Nikki Haley lost the Nevada primary to “none of these candidates”, a shocking result that gives Trump a big leg up in the upcoming caucus. The GOP will allocate delegates based on the caucus, which will take place in on February 8th and will not have Haley in it.
The bifurcation occurred when the Democrat controlled state changed the process from a caucus to a primary, following Biden’s primary defeat there in 2020. The GOP stated that it would only honor the caucus, but the government still set up a primary election where only Pence and Haley were listed. Fox News explains:
The confusion over having two competing contests dates to 2021, when Democrats, who at the time controlled both Nevada’s governor’s office and the legislature, passed a law changing the presidential nominating contest from long-held caucuses to a state-run primary.
The Nevada GOP objected, but last year their legal bid to stop the primary from going forward was rejected. In a twist, the judge in the case allowed the state Republicans to hold their own caucuses, where all 26 delegates will be up for grabs.
Despite being favored over Mike Pence, Haley still lost to a “none of the above” option, a clear answer meant to indicate support for Trump. The Trump campaign encouraged its volunteers and supporters to vote there as a show of strength. CBS News says:
Nikki Haley’s surprising loss to “none of these candidates” in the Nevada primary, where she was the only candidate who was still competing for the Republican nomination, was the result of a coordinated effort by Trump supporters to prevent Haley from claiming victory — even though the primary allocates no GOP delegates.
Trump caucus captains told CBS News that they encouraged their supporters to check the box for none of these candidates on the Nevada primary ballot. This was the first year that all registered voters received a primary ballot in the mail in the Silver State.
Haley’s loss against Trump in all but name should seal her campaign’s record, which has yet to win one state. This victory for Trump also shows the extent of his campaign’s operation, organization, and will to win.
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