After Wednesday night's first GOP debate in Milwaukee, Nevada republicans have a better outlook on where the republican presidential candidates stand, both in policy and personality.
As we've been reporting, the Nevada State Republican Party is holding it's own caucus independent of the Nevada's 2024 Presidential Preference Primary Election.
Up until the last election, both parties held their own caucuses, but the 2021 Nevada Legislature decided that the one day events shut out too many voters who couldn't attend, so they changed state law to establish the state primary.
However, Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald tells us the state party is taking control of the nominating process to better serve their base.
"A lot of our voters are just not secure with having the primary with the state, so we talked with our Secretary of State who has done a wonderful job. He's very easy to work with, I want to give him all the credit in the world. Very transparent. He said you want to hold a caucus, we're not going to pick your candidate you're more than welcome to at the party," explained Nevada State Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald.
Chairman McDonald in Milwaukee this week attending the Republican National Committee (RNC) annual conference to prepare for Campaign 2024. McDonald attended the first GOP debate on Wednesday night.
McDonald has been meeting with the republican presidential candidates and he's telling them two things before they continue campaigning in Nevada:
First, presidential candidates who participate in the Nevada state primary cannot participate in the caucus.
Second, only the Nevada Republican State Caucus will award delegates that are allocated the national nomination.
"They have to, there is no if and or, they have to. If you want delegates from the state of Nevada, you have to come and do the caucus. They (the candidates) they were fine with it last night. Everyone I talked to last night was fine with it. So you come out, you do the caucus, you're involved in it, you have an opportunity to get delegates. If you do the primary, the state run primary, you will not be eligible for the caucus and you will get no delegates," said McDonald.
We spoke to the Washoe County Registrar's Office, and they say that the Presidential Preference Primary that was established by the 2021 Nevada legislature - is still on.
"Regardless of what the party does, or whether there is a caucus or not, the election is the Presidential Preference Primary, and we are directed to do that by law and we will conduct that election," explained Washoe County Communications Manager Bethany Drysdale,
But, the Washoe County Republican Party is putting more stock in the caucus.
"You also get the opportunity to talk to representatives for each of these candidates at these caucuses, so if you have some questions that you still want answered, these representatives would be able to provide that additional information to them. It also gives us a clear representation of our our party at the precinct level verses county wide," said Washoe County Republican Party Vice Chair Tracy Hilton-Thomas.
The Nevada State Republican party is charging candidates $55 thousand dollars to enter the caucus. They says results will be finalized the night of the caucus.
Vote Nevada Executive Director and Professor of History at College of Southern Nevada Dr. Sondra Cosgrove told us that the 2024 Presidential Preference Primary could cost Nevada taxpayers up to $5 million.
