In the words of Michael Scott from “The Office,” “Well, well, well. How the turn tables …”
Nebraska state Sen. Mike McDonnell has endured attacks from his fellow Democrats for his pro-life views, ultimately getting censured by the party.
The Nebraska Democratic Party condemned McDonnell in a March 2 resolution for what it described as a “voting record that has adversely affected the reproductive rights of Nebraskans and the rights of transgender individuals in the state,” according to the Nebraska Examiner.
The senator responded Wednesday by announcing he would be joining the Republican Party.
During a news conference, McDonnell lamented the Democrats’ intolerance of his Christian views.
“I asked the Democratic Party of Douglas County to respect that I’m pro-life, that I’m a member of the Roman Catholic Church and my beliefs are based on that,” he said. “Douglas County Democrats, instead of respecting it, decided to punish it.”
Nebraska State Senator Mike McDonnell just left the Democrat Party and became a Republican. Hear his powerful explanation why:
“I have asked the Democratic Party to respect my religious-based pro-life position. Instead, over the last year, they have decided to punish me for… pic.twitter.com/tnKbdfkAR7
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 4, 2024
The senator said he was told he couldn’t be a delegate and wouldn’t be given any resources from the party.
Do you think Democrats are too radical?
Despite the pushback, McDonnell said he continued to vote for pro-life bills that aligned with his beliefs.
“The state Democratic Party decided to censure me,” he said. “I continue to vote pro-life.”
State Sen. Mike McDonnell switches parties to become a Republican pic.twitter.com/afbomektin
— Andrew Ozaki KETV (@ketvlincoln) April 3, 2024
The senator said the decision to change parties was not an easy one because he had been with the Democrats for 40 years and the idea of being a Democrat was put into his mind when he was young.
“Having your grandfather tell you when you’re 10 years old, ‘What are we? We’re Irish, we’re Catholic and we’re Democrats,’” McDonnell said.
While it was hard, he said, the great work the Republican Party has done in Nebraska made the change much easier.
“Today I am announcing I am now going to be a registered Republican in the state of Nebraska,” the senator concluded.
The move is a serious blow for Nebraska Democrats, giving the GOP 33 votes in the state Legislature.
“That’s a significant number in a 49-member body with rules that require 33 votes to overcome a filibuster,” the Nebraska Examiner explained. “Democrats would then hold 15 seats, plus a progressive who is a registered nonpartisan.”
🚨BREAKING: Nebraska’s unicameral legislature now has a filibuster proof Republican majority as Sen. Mike McDonnell switches parties from Dem to Rep.
This has massive implications for passing LB764, which would switch Nebraska to a winner-take-all electoral college state and… https://t.co/f1spATMdso
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 3, 2024
Republicans within the state celebrated his joining with great enthusiasm.
“I am pleased to welcome Senator Mike McDonnell to the Republican Team,” GOP state Sen. Pete Ricketts said in a statement, per WOWT-TV in Omaha. “The extreme new Democrats are pushing common sense officials and voters to our party.”
“The addition of Mike McDonnell to the Republican rolls in the legislature means for the first time in recent memory there is a filibuster-proof Republican majority in the Unicameral,” Ricketts noted.
Meanwhile, state Democrats stood firm in their support for abortion.
“The Nebraska Democratic Party will continue to stand up for reproductive freedom and the human rights of the LGBTQ community,” Nebraska Democratic Party Chairwoman Jane Kleeb said in a statement.
“Our decision to censure Sen. McDonnell was never about him being a pro-life Catholic,” she claimed. “Our decision was based on our party reaffirming our core values to protect women’s ability to make health decisions and to keep politicians out of our personal health decisions.”
The @NebraskaDems statement on Sen. McDonnell joining the Republican Party: “The Nebraska Democratic Party will continue to stand up for reproductive freedom and the human rights of the LGBTQ community. Our decision to censure Sen. McDonnell was never about him being a pro-life…
— Jane Kleeb👢🪧🗳️ (@janekleeb) April 3, 2024
The tension between McDonnell and the Democrats shows not just how much the party has changed since he joined it but also how close-minded its leadership has become.
If a single disagreement is enough to be censured and denied resources, how can any individual belief be expressed?
Good on McDonnell for standing by his beliefs and doing what he can to ensure that his core values won’t be trampled.
