Barbour not in favor of GOP push to change Electoral College

Former RNC Chairman and former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is not a fan of changing the Electoral College voting–a move underway in Republican-controlled legislatures in a number of battleground states.

“I’m a traditionalist myself. I really am a conservative. I’m a little bit skeptical of this. But I also am a little bit skeptical that you can predict with any sort of precision who it will really help from one presidential election to the ‘nother,” Barbour said on Andrea Mitchell Reports Friday. “I like it the way it is. But as I say, I’m–I am a more of a traditionalist conservative, and if people want to do that, it’s obvious that states have the right to do that. Nebraska has done it. Maine has done it.”

Only Nebraska and Maine apportion electoral votes according to congressional district voting –an anomaly that has never determined the outcome of a presidential race.

Now, proposals to do that have been raised in Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Had Virginia split electoral votes by district in the 2012 election, Mitt Romney would have won nine of the state’s 13 electors with only 47% of the vote.

However, indications from Virginia Friday are that Gov. Bob McDonnell may not support the idea–which would kill the measure for his state. Already, a leading state senator has come out against the idea, and several voting-rights experts tell msnbc.com that the Republican-led voting scheme is likely illegal.

The Electoral College rule change is also opposed by a leading Republican in Florida.