State Senator Ditches Dem Party After 40 Years To Become A RepublicanA Nebraska state senator has switched to the Republican

The lawmaker said his religious beliefs about the sanctity of life led fellow Democrats to “punish” him by withdrawing their support and having the state party’s main committee formally censure him.

“Today I’m announcing that I am now going to be a registered Republican in the state of Nebraska,” said McDonnell, a former firefighter and union leader.

“I asked the Democratic Party in Douglas County to respect that I’m pro-life, that I’m a member of the Roman Catholic Church, and that my beliefs are based on that,” McDonnell said. “Instead of respecting it, Douglas County Democrats decided to punish it.”

“They told me I couldn’t participate, that I couldn’t be a delegate, and that they wouldn’t share party resources,” he added. “I continued to vote pro-life, and the state Democratic Party decided to censure me. I continued to vote pro-life.”

The Nebraska Democratic Party, which had previously censured McDonnell, pushed back against his characterization of events.

“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 Catholic,” NDP Chair Jane Kleeb said Wednesday in a statement.

“Our decision was based on reaffirming our core values to protect women’s ability to make health decisions and to keep politicians out of personal medical choices,” Kleeb added. “We respect the ongoing work of Senator McDonnell on behalf of unions and his commitment to protecting the fair electoral vote system we have in our state.”

McDonnell’s party switch, confirmed by Douglas County election officials, gives Republicans 33 members in Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature. That number is significant in the 49-member body, where 33 votes are required to overcome a filibuster. Democrats would hold 15 seats, along with one progressive registered as nonpartisan.

Although Nebraska’s Legislature is officially nonpartisan and often divides along varying issues, senators tend to vote along party lines during controversial debates.

Meanwhile, a January 2026 poll of U.S. adults found that 67% of respondents support legal limits on abortion, including restrictions on when the procedure can be performed. The results suggest broad public support for some level of regulation.

The survey, which included 1,408 adults nationwide, also found majority support for policies designed to protect both mothers and unborn children, as well as protections for healthcare professionals who object to participating in abortions on religious grounds.

Among those surveyed:

• 67% supported placing legal limits on abortion, even if the procedure remains available in many circumstances
• 57% supported limiting elective abortion to the first trimester in most situations
• 63% said healthcare workers with religious objections should not be required to participate in abortions
• A strong majority said laws could be written to protect both mothers and unborn children

The poll also found broad support for pregnancy resource centers that assist expectant mothers and families.

Despite support for limits, more Americans identified as “pro-choice” than “pro-life.” About 62% described themselves as pro-choice, while 37% said they were pro-life.

Marist Poll Director Dr. Barbara L. Carvalho noted that, despite heated public debate, Americans share areas of agreement.

“Despite the publicly heated debates about abortion, there remains a consensus on this issue among Americans,” Carvalho said.

She added that many Americans support limits on abortion while allowing exceptions for rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother, highlighting a nuanced public perspective on the issue.