The Nevada Republican Party has approved rules for their presidential caucus that are believed to be in favor of former President Donald Trump. These rules include barring any candidate from participating in the caucus if they take part in the state-run primary two days earlier, as well as restricting super PACs from supporting candidates in the caucus. The party approved these rules at a closed-door meeting of its central committee.
These moves reflect Trump’s influence on many state parties and his status as the frontrunner, particularly in Nevada where the state GOP is aligned with him. Despite a state law requiring a presidential primary if at least two candidates are on the ballot, the party insists on holding a caucus. The state-run primary will take place before the caucus but will not be used to determine delegates.
The caucuses will require voter ID, paper ballots, and same-day voting, while the state-run primary includes universal mail-in ballots, early voting, same-day registration, and ID requirements. This could lead to confusion among Republican voters with two nominating processes happening within a few days.
The Nevada Republican Club, representing about 400 members, has expressed concerns about the potential problems with having both a primary and a caucus and urged GOP officials to reject the rule changes.
Michael McDonald, the chair of the Nevada GOP, has previously stated that the caucus is necessary due to perceived election integrity issues in the state, such as the lack of voter ID and transparent tabulation in elections.
Jim DeGraffenreid, a Republican National Committeeman for the Nevada GOP, disputes the claim that the process is skewed in favor of Trump, citing the former president’s strong polling and fundraising numbers.
