Donald Trump is poised to secure a resounding victory in Nevada’s GOP caucuses on Thursday, marking his third consecutive triumph in the Republican presidential race and reinforcing his stronghold over the party.
His primary opponent, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, denounced the caucuses as unfair and instead opted to participate in Tuesday’s symbolic GOP primary. However, she faced a significant defeat as Trump supporters and disenchanted voters overwhelmingly favored the “none of these candidates” option.
Despite grappling with numerous legal challenges, including facing 91 criminal charges across four separate cases, Trump continues to command loyalty among Republicans. He has wielded his influence in Congress, where Republicans rejected a border security deal pushed by him, and has cast a shadow over the Republican National Committee, leading to speculation about Chair Ronna McDaniel’s potential resignation.
Despite these legal troubles, Trump’s standing among Republicans, including in Nevada, remains largely unscathed.
Nevada’s GOP opted to forgo a primary election mandated by the Legislature in favor of caucuses to determine delegate allocation, a move supported by Trump’s team. While this system granted the party more control over participation, it also left some voters bewildered. Candidates were required to choose between participating in the caucuses or the primary.
With Trump being the sole major candidate in the caucuses, he is expected to secure all 26 of Nevada’s Republican delegates. This positions him strongly for the upcoming primaries in March, where he aims to amass the 1,215 delegates necessary for the nomination.
Although Trump and Haley will not directly compete in Nevada, they will vie for delegates in the Republican caucuses in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Caucuses demand candidates to cultivate grassroots support and allocate resources for organizing efforts to ensure voter turnout. This system typically favors Trump, given his extensive backing from the party base and the groundwork laid by his team over the years.
Trump’s recent visit to Nevada underscores the importance of the state in the general election. His campaign views their early efforts as crucial groundwork for Nevada’s pivotal role as a swing state in November.
“Nevada is a battleground state in the general election, and everything that we do for the caucus and organizing now will yield dividends in the weeks ahead as we prepare for the general election against Joe Biden,” remarked Trump’s senior campaign adviser Chris LaCivita.
