'Tell me why I’m wrong': GOP state senator who 'stood up to Trump' explains why

Nebraska State Senator Mike McDonnell — a former Democrat who switched to the Republican Party earlier this year — is defending his Monday, September 23 decision to vote against a state election law change, upsetting Donald Trump and his allies.

The Republican-proposed law was a "last-ditch effort to overturn a 30-year law that awards electoral votes by congressional district rather than statewide winner-take-all," according to CNN.

"We work hard and we play by the rules," the Omaha senator told MSNBC's Chris Hayes Tuesday.

READ MORE: 'No path': Nebraska GOP lawmaker dashes party dreams for 'winner-take-all' electoral proposal

"Don't try to change them with 42 days left to change the rules in place since 1991," McDonnell continued, "and as you said earlier, look at the past. President Biden in 2020. Work for that vote and you can win."

Hayes asked the GOP state senator whether or not he's heard from Trump directly.

"I don't talk about private conversations. But I can say that people have reached out through phone calls and emails and both sides have been 90% professional and polite." He added, "I try to tell people, 'tell me why I'm wrong. Teach me something I don't know.'But since 2016 — when I ran — I have been consistent on this issue based on the idea that I think this is better than winner take all. Better for our democracy. Let people vote. "

He emphasized, "Come and talk to the people of the second congressional district and work for that vote and that potential win."

READ MORE: Law scholar sounds alarm: America could break apart if the Constitution isn’t fixed

Per CNN, the Nebraska lawmaker said in his statement Monday: "Nebraska voters, not politicians of either party, should have the final say on how we pick a President. I want to thank the voters who reached out to me for engaging in democracy and for showing America who Nebraskans are – fiercely independent, filled with pride about our great city of Omaha, and deeply devoted to the promise of American democracy."

Watch the video below or at this link.