A pro-life legislator in Nebraska is switching his party registration from Democrat to Republican, citing the Democratic party’s support for abortion on demand. He said it was “not an easy decision” because his family is three things: “We’re Irish, we’re Catholic, and we’re Democrats.”
According to the Catholic News Agency, Sen. Mike McDonnell claimed during a press conference that the Democratic party, to which he has been registered for 40 years, does not respect his pro-life stance. McDonnell was first elected to the state senate in 2016.
In a letter explaining his decision, McDonnell said, “Being a Christian, a member of the Roman Catholic Church and pro-life is more important to me than being a registered Democrat. Today I am changing my party affiliation to Republican.”
McDonnell was the only Democratic legislator in Nebraska who voted in favor of a bill to protect nearly all preborn children from abortion in the state. That bill ultimately failed.
Following that vote as well as a vote he cast prohibiting doctors from giving transgender drugs and surgeries to minors, the Democratic Party of Douglas County withdrew its support for McDonnell and stripped his voting rights on internal matters within the county party. McDonnell was also facing censure from the Democratic Party of Nebraska.
“I asked the Democratic Party of Douglas County to respect that I’m pro-life — that I’m a member of the Roman Catholic Church and my beliefs are based on that,” McDonnell said. “Douglas County Democrats, instead of respecting it, they decided to punish it.”
Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb responded to McDonnell’s decision by stating that the party will continue to support “reproductive freedom and the human rights of the LGBTQ community.” She said that censuring him was not about him being pro-life or Catholic, but was about the party’s belief in legalized abortion as a ‘core value.’
McDonnell’s party switch will give Republicans a two-thirds majority in the Nebraska legislature.
The Nebraska Republican Party said in a statement that it welcomes Sen. McDonnell.
