Let me tell you why I am excited this afternoon. I was born in Omaha, Nebraska and grew up there the first seven years of my life before my family moved to California. Omaha is home to a respectable number of liberal Democrats who would no sooner vote for a Republican than play touch football on a freeway during rush hour. I am living proof of the truth of that statement.
Omaha is the major portion of Nebraska’s second congressional district, and Obama made a big push to win that district because Nebraska, like Maine, awards electoral votes proportionately. If a candidate wins a given congressional district, the candidate receives an electoral vote even if the whole state goes to the candidate’s opponent. That is just what happened. McCain won the state, but Obama won the second congressional district.
The second congressional district today completed its canvass of votes, and AP reports that Barack Obama “emerged with a 3,325-vote lead over Republican John McCain.” This brings Obama’s electoral vote total to 365, far in excess of the 270 he needs for election as president. Only Missouri now has failed to complete its vote tally. It has until Tuesday to finish its survey of ballots.
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