Donald Trump easily won the caucuses in Nevada and thus obtained new delegates in his race for the Republican nomination for the American presidential election, cementing his status as ultra-favorite.
The billionaire had almost no competition during these local assemblies, held in schools or gymnasiums - an electoral peculiarity of the American system.
According to initial results, the ex-president far outstripped his main competitor, a businessman from Texas, and won the delegates at stake in this state, according to the main American channels.
This is the second presidential election held this week in Nevada.
This western American state organized a primary on Tuesday, which Nikki Haley, Donald Trump's only real rival, was unable to win.
Voters put a majority of ballots marked
“none of these candidates”
in the ballot boxes, considered a default vote for Donald Trump, who was not participating in this election.
This primary had no stakes, because the Republican Party had decided for months to maintain its caucuses, the only ballot which allows it to pocket the delegates from Nevada who will vote at the Republican convention (July 15-18) organized in the state of Wisconsin (north) to choose the Republican candidate for the White House.
“I don’t know why she keeps going.”
Republicans from the US Virgin Islands also gathered in caucus on Thursday.
This territory, which is not a state and cannot vote in the presidential election in November, however plays a role in the candidate nomination process.
Donald Trump won the vote against Nikki Haley and won new delegates.
Nikki Haley is significantly behind Donald Trump in the nomination race and seems destined for another defeat in her home state, South Carolina, at the end of the month.
The former governor, however, assures that she will not throw in the towel.
“I’m in it for the long term
,” she repeated to her supporters on Wednesday, during a rally in California, according to the New York Times.
“It’s going to be complicated, it’s going to hurt, it’s going to leave its mark, but at the end of the day, I don’t mind taking the hits, if you’ll follow me,”
she insisted.
Donald Trump, who had recently shown his irritation at this persistence, assured Thursday that Nikki Haley's candidacy did not bother him.
“I don’t know why she continues, but let’s let her continue
,” he said.
“I don’t really care.”
“I think it’s bad for the party.
I think it’s bad for her
,” he added.