Kamala Embraces Filibuster Reform For Roe

Nebraska could still give Harris the edge

Pete Buttigieg is playing JD Vance in Tim Walz debate prep sessions.

Mr. Beat joins the Politics Politics Politics podcast today.

Kamala Pledges To Kill Filibuster For Roe

Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris expressed her support for ending the filibuster in order to recreate Roe v. Wade during an interview on WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” on Monday.

“I believe we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe,” Harris said in the interview, which aired Tuesday morning. “This would allow us to pass legislation with 51 votes to reinstate protections for reproductive freedom and ensure every woman has the right to make decisions about her own body without government interference.”

As vice president in 2022, Harris voiced support for ending the filibuster to safeguard reproductive and voting rights. Similarly, in her 2019 presidential campaign, she backed the idea of abolishing the filibuster to advance environmental policies like the Green New Deal. We are assuming she is still in favor of eliminating it for voting rights but not for the GND. Then again, with Harris, who knows.

The filibuster is a procedure that can delay or block legislative votes. Eliminating it would allow the Senate to pass certain laws with a simple majority, rather than requiring the current 60-vote threshold.

The president, as leader of the party, would be a very large (if not decisive) voice on a decision like this. Biden’s reluctance to embrace eliminating the filibuster frustrated some before he put voice to it. The practice is still controversial but two of the votes what were not for it (Sinema in AZ and Manchin in WV) are both out of the Democratic Party and on their way out of the Senate after not seeking reelection.

Manchin is particularly upset by the news. He now says he will not endorse her for president.

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C-SPAN sent my child a custom onesie. It has her name on the back. They are very nice and good people.

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Nebraska will not be a winner-take-all state as reform plan fails

Republicans' attempt to change Nebraska's electoral vote system to benefit Donald Trump has failed. Governor Jim Pillen, a key supporter of switching to a winner-takes-all system, announced there won't be a special session before the 2024 election due to insufficient legislative support. Nebraska's current system allocates two Electoral College votes to the statewide winner and one to each congressional district. The change would have favored Trump by denying Kamala Harris a potential vote from Omaha's 2nd District. GOP state Sen. Mike McDonnell opposed the switch, citing political risks, hindering the effort despite support from Trump and Senator Lindsey Graham.

The system ensures that Kamala Harris could theoretically get to 270 electoral votes by winning the Blue Wall states in the Rust Belt but losing the rest of the swing states in the Sun Belt. Without the 2nd district of Nebraska she would have been stuck at 269.

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Drew

I literally heard you say on today's Px3 extra that you don't believe reverse coattails exist, but I'm curious if you've seen anything or have an opinion on how much some of these pro-choice ballot measures could affect the other races in those states. I'm thinking mostly about Arizona, Nevada, and Montana (if I'm dreaming, I add Florida and Missouri to that list). I haven't seen any polling on the measure specifically, but usually their existence indicates that there is enough of a pro-choice grassroots movement to get these measures on the ballot in the first place. Do you think there's a chance that these measures could drive enough turnout to tip the scales for Harris in some of these close states? My dream is that nobody is polling much in Montana, but the ball measure could be enough to keep Jon Tester from losing. 

Obviously, I'm looking for whatever hope I can. An I delusional?

I think many of those will pass. I don’t think it will particularly affect the top line decision of Trump vs. Harris. If we are taking polling seriously, then abortion is not as key of an issue as the Economy or Immigration. However, nearly every Pro Choice ballot measure over the last 2 years has been successful.

This really comes down to how effective the Democratic messaging of the Republicans as retrograde theocratic Pro Life ideologues is sticky with independents. I have my doubts, but time will tell.