Nevada Democratic Primaries: Sanders Comes as a Race Favorite

After success in the first two tests in Iowa and New Hampshire, Sanders is identified as the leading candidate in front of his rivals - trying to stem his momentum. The primaries in the relatively diverse population are enthusiastically welcomed, and more than 75,000 Democrats take part

Nevada Democratic Primaries: Sanders Comes as a Race Favorite

Bernie Sanders is expected to face a first test on Saturday in his new position as a favorite in the White House Democratic race as part of the Nevada primaries. Sanders, the Vermont socialist senator, rose to the top of national opinion polls after success in the first two stints in the Democratic primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire earlier this month.

While Sanders' rivals will try to stem their momentum in Nevada, each faces significant challenges of its own. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren are looking for a jumping off point for their campaigns, after disappointing the first two states. Former Indiana Mayor of South Bend Pete Buttige and Sen. Amy Clovusher hope to prove they can appeal to Nevada's more diverse voter population.

Voters will go to more than 250 sites across Nevada to take part in the vote. Officials said many steps have been taken to avoid the chaos caused by the app crash in Iowa by switching to a system with multiple backups through paper, phones and tablets.

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For the first time as a favorite. Bernie Sanders at Nevada election rally (Photo: AP)

Bernie Sanders at Election Rally in Nevada, February 22, 2020 (Photo: AP, AP)

Four days of early voting in Nevada this week resulted in more than 75,000 Democrats, more than half of them voting for the first time, and nearly causing the party to break the 2008 ballot, which stood at 118,000, when Barack Obama's candidacy electrified the party.

The Nevada election comes one day after news of Sanders being briefed by U.S. officials, who told him the Russian government was trying to help his campaign, as part of an effort to intervene in the Democratic primaries. "The intelligence community is telling us that they are getting involved in this 2020 campaign. And what I say to Mr. Putin, if I am elected president, is that you no longer interfere in American elections," Sanders told reporters this week.

Voting in primaries comes after a frenzied Democratic clash in Nevada last Wednesday, where all candidates blamed and criticized Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire and former New York mayor, who is rising recently in the polls, following a self-funding blitz, but not even competing in Nevada.

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Sanders projected in Las Vegas for primaries (Photo: AP)

Portrait of Bernie Sanders projected in Las Vegas for primaries in Nevada, February 22, 2020 (Photo: Reuters, Reuters)

The next test that awaits contestants will be Feb. 29 in South Carolina, and three days later, the Super Tuesday will take place in 14 states that select more than a third of the delegates on March 3. US President Donald Trump, who narrowly lost two-tenths of a percent of Nevada election to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016, visited Las Vegas Friday and witnessed another round of Iowa-style chaos. "They're going to tell you about health care, they're going to tell you about our military and pilots and missiles, but they can't count votes," Trump said. "With your help this November, we will defeat the radical Socialist Democrats and win Nevada."

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A voter examines his ballot, ahead of the Nevada primaries (Photo: Reuters)

A voter examines his ballot, ahead of the Nevada primaries, February 22, 2020 (Photo: Reuters, Reuters)

Nevada is the first state to have a diverse population, following the primaries in Iowa and White Hampshire. According to the polls, more than four out of every 10 Democratic voters in Nevada in 2016 were non-white. Sanders led nationwide polls among Hispanics, accounting for about one-fifth of Democratic voters in Nevada in 2016. Sanders has led the last five polls in Nevada and he is also in favor of moderate candidates Biden and Buttage, as well as his progressive ally Warren.

Trust a strong showing next week in South Carolina. Joe Biden at Las Vegas election rally for primaries (Photo: AP)

Joe Biden at Election Rally in Nevada, February 22, 2020 (Photo: AP, AP)

Sanders lost to Nevada to Clinton by five-tenths during his first presidential race in 2016, but this time he faces three major candidates - Biden, Bottage and Clover - all trying to get votes from the party's moderate wing.

Butage and Clobcher are lagging in support of non-white voters, who form part of the core of the Democratic electorate, and are usually a significant factor at the beginning of the election campaign. Biden is counting on a strong showing next week in South Carolina, where he enjoys strong support among African-Americans in the state, though Sanders has managed to attract some black voters in some recent polls.