2020 Nebraska Redistricting

[Idaho Conservative]

Part of the problem here is that Nebraska's legislature requires 2/3rds of a vote to end debate. Republicans did not meet that threshold, so they will need Democratic votes for any map (unless they nuke the filibuster like our Senate might). But yes, if they do that, it's pretty easy to split Douglas County. Send one district up north, one south, and leave NE-03 as is. Or you can put Lincoln in NE-03 and then you'd have three safely Republican seats.

NE-02 voted almost 10 points to the right of the nation back then. Given that it's now in line with the nation and could decide a presidential election, there's much more incentive to gerrymander it.

I also thought Nebraska had a non-partisan legislature. Is there a way to know if they are D or R?

There are but there are literal RINOs

https://johnmccollister.com/

"Republican Redefined "

"The Republican case for bold action on climate change"

"The Conservative Case for Unions"

Im sure this dude will totally split Omaha.

do they need the vote of the most liberal member of their caucus?

[Idaho Conservative]

Part of the problem here is that Nebraska's legislature requires 2/3rds of a vote to end debate. Republicans did not meet that threshold, so they will need Democratic votes for any map (unless they nuke the filibuster like our Senate might). But yes, if they do that, it's pretty easy to split Douglas County. Send one district up north, one south, and leave NE-03 as is. Or you can put Lincoln in NE-03 and then you'd have three safely Republican seats.

NE-02 voted almost 10 points to the right of the nation back then. Given that it's now in line with the nation and could decide a presidential election, there's much more incentive to gerrymander it.

I also thought Nebraska had a non-partisan legislature. Is there a way to know if they are D or R?

There are but there are literal RINOs

https://johnmccollister.com/

"Republican Redefined "

"The Republican case for bold action on climate change"

"The Conservative Case for Unions"

Im sure this dude will totally split Omaha.

do they need the vote of the most liberal member of their caucus?

They would need to repeal the filibuster too, although it isn't fully non partisan, the non partisan nature of the NE legislature means they really don't care about the national GOP too much. It basically comes down to how much Pete Ricketts is willing to push the legislature and they aren't great buddies either.

Also, remember that, while the Maine Dem trifecta can't gerrymander ME-02 due to 2/3rds majority language in the state constitution, they can just end EV-by-CD by a standard majority vote if the NE GOP tries to gerrymander NE-02.

This is not an equal trade.  For NE, it is safe R statewide and if an election were to be such a Dem landslide that the state was in play, it would already be lost anyhow, regardless of NE.  But for ME, Clinton only narrowly won it.  While Biden improved, there's so reason to assume ME wouldn't be competitive statewide in a future election.  Making NE winner take all has no risk for Republicans, doin the same in ME carries some risk for Dems.

[Idaho Conservative]

Part of the problem here is that Nebraska's legislature requires 2/3rds of a vote to end debate. Republicans did not meet that threshold, so they will need Democratic votes for any map (unless they nuke the filibuster like our Senate might). But yes, if they do that, it's pretty easy to split Douglas County. Send one district up north, one south, and leave NE-03 as is. Or you can put Lincoln in NE-03 and then you'd have three safely Republican seats.

NE-02 voted almost 10 points to the right of the nation back then. Given that it's now in line with the nation and could decide a presidential election, there's much more incentive to gerrymander it.

I also thought Nebraska had a non-partisan legislature. Is there a way to know if they are D or R?

There are but there are literal RINOs

https://johnmccollister.com/

"Republican Redefined "

"The Republican case for bold action on climate change"

"The Conservative Case for Unions"

Im sure this dude will totally split Omaha.

do they need the vote of the most liberal member of their caucus?

They would need to repeal the filibuster too, although it isn't fully non partisan, the non partisan nature of the NE legislature means they really don't care about the national GOP too much. It basically comes down to how much Pete Ricketts is willing to push the legislature and they aren't great buddies either.

Also, remember that, while the Maine Dem trifecta can't gerrymander ME-02 due to 2/3rds majority language in the state constitution, they can just end EV-by-CD by a standard majority vote if the NE GOP tries to gerrymander NE-02.

This is not an equal trade.  For NE, it is safe R statewide and if an election were to be such a Dem landslide that the state was in play, it would already be lost anyhow, regardless of NE.  But for ME, Clinton only narrowly won it.  While Biden improved, there's so reason to assume ME wouldn't be competitive statewide in a future election.  Making NE winner take all has no risk for Republicans, doin the same in ME carries some risk for Dems.

It's not equal, per se, but it's definitely better for Democrats to have Maine be winner take all than the way it is now. At least until 2028, which is the relevant date here, odds are good that the Democrats will be substantial favorites to carry the state, so it would make sense as a tit for tat retaliation, even if the tat is smaller.

ME is a very elastic state, I could see this backfiring on them spectacularly.