Obama Wins Nebraska Electoral Vote

OMAHA, Neb. — President-elect Barack Obama won one of Nebraska's electoral votes, the first time in history that the state has split its votes and the first time in 44 years that it had given a vote to a Democrat.

After remaining ballots were counted Friday, Obama had a 3,325-vote lead over Republican John McCain in unofficial results for the 2nd Congressional District. Nebraska and Maine are the two states that divide their electoral votes by congressional districts.

Obama, who won the White House last week, has 365 electoral votes to McCain's 162. Missouri, with 11 electoral votes, is still too close to call. Election officials in that state have until Tuesday to finish counting.

The last Democrat to win Nebraska was Lyndon B. Johnson, who carried the state in 1964.

A 1991 state law allows Nebraska to divide its five electoral votes. Two go to the statewide winner and one is awarded from each of the state's three congressional districts.

McCain comfortably won the electoral votes tied to the 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts. He also won the statewide race with about 57 percent of the vote in preliminary returns.

Obama aggressively sought the one electoral vote. He opened three campaign offices in the district and had 16 paid staff during the campaign.

As of Friday's unofficial results for the district, Obama has a total of 138,892 votes and McCain 135,567 votes. The Obama lead of 3,325 is far higher than the recount threshold of about 1,389, or 1 percent of Obama's total.

Comments

[bmwracer]

Excellent. *thumbs up*

[ykw]

You could say the Cornhuskers in the 2nd district kicked the extra point for Obama.

[super]

Hooray for the 50 state strategy! (57 if you count all the foreign countries who'd like to have a say too :-)

[hortonhearsawho]

we left alaska to the klan...

[CaptD]

Glad the count was corrected.­..
All voters should feel that their vote counts...

[ChefDC]

just more salt on the gop's wounds!!

[granitestater]

thank you Omaha voters. this will create the ripple effect, making surrounding areas more and more likely to go blue - it may take a few years though

[sendmejackson]

For this, Omaha should be proud.

For supporting the deceptively named "Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative" - aka Amendment 424 - not so much!

[Venee]

Yes that's a real shame. many people I talked to had no idea that's what that was.

[gipper1]

Thank You Omaha!

[Genifur2]

Okk.... Obama looks really, good looking in this picture!!!

[CR46]

Way to go Nebraska!!!!!

[adv2int]

This is like the cherry on top of sundae!

[Bitsko]

Wow, an actual fact. What a nice relief not to be reading about Rumor #2,868,965.

[allonfla]

AMEN, AMEN, AMEN!!!

[SurrealPumpkin]

oh, thanks, I lost count at 1,042,660

[jazzman]

In the heart of the heartland, Obama grabs another vote. Yeeeeeehaa­aaaaaaaaa!­!!!!!!

[iswideopen]

A huge THANK YOU to all Obama supporters. You gave up much and made a great sacrifice. Although THANK YOU is not enough, please know how grateful Americans are for your help to "VICTORY'!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!



Why did Chuck Todd declare MIssouri to McCain on "Firsst Read" the other day if the article above is true???????????????

[fanchon1288]

The article above is true. The last time I checked 49-49.

[yodaveg]

amber waves of grain
taking on a bluish hue—
nebraska comes through!