Bernie Sanders leading Nevada contest, Joe Biden second in early results

LAS VEGAS – Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday was leading the Nevada caucuses, while former Vice President Joe Biden was second in early results.

Sanders, the independent from Vermont, hopes a win in Nevada will cement his status as the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination.

After disappointing results in Iowa and New Hampshire, Biden hopes to link his Nevada finish with a victory in next week’s South Carolina primary.

The Nevada results were mixed for the rest of the Democratic field. After winning Iowa and New Hampshire, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg was third, followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Billionaire businessman Tom Steyer was trailing the top five.

The day appears to belong to Sanders, who said this week he will perform well in South Carolina, where Biden is favored, and then steam through the March 3 Super Tuesday states that include Texas.

“Bernie Sanders has given voice to the frustrations that working class people have felt for a long time,” said Analilia Mejia, national political director for his presidential campaign. “The senator’s platform resonates with working people. At the end of the day, it’s the combination of the boldness of the issues, as well as the fact that people trust him. They trust that he is going to deliver for them.”

DIVERSITY TEST

Nevada, the first primary in a Western state, has 48 delegates, including 36 who are pledged.

The Battle Born State is considered a bellwether, having selected the winner of all but two presidential contests from 2012 to 2016. Last year former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton narrowly won the state over Donald Trump, who won the White House

For 2020 Democrats, Nevada was a test on how its major contenders would perform in a diverse electorate. Democratic primaries feature a growing segment of Hispanic voters, reliable black voters and union workers.

Sanders, who in 2016 lost here to Clinton, has the best organization and appealed to a cross section of voters. Biden had pledged to do better in Nevada because of his standing in communities of color.

Political observers were watching to see how Buttigieg and Klobuchar perform, since they don’t have well-defined bases in African American or Latino communities.

The drama played out in caucuses across the state that started at noon.

At the Bellagio resort and casino in Las Vegas, cooks, cocktail servers, dealers and other service industry workers gathered in a ballroom to a caucus.

Perhaps a snapshot of what occurred throughout the state, Sanders was the easy winner, with Biden finishing second and Warren third.

At the Bellagio caucus, Buttigieg, Klobuchar and Steyer received zero support, but obviously did better elsewhere.

Monica Smith, a culinary worker from Las Vegas, caucused for Sanders.

“He is the most viable candidate and can beat Donald Trump,” she said. “Bernie Sanders will stand with the people.”

Chalondra Prather, 45, was still in her cocktail server dress when she caucused for Biden. After standing for the former vice president, she hurried back to the casino.

“It’s an amazing experience,” Prather said. “For me Joe Biden is the best candidate and I hope he wins the nomination. But whatever happens I can tell you I’m glad I participated.”

The Nevada contest could be a crushing blow to Steyer, an underdog candidate who invested time and his own money to win the state.

Before the caucuses began, Steyer told The Dallas Morning News that he felt good about his effort.

“If we have a strong voter turnout, I’ll do well,” he said.

Nearly 75,000 people gave their preferences early, and turnout for Saturday’s caucus was expected to be higher than in 2016.

With Nevada in the books, the candidates are focused on South Carolina and the March 3 Super Tuesday, which includes California and Texas.

Sanders was already in Texas Saturday. Over the weekend his campaign stops include El Paso, San Antonio, Houston and Austin.

Not on Nevada preferences ballots was former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has spent over $400,000 on campaign ads and a field operation in states across the country, including Texas.