Joe Biden’s Victory in Nevada’s Democratic Primary
Joe Biden, the current president of the United States, came out on top in the Democratic Party primaries in Nevada this Tuesday. The Republican primaries in the same state showed an unexpected outcome. Nikki Haley, the previous UN ambassador, did not gain a significant number of votes. The majority of voters selected the option “none of the candidates”, indicating clear support for Donald Trump, who will be participating in separate elections this Thursday.
Biden’s Significant Lead
Out of 70% of the counted ballots, Biden led with a commanding 89.6% of the votes. Self-help book author Marianne Williamson trailed far behind with a mere 2.7% of the votes, as per The New York Times and The Washington Post projections. Biden’s victory in Nevada would allow him to secure the 36 delegates assigned to that state. He needs approximately 2,000 delegates to be officially announced as the Democratic presidential candidate.
Biden’s Response to Victory
Following his victory, Biden took the opportunity to criticize Trump, his likely opponent in the November elections. He emphasized that Trump is trying to divide the nation rather than unite it, and his actions are jeopardizing the country’s future.
Republican Primaries in Nevada
In the Republican primaries, voters predominantly chose the option of “none of the candidates” with 61.8% support, while Nikki Haley received 31.6% of the votes. Trump’s name did not appear on the ballots as he will be presented separately under the ‘caucus’ format this Thursday. Republicans in Nevada used two models: primaries on Tuesday and the ‘caucuses’ two days later, where voters must come at a specific time to vote for their candidate.
Trump’s Influence on Nevada’s Voting Model
For years, Nevada held caucuses, which often led to chaos. In 2021, state legislators approved a law to abandon this voting model and organize primaries when there was more than one candidate. However, the law did not specify how the Republican Party would allocate Nevada’s 26 delegates to the winner. Trump used this loophole to pressure the Nevada Republican Party to ignore state law and continue with its caucus tradition.
Nevada as a Key State in November Elections
Nevada, with about 2.3 million registered voters, is considered a hinge state. The state has similar support levels for Republican and Democratic Party candidates, making it a key factor in the presidential elections’ outcome. Biden entered the Democratic primaries this Tuesday after a convincing victory in the South Carolina primaries, while Trump is close to securing the Republican presidential nomination after consecutive victories in Iowa, New Hampshire, and almost certainly in Nevada.
