President Joe Biden clinched a significant win in the Nevada presidential primary on Tuesday, facing minimal opposition in the state and setting the stage for his anticipated showdown with former President Donald Trump in the general election.
The Associated Press officially declared Biden the winner at 11:39 p.m. ET, following initial vote tallies from Washoe County, Nevada’s second-largest county. Biden’s commanding lead, capturing approximately 89% of the vote, left other contenders far behind.
The runner-up, “None of these candidates,” trailed at about 6%, while self-help author Marianne Williamson garnered around 3% of the vote. Notably absent from the ballot was U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota, who chose to skip the Nevada contest.
The Nevada win follows President Joe Biden‘s significant victory in South Carolina on Saturday. Biden won approximately 96% of the vote in the Democratic Party’s initial official contest of the presidential primary campaign.
Biden’s decisive win in Nevada, largely unchallenged, highlights his increasing momentum as he moves closer to the general election, where he is expected to compete against former President Donald Trump
The Associated Press also reports that President Biden is set to secure the majority of national convention delegates in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. As of 1:00 a.m. ET, 30 out of the 36 delegates in the state have been allocated to Biden by the AP. The distribution of the remaining delegates will take place once further votes are tallied.
Looking ahead, the Democratic nominating focus now shifts to Michigan, which moved up in the primary schedule last year with the backing of the Biden camp. Michigan’s primary is scheduled for February 27th, offering another crucial test for candidates seeking the party’s nomination.
Biden encountered minimal opposition in Nevada, given that Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) did not submit his name for inclusion on the ballot last year. However, Phillips will be listed on the Michigan ballot and plans to campaign in the state on Feb. 8.
In a separate development, despite facing no significant opponent in Nevada’s presidential primary on Tuesday, Nikki Haley suffered a defeat, as reported by NBC News. The state’s voters, participating in the primary, opted for “none of these candidates” over Haley.
