republicans, but Democrats and Independents also," said party chairman Mark Quandahl.
But Obama won 68 percent of the vote in Nebraska's first-ever Democratic caucuses and the party saw large numbers of new registrants. Many credit Obama. "He has this ability to be able to carry a message, and without hope we have nothing," said supporter George Lippert.
Republicans say not so fast. Quandahl calls McCain an independent thinker. "Once voters get to know Barack Obama, they'll see that his values are not in line with those of the state of Nebraska," he said.
Nebraska and Maine are the only two states that split their electoral votes by congressional district. In every other state, it's winner take all.
Senator Ben Nelson says with Election Day scenarios that put the two candidates tied in the Electoral College, even one Nebraska vote could make the difference.
Nebraska Republicans may not be worried about Obama, but they're not taking anything for granted either. John McCain plans to visit Nebraska July 16th, just a few days after the state Republican convention.
No word yet on another visit from Obama.
