Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump's effort to assert control over state Republican parties and gain an advantage in his quest to return to the White House is approaching a critical turning point in Nevada. Despite a recent state law pushing the primary election two days earlier, the Nevada GOP, led by Trump allies, remains steadfast in its intention to proceed with a presidential caucus on February 8. These caucuses, renowned for their grassroots support and organizing, are anticipated to play into Trump's hands, given his strong influence over the most devoted GOP voters.
However, the party is poised to take a further step by endorsing plans this Saturday that opponents argue will only add to the confusion and frustration among voters, all while tilting the caucus in favor of the former president. Copies of the proposed rules, obtained by The Associated Press, reveal provisions that would disqualify any candidate who appears on the primary ballot from participating in the caucus. Furthermore, the rules would curtail the influence of super PACs, such as the one supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, in their attempts to bolster support for candidates in the caucus.
Critics anticipate chaos at this critical juncture in the presidential nomination process. Voters might become uncertain about which election to participate in and risk being disenfranchised if they cast their votes in the primary. The Nevada GOP insists that it will only acknowledge and allocate delegates to presidential candidates based on the caucus results. Ken Cuccinelli, founder of the Never Back Down super PAC and former deputy secretary of Homeland Security during the Trump administration, sarcastically commented, "Trump despises rigged elections, except when he's the one doing the rigging, as he seems to be in Nevada."
Other campaigns have privately expressed similar concerns. The Nevada Republican Club, representing approximately 400 members in the state, penned a letter to local GOP officials urging them to address the issues arising from holding both a primary and a caucus. They argue that this could frustrate and anger Republican voters while also tarnishing the reputation of the Nevada GOP. The club also raised questions about the availability of sufficient volunteers to staff a caucus across 17 counties and whether the party should allocate its resources towards other objectives, such as voter registration and mobilization for the general election.
Attempts to obtain comments from Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald went unanswered. Jim DeGraffenreid, a Republican National Committeeman for the Nevada GOP, dismissed accusations that the process is skewed in favor of Trump, labeling it "one of the most absurd claims I've ever heard." He emphasized that Trump's strong polling and fundraising performance indicate that he doesn't require special treatment.
This situation underscores Trump's distinct approach to the 2024 campaign compared to his 2016 bid. In states like Michigan, where the state GOP's allegiance to Trump has grown, the party altered its delegate allocation process to favor Trump by basing it on primary results and closed-door caucus meetings. Similarly, in Idaho, the state eliminated its presidential primary in favor of caucuses.
Trump's close ties with the Nevada GOP are well-established, with key figures in the organization having served as pseudo-presidential electors in an attempt to challenge Trump's election loss. While some Republicans speculate that other GOP presidential candidates may choose to bypass competing for Nevada's relatively small number of GOP delegates, focusing instead on the primary, participating in a Nevada primary could still offer valuable exposure and early momentum. To date, only Vivek Ramaswamy has officially declared for the caucus, but Trump is expected to join the race.
The Nevada GOP's proposed rules have led organizations like Never Back Down to reallocate their resources away from Nevada, influenced by the party's restrictive measures. These rules would prohibit super PAC employees from attending caucuses, obtaining attendee lists, or distributing pamphlets outside of meetings. Cuccinelli expressed doubt about investing resources in an unfair contest where Trump seems to have already stacked the deck.
David Gibbs, president of the Nevada Republican Club, isn't concerned about the argument that the process may favor Trump. However, he worries that having both a primary and a caucus could disenfranchise voters, especially those who are perplexed by the absence of major candidates on their ballots. Gibbs stated, "I favor caucuses over a primary election. But conducting both simultaneously is not a good idea, and that's the challenge we face now."
