With the upcoming primary in Nevada, most people are looking forward to a chance at political redemption. After spending the last few years watching the Republicans completely screw up the country, getting a chance to vote for a Republican president is what many people are looking forward to.
However, since the start of his campaign, Donald Trump has dominated the Nevada polls, consistently leading the Democratic and Republican fields. Trump has achieved this feat by appealing directly to the Republican voters, promising to be their champion in taking on the “donkeys” (as he calls the Democrats) in Washington.
It is easy to see why Trump would be appealing to Nevada’s Republican voters. The state is consistently one of the most conservative in the country, and Trump is certainly a conservative. In 2016, 54% of Nevada’s registered voters identified as Republican, while only 39% identified as Democrat. This is compared to 2012, when 44% of Nevadans identified as Republican and 44% identified as Democrat.
Despite this, when it comes to actually voting for a candidate, Nevada’s most recent election results show Republican voters have still not made up their minds. Only 55% of Nevada’s Republican voters have chosen their candidate. This is compared to 76% of Mississippi’s and 68% of South Carolina’s voting for their chosen candidates.
Who is Leading in the Primaries?
In the Democratic race, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has a comfortable lead in the primaries with 55% of delegates, while former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has 21%. This is according to a CNN poll conducted March 3-5.
However, these numbers might be misleading. Sanders is currently enjoying a surge in support among young voters and independents. This is due mainly to Clinton being the symbol of the “establishment.” In 2016, only 47% of Nevada’s Democratic voters identified as “extremely” or “very” Democratic versus 45% who identified as Republican. This is compared to 2012, when 55% of Democrats identified as extremely or very Democratic versus only 38% who identified as Republican. When you break this down, you can see that Trump won an incredible 75% of the independent vote in Nevada in 2016. In 2012, only 47% of independents in Nevada voted for Obama, compared to 34% who chose Trump.
Don’t Forget the Republicans!
In the 2012 election, Mitt Romney got only 44% of the vote in Nevada, and Ron Paul only 17%. However, in 2016, Trump crushed these two candidates, getting 73% of the vote to Romney’s 27% and Paul’s 6%. This is compared to 2008, when 44% of Nevada Republicans voted for John McCain and 38% chose Barack Obama.
If you are a Trump supporter looking to vote in a Republican primary in Nevada, there are many races to choose from. Not only does Trump own the state, but it also has a large Mormon population. This year, Mormons make up 44% of Nevada’s registered voters, and 95% of them have already voted. Unfortunately for the rest of the GOP candidates, only 17% of registered voters in Nevada are affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These numbers likely indicate that Mormons will vote for Trump in the primary. In the general election, 58% of Nevada voters are likely to vote for him versus 33% for Clinton or Bernie Sanders.
Why Do So Many People Still Doubt Trump?
Despite all of this, there are still a lot of people who doubt Trump’s ability to win the general election. This is mainly because of his past and present treatment of women. In the last year, numerous accusations have been made that Trump has physically assaulted and/or sexually harassed women. Many people believe these accusations are part of a Democratic smear attempt, because he would be the first Republican president to win the white house in a generation.
This is a big part of the reason why the Republican establishment has rejected Trump. Not only is he appealing to disaffected Democrat voters, but many high profile Republicans have declined to back his campaign, either due to the accusations against him or because they don’t want to upset the Republican base. This is why there is a huge crowd of protestors at every one of Trump’s rallies. At the very least, he will get their attention and keep them there until the end.
Who Is Affected By All of This?
The big winners in all of this will be Hillary Clinton. Not only does she win the Democratic race with Bernie Sanders as her opponent, but she secures the nomination of the popular incumbent president. This way, she can continue the path to the white house that her husband began, and which she continued as president. It will also be good for the Democrats in general, as the party will probably avoid a civil war after this election. Many voters who were dissatisfied with the status quo have backed Bernie Sanders. However, it is still unclear whether or not these voters will stay with the Democrats or move to the Trump camp in the general election. If Clinton wins the nomination, it will likely split the Democratic vote, allowing Trump to win the general election.
What Does This Mean For The Country?
This election will have national implications, as whoever wins will head to the white house in January 2021. The last eight years have been a nightmare for many Americans, as the country fell into the Great Recession, the worst terrorist attacks in US history, and numerous government scandals. If Trump wins, he will likely try to implement many of his controversial campaign promises. This could mean an end to the Affordable Care Act and a full-blown recession. If Clinton wins, she will continue the Obama administration’s policies, which have given millions of Americans healthcare, helped to reduce the national poverty rate, and put a stop to many of the country’s financial problems.
However, it is not all bad news. If Sanders wins, he will likely usher in a new era of Democratic politics. For decades, Republicans and Democrats have dominated the political scene, resulting in limited legislative action, constant partisan bickering, and an “anyone but him” attitude among voters. Sanders’ win will open up the Democrats to a more liberal mindset, and the country will hopefully be spared of the two-party system.
Regardless of who wins, this year’s election is likely to be historic. Due to the pandemic, many elections have been postponed, but this one, the campaigns have gone extremely high profile, particularly as social distancing has become more difficult.