A state senator in Nebraska announced on Wednesday that he was changing his party affiliation to Republican because the Democratic Party retaliated against him for taking a stand on abortion and transgender issues.
Mike McDonnell, a lawmaker from Omaha who is term-limited this year after winning elections in 2016 and 2020, made his plans known in a statement reported by News Channel Nebraska.
“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 being Pro-Life,” McDonnell said.
Among the issues he pointed out was the Nebraska Democratic Party censuring McDonnell last month over votes that helped the passage of restrictions on abortion and transgender surgeries on children.
McDonnell also accused the Douglas County Democrats of taking revenge on him for being “Pro-Life” after they moved in February to withdraw support from him in protest of the same votes.
“Being a Christian a member of the Roman Catholic Church and Pro-Life is more important to me than being a registered Democrat,” McDonnell said. “Today I am changing my party affiliation to Republican.”
Members of both parties reacted to McConnell’s announcement on Wednesday with statements reported by local news station WOWT.
“I am pleased to welcome Senator Mike McDonnell to the Republican Team. The extreme new Democrats are pushing common sense officials and voters to our party,” said Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE).
“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,” he added.
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Nebraska Democratic Party head Jane Kleeb said the organization “will continue to stand up for reproductive freedom and the human rights of the LGBTQ community” and claimed the censure was not about him being a “pro-life Catholic.”
“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,” she continued. “We respect the ongoing work of Senator McDonnell on behalf of unions and his commitment to protect a fair electoral vote system we have in our state.”