Presidential candidate Nikki Haley has lost the Nevada primary, but not to Donald Trump, who did not appear on the ballot. The state’s mandatory “none of these candidates” option took home 63% of the vote, leaving Haley in the dust at 31%.
The other candidates in the Nevada primary, Former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) also participated in the primary, receiving 4% and 1% of the vote, respectively. Both of them had already suspended their campaigns for the presidency.
While the results of the primary are amusing, the Nevada primary has no influence over the presidential nominee. The GOP has opted to instead hold caucuses in Nevada, which will occur on February 8th.
Nevada voters, however, still took to the polls to express their opinion of Haley. “They basically told us they don’t care about us,” Washoe County Republican Party Chair Bruce Parks said in an interview. “By marking ‘none of these candidates,’ we respond in kind — we don’t care about you either.”
Haley opted not to take part in the Nevada caucus, with her campaign manager claiming the caucus is “rigged for Trump,” in an interview with The Hill. Haley’s campaign has abandoned Nevada, instead focusing on South Carolina, Haley’s home state.
Even in South Carolina, though, Haley is far behind in the polls. Her average falls at less than half of Trump’s, despite relentless campaigning. Whether her home state will deal the finishing blow to her campaign is yet to be seen.
Nikki Haley got smoked by “None of these candidates” in the Nevada primary.@kleavittnh: “Republican voters literally chose NOBODY over Nikki Haley, because they realize she is a Democrat.”
GOP voters are sending her a message: they want President Trump. pic.twitter.com/gaCm9C044J
— Daniel Baldwin (@baldwin_daniel_) February 7, 2024
Trump, on the other hand, is poised to win the Nevada caucus, as well as South Carolina’s primary.
“A bad night for Nikki Haley. Losing by almost 30 points in Nevada to ‘None of These Candidates.’ Watch, she’ll soon claim Victory!” Trump shared on Truth Social after the Nevada primary.
Things aren’t looking good for Nikki Haley. While abandoning Nevada may have been a calculated move, she hasn’t had success in any other state either, leaving voters to wonder what her campaign could possibly be saving its strength and funding for.
