Politics
10 things to know: Nikki Haley’s loss in Nevada Republican primary
By Jake Beardslee · February 7, 2024
1.
In Tuesday's Republican primary election in Nevada, Nikki Haley suffered a decisive loss to the option "none of these candidates" on the ballot. With a majority of votes reported early Wednesday, "none" had nearly twice as many votes as Haley. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia
2.
The "none of these candidates" option allowed Nevada voters to express dissatisfaction with the available choices. Haley, along with Mike Pence, Tim Scott, and minor candidates were on the ballot, but no other major contenders like Donald Trump participated. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia
3.
Haley's campaign downplayed the loss, stating they "did not spend a dime nor an ounce of energy on Nevada." Her campaign manager claimed the primary was "rigged for Trump" and that they were focused on South Carolina and beyond, according to The Hill. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia
4.
Nevertheless, Haley's poor performance delivers a blow to her campaign's momentum against Trump. Haley allies hoped a strong showing might provide a messaging boost before the caucuses, where Trump is expected to dominate since he's the only other major candidate participating.
5.
The "none of these candidates" option has uniquely been a part of Nevada elections since 1975. It has influenced past races, like in 1996 when it earned as many votes as Bill Clinton's margin of victory over Bob Dole. Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive and Special Collections/Wikimedia
6.
Trump reacted to Haley's loss by saying it was a "bad night" for her and joking that she would likely falsely claim victory anyway. Nevada GOP officials said the result was expected based on Republican sentiment in the state. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia
7.
Many Nevada Republicans were upset Haley chose to compete in the state-run primary instead of the party-run caucuses. They saw it as her dismissing the importance of their delegates. Haley has barely campaigned in Nevada beyond one visit last year. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia
8.
Interviews with Nevada voters showed many Trump supporters who planned to caucus for him on Thursday voted for "none of these candidates" in the primary as a statement. Some felt it was important to vote, even if their preferred candidate wasn't participating. Darron Birgenheier from Reno, NV, USA/Wikimedia
9.
One GOP volunteer expressed concern that increased awareness of the "none of the above" option from this race could hurt Republicans in future elections if voters increasingly use it to opt out of the available choices. The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons