Tuesday marked an important day in the Nevada presidential primary as President Joe Biden was projected to secure delegates on his path to becoming the Democratic nominee. However, former President Donald Trump's Republican Party will hold its caucuses on Thursday, delaying his potential delegate victory. This has caused some confusion among Nevada voters, as there are both a primary and a caucus taking place.
While Biden and Trump face nominal opposition, they are expected to come out as winners of Nevada delegates for their respective parties' nominating conventions.
For Biden, the Nevada primary followed his recent victory in the South Carolina primary, marking his first official win in the 2024 nominating race. Nevada's primary is now second on the Democratic calendar after the party's decision to demote Iowa and New Hampshire. This change aims to ensure a diverse electorate's participation in the early stages of the democratic nominating process.
Biden's primary opposition includes a dozen candidates, with author Marianne Williamson being one of them. It is worth noting that Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, another notable Democratic challenger, did not appear on the ballot due to entering the race after the state's filing deadline had passed. Biden spent the lead-up to the primary in Las Vegas, addressing supporters and emphasizing his determination to defeat Donald Trump in the general election.
On the Republican side, the outcome of Tuesday's primary is being overlooked, as the Nevada GOP chose to award its delegates through the party-run caucuses scheduled for Thursday evening. This fragmentation is the result of a recent state law that replaced Nevada's presidential caucuses with government-run primaries, aiming to simplify the process and reduce voter confusion. Despite this, the Republican Party, led by Trump loyalists, decided to proceed with the caucuses and allocate the state's delegates based on those results. Candidates who participated in the primary were notified that they would not be eligible for the caucuses or able to receive any delegates.
Only a few Republican contenders, such as former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, filed to run in the primary. However, Trump remains the sole major contender in Thursday's caucuses, which greatly enhances his chances of victory.
In a recent Las Vegas rally, Trump advised his supporters to focus on the upcoming caucuses, suggesting that they disregard the primary. This reinforces his position as the frontrunner and likely nominee for the Republican Party.
As both Biden and Trump anticipate securing Nevada delegates, their victories serve as stepping stones on their distinct paths towards their parties' nominations for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
