Biden Wins Nevada’s Democratic Primary

Paresh Jadhav

9 months ago

President Biden easily won Tuesday’s Nevada primary, adding delegate after delegate in this key swing state without much opposition. These results come three days after Biden achieved success at South Carolina’s state-mandated caucuses which don’t count for full delegate totals.

Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips entered his race too late to qualify for inclusion on the ballot in this first-in-the-West race, leaving self-help author Marianne Williamson as his sole opponent.

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Labor Union Endorsement

President Biden enjoys strong union support in Nevada, where he has campaigned to highlight his administration’s work with casino and hotel workers. On Tuesday’s race call day he secured the endorsement of Nevada’s Culinary and Bartenders Union who thanked them “for working tirelessly to keep their families safe while building a better America”.

Pro-Biden Super Pacs have recently secured $250m in advertising across seven key battleground states, such as Nevada. Their goal is to mobilize younger voters as well as Latino and Black voters.

Biden’s victory in the first-in-the-West primary adds 36 delegates to his total and further distances him from any longshot challengers for the Democratic nomination. But this victory should prove only temporary; voters likely to decide this contest are likely more concerned about facing President Trump again come November – only Wisconsin and Michigan appear likely to provide any close races this fall according to analysis by Catalist.

Hispanic Vote

Biden met with hospitality workers on Tuesday in Nevada as he prepared for Tuesday’s primary and pledged to defeat Donald Trump “a loser” come November. But his poor showing in recent polling among Hispanic voters concerns some Democrats on the ground.

One Hispanic political analyst suggested that Biden’s lack of popularity among Latino voters indicates the Democratic Party isn’t doing enough to address concerns related to cost of living issues such as inflation and rent hikes. Furthermore, Latino voters also look for candidates with plans for dealing with these concerns.

Analysts noted that, in 2024, a candidate like Biden will likely win the presidency by traveling through states with high populations of immigrants and Latinos like New Jersey, Florida, and California – though national polls do not necessarily translate to victories in closely contested battleground states decided by the Electoral College, like Great Lakes or Sun Belt states.

Black Vote

While Biden has not won the Democratic nomination yet, his victory in Nevada does help put more distance between himself and potential challengers and could serve to revitalize Democrats ahead of November’s battleground state contests. On Saturday he earned his first official primary win in South Carolina.

Biden easily won the Democratic primary, outshone by lesser-known contenders such as author Marianne Williamson and Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota. When the Associated Press officially called the race at 11:39 p.m. ET, Biden had secured 90% of votes cast compared to only 5% for “none of these candidates” and 6% for Williamson.

Many Black voters interviewed stated their confidence in Biden to address economic issues. Furthermore, many cited his efforts against anti-Black violence and tensions within America as another reason for their support of him. Fentanyl, which has killed Americans at an unprecedented rate since 2015, resonated with some voters such as Saundra Trower from Blythewood near Baltimore.

Independent Vote

Many voters in Nevada’s swing state of Nevada do not favor either of the Democratic presidential candidates, yet independents are expected to back Joe Biden due to its bluer hue and efforts from advocacy groups working hard in Nevada to mobilize voters behind him.

Culinary Union organizers were successful in engaging over 60,000 voters at the polls directly, making two million phone calls, and running digital persuasion ads – creating a base of support that spans across both racial and economic lines.

Even with his base support, Biden could find it challenging to win an uncontested nomination in a state long favored by Republicans; furthermore, without caucuses available it makes voter mobilization at precinct level more challenging.