A pro-Trump pastor from Nebraska is advocating for a change in the Electoral College system to help former President Donald Trump. Currently, Nebraska and Maine distribute some of their votes by congressional district, with the winning candidate receiving two votes for their statewide victory and one vote for each congressional district they carry. In 2020, Trump won Nebraska but lost the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District to Joe Biden, resulting in Biden receiving one of Nebraska’s five Electoral College votes.
Conservatives in Nebraska have been pushing for a winner-takes-all system in the state, which would benefit Trump in future elections. The effort suffered a setback when the Speaker of the State Legislature announced that lawmakers would not be taking a vote on the matter. Despite this, one pastor from Lord of Hosts Church in Omaha encouraged his congregation to get involved in lobbying local legislators to change the electoral vote allocation. The pastor and the church’s social media manager discussed the issue during a sermon, urging church members to contact their legislators and express their support for changing the Electoral College system in Nebraska.
The pastor and the social media manager argued that the current electoral system in Nebraska dilutes the voices of the state’s residents and does not accurately reflect the will of the people. They emphasized the disparity between Trump’s statewide victory and Biden’s win in the 2nd Congressional District, suggesting that the current system undermines the votes of Nebraskans. The pastor encouraged viewers across the United States to contact Nebraska legislators and advocate for a change in the electoral vote allocation process.
In addition to the church’s efforts, a conservative organization is planning to hold a rally at the church featuring prominent conservative figure Charlie Kirk, who has raised the issue of Nebraska’s electoral vote count. A clip of the pastor’s speech discussing the issue was posted on social media, leading to calls for the church to have its nonprofit status revoked for engaging in political advocacy. Churches are prohibited from endorsing specific candidates or engaging in certain political activities to maintain their tax-exempt status. The video has sparked debate among social media users regarding the church’s involvement in political issues.
The pastor’s advocacy for changing the Electoral College system in Nebraska reflects a broader effort by conservatives to revise the way electoral votes are allocated in the state. By pushing for a winner-takes-all system, supporters of the change believe that it would benefit Trump in future elections. Despite the setback in the State Legislature, the pastor and the church’s social media manager continue to encourage their congregation to engage in lobbying efforts to influence lawmakers’ decisions on the issue. The controversy surrounding the church’s involvement in political advocacy highlights the complex relationship between religious institutions, politics, and tax-exempt status.
