ELECTION USA: LAS VEGAS, Nevasa, USA- Sanders wins Nevada caucus with broad support from Hispanics

WASHINGTON (BLOOMBERG) – Mr Bernie Sanders won the Nevada caucus on Saturday (Feb 22), cementing his place as front-runner of the crowded field of Democratic presidential contenders.

Mr Sanders had a sizeable lead in the initial vote counting. Mr Joe Biden trailed but was holding in second place, which marked a rebound for him from embarrassing losses in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Nevada was the third straight contest in which Mr Sanders won the popular vote. Five other candidates split the half of voters who were not supporting Mr Sanders, making it difficult for them to win the 15 per cent minimum support needed to win delegates.

Entrance polls broadcast on CNN suggest Mr Sanders had broad support across almost all demographic groups – especially Latinos, which gave him 53 per cent support.

Mr Biden won among Nevada Democrats 65 and older and among African Americans.

“When I look out at an audience like this, when I see the diversity and beauty in this audience,” Mr Sanders told a rally in El Paso, Texas, “when I look out at this audience, I have absolute confidence that we can create a government that is based on compassion, is based on love, is based on truth. Not what we have now of greed, corruption and lies.”

Mr Sanders flew from Nevada to Texas, where he holds a slight edge over Mr Biden.

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Mr  Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, also dominated caucus goers who describe themselves as very liberal or somewhat liberal, well ahead of his progressive rival Elizabeth Warren.

He was even ahead with those who said they were moderate or conservative, with 25 per cent support, edging Mr Biden, who had 23 per cent.

Two-thirds of Nevada caucus-goers said they preferred a single-payer health system like Mr Sanders’ Medicare for All.

Mr Sanders won about 49 per cent of those voters, according to entrance polls. Mr Biden took the stage in Las Vegas and called his second-place standing a win.

He said he would seize the momentum and win in South Carolina next week.

“I’m a Democrat for a simple reason. I ain’t a socialist, I ain’t a plutocrat. I’m a Democrat. And I’m proud of it,” he said. “I think it’s time we get moving. I think it’s time we unite the party first.”

Nevada’s caucus comes on the heels of the Iowa debacle, which left everyone waiting days for final results.

And while Nevada party officials took pains to avoid a repeat, the results came in slowly and it may take a while before it’s clear how many delegates Mr Sanders and the others won.

At stake are 36 pledged delegates to the national convention of the 1,991 needed to secure the party’s nomination. More important than delegates, each win gives candidates momentum going into later contests.

President Donald Trump’s campaign was already relishing the prospect of facing Mr Sanders in the fall.

“There is no denying that big government socialism dominated again as Bernie Sanders remained the leader of the leftist pack,” said a statement from Mr Brad Parscale, Mr Trump’s campaign manager.

There were two late developments in the days before the caucuses: A feisty Democratic debate and a report that intelligence officials briefed the Sanders campaign on Russian efforts to help his candidacy.

The impact of those events was likely blunted by Nevada’s first caucus early voting.

Almost 75,000 people – including 10,000 newly registered Democrats – voted beginning last weekend.

Mr Buttigieg is the only other Democrat who’s won a contest, with his narrow victory in Iowa.

Mr Biden and Ms Warren finished far back in the pack in the first two contests, and both were seeking strong results to springboard into the 14 races on March 3 – states that include Texas, North Carolina, Minnesota and the biggest prize: California.

Ms Warren had hoped her strong debate performance this week in Las Vegas would inspire Democrats to give her a second look.

Her main target that night, Mr Michael Bloomberg, didn’t contest Nevada but is spending unprecedented sums on advertising on states voting after South Carolina.

Earlier in the day, Mr Buttigieg greeted supporters at Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas.

He faces his biggest test in trying to win over voters of colour, as polls have shown he significantly trails Mr Biden and Mr Sanders with black and Latino voters.

“We’re encouraged that some of the most diverse crowds we’ve had yet had been here in Nevada too so definitely a great opportunity for us to show that broadening coalition,” Mr Buttigieg said as he walked through the school.

This year, Nevada allowed for early voting in which people could rank their top three candidates, with the option of ranking up to five.

About 77,000 Nevadans filled out ballots early. The number of early voters was almost as many as the total who caucused in 2016, when 84,000 people came out support a candidate.

One thing Saturday’s vote will not settle is where Mr Bloomberg – and his hundreds of millions of dollars – will land in the Democratic race.

He is not on the ballot in Nevada, although he appeared in the most recent debate there by getting more than 10 per cent in four national polls.

The former New York mayor has already dropped more than US$468 million on advertising around the country and despite a widely panned debate performance, will be a factor in the race once he appears on ballots starting on Super Tuesday, March 3.