(TheConservativeTimes.org) – Despite a new Nevada law that requires primary elections, the Nevada GOP will still hold its presidential caucus. The move, pushed by state Democrats, would allow early and mail voting. In contrast, caucuses have traditionally only had in-person participation. Despite the requirement, the GOP caucus will count while the newly mandated state primary will not. With this, concerns have risen that voters could be confused about which contest impacts delegate allocation for the 2024 Republican presidential race.
While there is no date for the caucus yet, it would be in early February 2024, after the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries. However, this will be the same timeframe as the 2024 Nevada Republican Primary, which will be on February 6th. The Republican caucus, not the primary, will determine the allocation of Nevada’s 26 GOP delegates. In the past, delegates were allocated proportionally to candidates receiving 4% or more of the vote at the caucuses.
Critics say the dueling primary will benefit former President Donald Trump’s campaign. They reason that due to the level of support behind the Trump campaign, a dueling primary could weaken the opposition. Recent polling from National Research shows Trump with about 52% in Nevada, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 22%, and 12% for a variety of other Republican presidential candidates, including former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Sen. Tim Scott.
Tami Rae Spero, Nevada’s longest-serving county clerk, said some voters will have difficulty understanding that the primary results may not matter if the Nevada GOP chooses to hold the caucus. However, some state parties have held multiple contests, such as the Texas Democrats, who held both a primary and caucus that would impact the nomination of 250 delegates. While Nevadan voters grapple with potential confusion, campaigns gear up for the 2024 primaries, now only a few months away.
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