LINCOLN- Members of the Nebraska Democratic Party announced that they would forgo a censure resolution of Sen. Mike McDonnell, which was aimed at punishing the Omaha-based lawmaker for voting to support a gender-affirming care ban and further abortion prohibitions, after failing to reach quorum at a Saturday meeting. The censure resolution was sponsored and proposed by Mike Marcheck, chair of the Stonewall Democrats of Nebraska, an LGBTQ+ caucus, and sought to prohibit the state party from directing resources "immediately and indefinitely" to McDonnell.

In a joint statement, state party officials, Stonewall Democrats, Secular Democrats, and Nebraska Young Democrats argued that McDonnell's vote on LB574 went against the "very core of our values as Democrats." In a letter received Saturday by the state Democratic Party, McDonnell wrote that he is a lifelong member of the Roman Catholic Church, and therefore voted in a way that affirmed his religious beliefs. "The proposed censure and admonishment of me by the Nebraska Democratic Party, because I am pro-life, is not going to change my informed conscience and religious beliefs!" wrote McDonnell.

Tom Venzor, executive director of the Nebraska Catholic Conference, defended McDonnell's decision, arguing that the senator had shown a "clear, consistent, and serious commitment" to his faith in voting to advance LB574. Rachele Walter, vice chair of the Secular Democrats, responded to Venzor's assertions, saying that McDonnell failed to take into account the wishes of his constituents, who are of varying faiths and beliefs. Following the failure to attain a quorum, the Nebraska Democratic Party announced that it would consider different routes to punish Sen. McDonnell.

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