Tweet
Barack Obama made history today in Nebraska.
The Democratic presidential candidate claimed an electoral vote in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District — the first time in more than four decades a Democrat won any of Nebraska’s electoral votes.
The Omaha World-Herald is calling the race after Obama won 8,434 out of 15,039 early votes that arrived too late to be included in Tuesday’s results. They were counted today by Douglas County election officials.
Those ballots give Obama a 1,260-vote lead over Republican John McCain in the 2nd District.
It also added one more electoral vote to Obama’s win over McCain in Tuesday’s election. The electoral count now stands: Obama, 365, McCain, 162.
Only Missouri’s 11 electoral votes remain up in the air.
"We always knew we could do it, but it would be an uphill climb. It’s great to see a little corner of Nebraska turn blue," said John Berge, state director for Obama’s campaign. He said the win was a testament to all the work done by Obama staffers and volunteers.
Nebraska was one of the last states whose presidential race was in question after Tuesday’s election. The other state left to be called is Missouri.
Obama won only one of Nebraska’s five electoral votes. The other four went to McCain.
This is the first time since 1964 that a Nebraska electoral vote has gone to a Democrat. The state has been reliably Republican since Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson in his landslide victory over Barry Goldwater.
Obama aggressively ignored Nebraska’s red hue this year, as he sent 16 paid staffers and opened three offices in Omaha. It was part of his strategy to expand the electoral map, and to fight for votes in traditional GOP strongholds.
A 1991 state law allowed Obama to concentrate his efforts on the Omaha metropolitan area, where Democrats outnumber Republicans.
Nebraska and Maine are the only two states in the nation that split its electoral votes based on congressional district. All the other states award their electoral votes on a winner-take-all system.
Nebraska is the first of the two to split its electoral votes.
The Democratic presidential candidate claimed an electoral vote in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District — the first time in more than four decades a Democrat won any of Nebraska’s electoral votes.
The Omaha World-Herald is calling the race after Obama won 8,434 out of 15,039 early votes that arrived too late to be included in Tuesday’s results. They were counted today by Douglas County election officials.
Those ballots give Obama a 1,260-vote lead over Republican John McCain in the 2nd District.
It also added one more electoral vote to Obama’s win over McCain in Tuesday’s election. The electoral count now stands: Obama, 365, McCain, 162.
Only Missouri’s 11 electoral votes remain up in the air.
"We always knew we could do it, but it would be an uphill climb. It’s great to see a little corner of Nebraska turn blue," said John Berge, state director for Obama’s campaign. He said the win was a testament to all the work done by Obama staffers and volunteers.
Nebraska was one of the last states whose presidential race was in question after Tuesday’s election. The other state left to be called is Missouri.
Obama won only one of Nebraska’s five electoral votes. The other four went to McCain.
This is the first time since 1964 that a Nebraska electoral vote has gone to a Democrat. The state has been reliably Republican since Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson in his landslide victory over Barry Goldwater.
Obama aggressively ignored Nebraska’s red hue this year, as he sent 16 paid staffers and opened three offices in Omaha. It was part of his strategy to expand the electoral map, and to fight for votes in traditional GOP strongholds.
A 1991 state law allowed Obama to concentrate his efforts on the Omaha metropolitan area, where Democrats outnumber Republicans.
Nebraska and Maine are the only two states in the nation that split its electoral votes based on congressional district. All the other states award their electoral votes on a winner-take-all system.
Nebraska is the first of the two to split its electoral votes.
Comment