LAS VEGAS — Former President Donald Trump easily won the Nevada Republican presidential caucuses on Thursday, scoring his third consecutive victory on his way to the White House nomination.
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley did not appear at these caucuses, the only ones in Nevada that count for the Republican nomination. Haley called them a process that favors Trump, and in her place she participated in the presidential primaries on Tuesday, in which she finished behind the “none of these candidates” option.
Trump’s victory in Nevada gives him 26 state delegates. He needs 1,215 to formally secure the GOP nomination, a figure he could reach in March.
The next stop in the Republican primary will be on February 24 in South Carolina, where Haley was born. Trump remains her favorite in the deeply conservative state, but Haley, who was twice elected governor there, hopes her roots will give her some advantage.
Trump is on track to win a large number of delegates in the Super Tuesday votes on March 5 to get closer to the nomination.
Haley is far behind Trump in the overall nomination race and is on track to suffer another loss in her home state of South Carolina later this month.
The former UN ambassador insists she would not abandon her career. “I’m in this for the long haul,” she told supporters at a campaign event in California, according to The New York Times.
Trump said Thursday that he thought continuing his candidacy was not a good idea, but that it didn’t bother him. “I don’t know why it continues, but let it continue,” he added. “I really do not care”.
Long lines in voting to support Trump
In his brief speech after winning in Las Vegas, Trump dwelled on reports of long lines forming to vote and was eager to declare victory in the upcoming race in South Carolina.
“We are ahead of everyone,” he said. ”Is there any way we can call the elections next Tuesday? It is all I want”.
Trump, the big favorite, had the Nevada caucuses tilted in his favor due to the intense grassroots support that a candidate must garner throughout the state to win.
The party’s state affiliate reinforced its advantage last year when it barred candidates from running in primaries and caucuses and restricted the role of super PACs, such as those that were key to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s ended campaign. .
Caucuses typically require participants to attend a meeting in person on a specific day and time, while participation in elections can be more flexible because polls are open most of the day and voting can be done by mail or by mail. anticipated.
Nevada Republicans established other rules such as requiring participants to show a government-issued ID.
Source: With information from AP and AFP
