Former President Donald Trump emerged victorious in Nevada’s Republican caucuses on Wednesday, securing 26 delegates in his bid to win the GOP nomination for the 2024 presidential election. Trump’s victory emphasized his continued dominance within the Republican Party, despite facing an array of legal challenges.
Trump’s last major Republican rival, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, decided not to participate in the Nevada caucuses, instead opting to run in Tuesday’s symbolic Republican primary. However, she suffered a resounding defeat against the “none of these” option, indicating that voters chose not to support any of the candidates in the running.
The Nevada Republican Party’s decision to hold caucuses instead of a primary election prescribed by the Legislature and its subsequent implications have been a subject of controversy. The resulting system, which mainly consisted of candidates chosen by Trump supporters and disaffected voters, was backed by Trump’s team and allowed the party to have more control over who participated, thus providing Trump with a bigger lead in the state.
On the same day, Trump overwhelmingly won the Republican caucuses in the US Virgin Islands, securing all four of the territory’s delegates, marking a strong victory over Haley, who won 26% of the votes. Despite not campaigning in the Virgin Islands, Trump hailed the win as “a great day for their favorite President, the Republican Party, and democracy” via Truth Social.
Trump, who is facing an array of legal problems, including 91 criminal charges in four separate cases, remains a dominant force in the Republican Party. This is evidenced by his continued success in the caucuses and his growing influence in both Congress and the Republican National Committee.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard arguments in a case seeking to bar Trump from the 2024 presidential election over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. However, Trump’s standing among Republicans, including in Nevada, appears unscathed, with the former president continuing to maintain strong support within the party.
Looking ahead, Trump’s early victories in Nevada and the Virgin Islands set the stage for the 2024 presidential election, reaffirming his position as a frontrunner in the race for the GOP nomination. With the primaries and caucuses ongoing, the former president’s political prospects continue to solidify, bolstering his confidence in confronting potential legal challenges on his path to securing the Republican nomination.