Romney Takes Nevada

Nevada has finally completed counting the votes from Saturday’s Republican presidential caucus, and the results are not at all surprising. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney destroyed his competition, finishing with roughly 50% of the vote to Newt Gingrich’s 21%, Ron Paul’s 19%, and Rick Santorum’s 10%.

Mitt Romney captured victory in the Nevada caucus with ease. | Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Repeating his 2008 performance in the Silver State, coupled with his dominant win in Florida on January 31st, Mr. Romney has again solidified himself as the clear Republican frontrunner for November’s pivotal presidential election. After being declared the winner, Mr. Romney took to the stage at the Red Rock Casino to deliver a speech. Buoyed by his recent successes, the former governor emphasized his focus on the general election in which he is sure to be participating: “This is not the first time you’ve given me your vote of confidence, and this time I’m going to take it to the White House.” Continuing with this confidence, Mr. Romney had fighting words for President Obama: “This week he’s been trying to take a bow for 8.3 percent unemployment. Not so fast, Mr. President.”

As far as delegates are concerned, Nevada has only a small portion of the amount needed to secure the Republican nomination, making Mr. Romney’s victory more of a symbolic one. Of course, this performance, quick on the heels of a similar one in Florida, ensures that for the rest of February, momentum will certainly be on the side of the former Bain CEO. This momentum could be priceless in dispatching chief rival Mr. Gingrich as the campaign travels through Colorado, Minnesota, and Maine this week. It was clear from Nevada’s final polls that Mr. Gingrich, once thought to pose the biggest threat to Mr. Romney, was slipping – Mr. Gingrich was not vying for a victory, but rather competing for a distant second-place finish with Mr. Paul.

Yet, characteristically, the former Speaker of the House was confident even in the face of defeat, placing emphasis on what he hopes to be an improved showing on “Super Tuesday” (March 6), when eleven states vote. Speaking to a room of reporters after his defeat, Mr. Gingrich struck a serious tone: “I am a candidate for President of the United States. I will be a candidate for the President of the United States. I will go to Tampa.” Speaking further, he more or less guaranteed that he will have caught up with Mr. Romney by the time of the Texas primary on April 3.

Despite all his words, Mr. Gingrich will not be pleased with the close analysis of Nevada’s votes, which show large support for Mr. Romney. The latter won the caucus with votes from a broad group that included very conservative voters, staunch Tea Party supporters, and evangelicals. Thus far, it has been Nevada that has had the largest share of self-described Tea Party supporters, who are considered a vital part of Mr. Gingrich’s base, but it was Mr. Romney who won a higher percentage of their vote.

In addition, exit polls reported that 4 out of 10 voters on Saturday claimed that the quality that mattered most in the candidates was the ability to defeat President Obama in November; almost 75% of those voters voted for Mr. Romney. Many voters listed the economy and its woes as their primary concern, and 60% of those voters supported Mr. Romney, lending credence to his “business experience” rhetoric.

About Ross Ballantyne

Ross- CAS '15 - is currently a political science major. Originally from Scotland, he has lived in the U.S. since the tender age of 3 1/2. Ross' interests, aside from politics, include The Smiths, soccer, French literature, travel, classic British films, and existentialism.

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