Nebraska
Key Nebraska Republican rejects push to change Electoral College system to benefit Trump
Washington — A Nebraska state senator said he would not support the Republican Party’s last-minute push to change the allocation of Electoral College votes in the state to winner-take-all, a move that would almost certainly have benefited former President Donald Trump.
State Sen. Mike McDonnell, a Democrat-turned Republican from Omaha, said Monday that he would oppose any change to the state’s system before the November election.
“In recent weeks, a conversation around whether to change how we allocate our Electoral College votes has returned to the forefront,” he said in a statement. “I respect the desire of some of my colleagues to have this discussion, and I have taken time to listen carefully to Nebraskans and national leaders on both sides of the issue. After deep consideration, it is clear to me that right now, 43 days from Election Day, is not the moment to make this change.”
Unlike most states, Nebraska allocates its five electoral votes based partially upon congressional districts. The winner in each of the state’s three congressional districts is awarded an electoral vote. The presidential candidate who wins the statewide poplar vote receives the remaining two.
But in recent weeks, Republicans have pushed to make the state winner-take-all, which could deny Vice President Kamala Harris one electoral vote from Nebraska’s 2nd District, which includes Omaha. While the rest of the state is solidly Republican, the 2nd District is more competitive. President Biden won it in 2020 and former President Barack Obama carried it in 2008.
McDonnell said he told the state’s Republican governor, Jim Pillen, that there should instead be an eventual vote on a constitutional amendment to change how Nebraska awards its Electoral College votes.
“This November, Nebraskans will have the chance to elect candidates at every level who reflect their views, including on this issue. That’s how it should be. Nebraska voters, not politicians of either party, should have the final say on how we pick a president,” he said.
The governor said earlier this month he would call a special session if it was clear that he had enough votes to change the law. McDonnell’s opposition means Republicans would come up short unless a Democrat or independent were to defect.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — The Nebraska Court of Appeals has affirmed the conviction and sentencing of a Grand Island man charged with sexually assaulting a minor.
Cory Gilmore was sentenced in June to 36 to 48 years in prison on two counts of first-degree sexual assault. Court records said he was initially charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child, first-degree sexual assault and third-degree sexual assault of a child, but pleaded no contest to the two sexual assault counts as part of a plea deal.
According to an arrest affidavit, a report of a possible sexual assault came into the child abuse hotline that Gilmore sexually assaulted a minor girl when he was intoxicated.
A Grand Island police officer later interviewed the girl – who is younger than 19 years old – who said she was sexually assaulted by Gilmore from early 2021 to December 2023.
In his appeal, Gilmore claimed the District Court abused its discretion by imposing an excessive sentence. He also claimed his trial counsel was ineffective in failing to take the deposition of the alleged victim and failing to move to withdraw Gilmore’s plea before sentencing.
In its ruling, the Court of Appeals denied Gilmore’s claim of ineffective trial counsel. In his appeal, Gilmore said that at sentencing, he notified his counsel that he wished to withdraw his no-contest plea as he didn’t want to plead guilty or to say he did something he didn’t do.
The Court of Appeals said that at no point did Gilmore inform the District Court that he wished to withdraw his plea and that the District Court asked him if he made his plea “knowingly and voluntarily.”
The Court of Appeals also said in its order that at Gilmore’s sentencing hearing, the District Court looked at Gilmore’s risk to reoffend, his criminal history and the fact that he “showed no remorse for the trauma he has inflicted” in imposing its sentencing. The Court of Appeals said this was appropriate and that his sentencing was not excessive.
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has collected more than $200,000 from gambling winnings to go toward child support arrears just three months after implementing the program.
The Gambling Winnings Setoff for Outstanding Debt Act was approved through the passage of Legislative Bill 1317 and signed by Gov. Jim Pillen in 2024.
“This program ensures funds are being used to help support kids across Nebraska,” said Gov. Pillen. “Parents have an obligation to their children, and we’re guaranteeing their well-being by collecting these winnings.”
The collections began Sept. 2, 2025. The act requires gaming operators to withhold a portion of winnings from individuals who have an unpaid debt with the state and remit the funds to the Department of Revenue.
From there, the collected funds are distributed to various agencies, including DOR, Department of Labor, Department of Motor Vehicles, and DHHS.
Within the first 13 weeks, $529,091.47 was dispersed to these agencies, with DHHS receiving $215,852.98 for the Child Support Enforcement Program.
“By administering these dollars directly to families, the Child Support Enforcement Program is setting our state’s children up for success,” said Shannon Grotrian, director of the Office of Economic Assistance. “It’s making an immediate impact on their livelihoods and making sure they have what they need to grow and thrive.”
For more information on Nebraska’s Child Support Program, visit the DHHS website.
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Another week of college basketball action saw significant movement in the Big Ten Conference. Out of nowhere, the Nebraska Cornhuskers are 11-0 to start the season and are quickly ascending the national rankings. They dominated the Wisconsin Badgers on Wednesday night, handing Greg Gard the most lopsided loss of his coaching career.
Along with Nebraska, Michigan, Purdue, Michigan State and UCLA are tied atop the conference standings at 2-0. That top group will likely remain consistent over the next few weeks before the Big Ten schedule intensifies in early January.
As we enter the final stretch of nonconference play, here is an updated snapshot of the full conference power rankings. Michigan remains the leader.
Updated Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings (Dec. 15)
- Michigan Wolverines (10-0, 2-0 Big Ten; No. 1 in KenPom) — No change
- Purdue Boilermakers (10-1, 2-0 Big Ten; No. 6 in KenPom) — No change
- Michigan State Spartans (9-1, 2-0 Big Ten; No. 12 in KenPom) — No change
- Illinois Fighting Illini (8-3, 1-1 Big Ten; No. 14 in KenPom) — No change
- Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-0, 2-0 Big Ten; No. 21 in KenPom) — Up 6
- Iowa Hawkeyes (9-2, 1-1 Big Ten; No. 20 in KenPom) — No change
- USC Trojans (10-1, 1-1 Big Ten; No. 38 in KenPom) — No change
- Indiana Hoosiers (8-3, 1-1 Big Ten; No. 26 in KenPom) — Up 2
- Wisconsin Badgers (7-3, 1-1 Big Ten; No. 37 in KenPom) — Down 4
- Ohio State Buckeyes (8-2, 1-1 Big Ten; No. 39 in KenPom) — Down 1
- UCLA Bruins (7-3, 2-0 Big Ten; No. 31 in KenPom) — Down 3
- Washington Huskies (7-3, 1-1 Big Ten; No. 48 in KenPom) — No change
- Northwestern Wildcats (6-4, 0-2 Big Ten; No. 58 in KenPom) — Up 1
- Oregon Ducks (5-5, 0-2 Big Ten; No. 84 in KenPom) — Up 3
- Maryland Terrapins (6-5, 0-2 Big Ten; No. 100 in KenPom) — No change
- Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-5, 1-1 Big Ten; No. 108 in KenPom) — No change
- Penn State Nittany Lions (8-3, 0-2 Big Ten; No. 107 in KenPom) — Down 4
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-6, 0-2 Big Ten; No. 147 in KenPom) — No change
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