GOP backs winner-take-all

Nebraska Republicans don't want to give President Barack Obama a second chance to score in Nebraska.

Members of the GOP overwhelmingly called for a return to the winner-take-all electoral vote system in Nebraska, citing Obama's success in winning one of the state's electoral votes last fall.

The party argued it was a matter of fairness.

About 100 people attended Saturday's GOP state central committee meeting at the Double Tree Hotel in downtown Omaha. Among other topics, they talked about the electoral college and the need to support incumbents, such as U.S. Rep. Lee Terry and Gov. Dave Heineman.

The discussion of electoral votes came near the end of the four-hour meeting, when the party endorsed a resolution urging the Legislature to take up the issue next year.

A Democratic Party spokesman crowed that Republicans were “sore losers.''

“They can't persuade, so they would rather legislate,” said Vince Powers, a national committeeman for the Nebraska Democratic Party.

Last fall, Obama scored a historic win in Nebraska. He scooped up one of the state's five electoral votes by winning the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District. It was the first time since 1964 that a Democratic presidential candidate had won an electoral vote in Nebraska.

Republican John McCain won the statewide popular vote and four electoral votes.

Nebraska and Maine are the only states that split their electoral votes by congressional district and statewide popular vote. The other 48 have a winner-take-all system.

John Sieler and other GOP leaders said Nebraska's system was unfair at the national level.

They said that the way it stands now, Democrats can target a single congressional district in a red state such as Nebraska, but Republicans cannot mount a similar strategy in a heavily Democratic state such as California.

“We need leadership in the State Legislature to get back to the winner-take-all system,” said Sieler, chairman of the GOP's 2nd District caucus.

If history is any indication, Republicans may have a tough time getting the system changed.

Since 1991, when the electoral college law was passed, Republican lawmakers have tried nine times to repeal it. They managed to get two bills passed — but then-Gov. Ben Nelson, a Democrat, vetoed both.

The party Saturday stood firmly behind its incumbents for 2010, despite a call from supporters of congressional candidate Matt Sakalosky to give challengers a chance.

Sakalosky is challenging Terry for the GOP nomination in the 2nd District. His supporters had hoped the party would stay out of the primary battle, but their attempts to stop Saturday's endorsement were unsuccessful.

Party leaders said incumbents like Terry had earned their endorsement. They said it was imperative that Terry have the party's full backing in his expected race against Democrat Tom White.

A state senator, White is expected to mount a serious challenge to Terry. He also could receive help from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

“We need to work as a team. We are Republicans, and we are in an area targeted by Democrats,” said Sieler.

The party also heard from several 2010 candidates, including State Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln.

Fulton is running for state treasurer. Right now, his main opponent is fellow Republican and former Attorney General Don Stenberg.

Fulton attempted to woo the party faithful by noting that he has long been a party member, although not as widely known as Stenberg.

He said he has worked on numerous campaigns, including Heineman's initial run for governor.

Fulton said he knows what it takes to mount a statewide campaign.

“It will be shoe leather and rubber from the tires. I'm not naive. I've been in this long enough to know what I'm getting into,” he said.

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