Nevada voters head to the polls in the Republican primaries, where Nikki Haley hasn’t expended an ‘ounce of energy’ and Trump is not on the ballot

Nevada voters head to the polls today to cast ballots in the state’s primary, where former President Donald Trump is not on the ballot and rival Nikki Haley has not spent “an ounce of energy.”

In a confusing turn of events, Nevada Republicans can vote in two elections this week: Tuesday’s primary, which will not award delegates for the Republican nomination, and then a caucus on Thursday evening.

What happened is that the state legislature passed a law in 2021 to establish a primary and end traditional caucuses, which limit turnout and are subject to reporting errors.

Primaries are organized by the states, where voters show up to the polls on specific dates (early or on Election Day) or participate via mail-in voting, while caucuses are gatherings where votes are cast at a specific time and are administered by political parties . .

While Nevada’s new law passed with bipartisan support, the Trump-aligned Republican Party of Nevada objected and successfully sued the state to retain control of the delegates, which will be awarded to the winner of the caucus.

This week, Nevada will offer two opportunities for Republicans to vote: a primary on Tuesday and a caucus on Thursday evening, which is likely to cause confusion since Nikki Haley is newly in the primary and has not campaigned in the state, while Trump has will participate. in the caucus

As the Republican primary field took shape, candidates were forced to choose between participating in the primaries or earning delegates through the caucus.

The Republican Party prohibits candidates who participated in the primaries from also having their names listed on the caucus ballot.

Haley – like failed former Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina – decided to participate in the primaries.

She will be the leading Republican candidate listed in Tuesday’s primary, although Trump supporters can choose “none of the above” to get their message across.

Democrats will also vote on Tuesday — with President Joe Biden and self-help guru Marianne Williamson listed on that ballot — because Biden’s other challenger, Rep. Dean Phillips, entered the race too late to meet Nevada’s filing deadline.

Williamson has been actively campaigning in the state this week, while Biden took part in campaign events in Las Vegas on Sunday and Monday.

Nevada is also a crucial swing state in the November general election.

Trump’s remaining rival Nikki Haley is photographed campaigning in South Carolina ahead of the Palmetto State’s Feb. 24 primary. Haley has not spent “an ounce of energy” in Nevada, her campaign manager said, explaining that the process was “rigged” for Trump

The Democratic primaries will also take place in Nevada on Tuesday, with President Joe Biden and self-help guru Marianne Williamson on the ballot. Biden’s other challenger, Rep. Dean Phillips, missed the filing deadline. Biden campaigned in the state on Sunday and Monday

Nevada voters will have the opportunity to change their party registration when they get to the polls on Tuesday.

Haley’s campaign manager Betsy Ankney made it clear on Monday that the former UN ambassador was not playing ball in the state and that the results should therefore be taken with a grain of salt.

“We haven’t spent a cent or an ounce of energy on Nevada,” Ankney told reporters. “We are not going to pay $55,000 to a Trump entity to participate in a trial rigged for Trump. Nevada is not and never has been our focus.”

“I’m really not sure what the Trump team is planning, but they seem pretty excited about it,” Ankney added.

Later Monday, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said that by Thursday’s Nevada caucuses, Haley will be “a three-time loser who will walk a lonely path to her beautiful state of South Carolina.”

Haley has taken steps this week that indicate she plans to stay in the race after the Feb. 24 primary in South Carolina, including planning an event in Los Angeles on Wednesday that will appeal to California voters on Super Tuesday, March 5, go to the polls.

Trump will hold a caucus results watch party in Las Vegas at the Treasure Island Resort & Casino on Thursday evening, his campaign announced

She has also been asked for Secret Service protection.

Nevada Republicans will participate in their caucus on Thursday between 5:00 PM and 7:30 PM.

Trump – along with the failed candidates of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy – all decided to go the caucus route.

With DeSantis, Burgum, Christie and Ramaswamy dropped, only Trump and very long-shot candidate Ryan Binkley will be on the ballot and eligible to pick up Nevada’s 26 delegates.

While Trump already held one rally in the Silver State ahead of the vote, the former president will return Thursday and address supporters at a viewing party at the Treasure Island Resort & Casino, his campaign announced.