15 Minutes of Fame Wrapping Up for Maine and Nebraska
Maine and Nebraska have just a few things in common: farms, plain-speaking, nitrogen-based atmospheres. But since today is Election Day, they share one super important trait . . .
Both states split their Electoral College votes. Which means that if a presidential candidate wins a majority of votes in a Congressional district, he can still score an Electoral vote even if he loses the state overall. This has potential ramifications for both candidates in tonight's tallying:
* Obama has his sights set on Nebraska's 2nd district, which includes most of Omaha. He recently dispatched Hillary Clinton there to gin up support among Cornhuskers who might be hesitant to vote for a man whose mother hailed from their hated neighbor, Kansas. It's a long shot, but in an Obama landslide the 2nd could go blue.
* McCain is hoping to snag an Electoral vote in Maine's 2nd district, which comprises the rural northern portion of the state. Sarah Palin stumped in Bangor two weeks ago, but embarassingly lost a moose shoot-off to local Democratic Congressman Mike Michaud. This one likely stays in Obama's column.
Who cares about these individual Electoral votes? Well, keep in mind that if Obama wins all the Kerry states plus Iowa, New Mexico, and Nevada, the Electoral College will be tied at 269-269 . . . Those plain-spoken, atmosphere-breathing farmers could just be the ones who tip the balance!
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The real issue is not how well Obama or McCain might do state-by-state, but that we shouldn't have battleground states and spectator states in the first place. Every vote in every state should be politically relevant and equal.
The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC). The bill would take effect only when enacted by states possessing a majority of the electoral vote (270 of 538). All the electoral votes from those states would be awarded to the candidate with the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).
The National Popular Vote bill has been approved by 21 legislative chambers (one house in CO, AR, ME, NC, and WA, and two houses in MD, IL, HI, CA, MA, NJ, RI, and VT). It has been enacted into law in Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland. These states have 50 (19%) of the 270 electoral votes needed.
See http://www.NationalPopularVote.com