Nebraska's 2nd District projected for Biden, in a surprisingly big win

(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

published 4 November 2020

Democrat Joe Biden has won Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, giving him one of Nebraska's five electoral votes, The Associated Press and all major TV networks project. That may actually turn out to be a very important one vote. "Biden basically has three 'easy' paths to victory remaining," FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver summarized early Wednesday: "In rough order of likelihood: 1) Win Arizona and NE-02, hold Michigan and Wisconsin; 2) Win Pennsylvania, hold Michigan and Wisconsin; 3) Win Georgia, hold Michigan and Wisconsin."

In other words, Nebraska's 2nd District gives Biden another path to victory, depending on what happens in Georgia's Atlanta suburbs, Arizona, and the upper Midwest. But it also makes a dreaded 269-269 Electoral College split much less likely. If Biden ended up winning Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Michigan but losing Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, and Maine's 2nd Congressional District, for example, he still gets 270 electoral votes and the presidency.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.