Trump Turns Nevada Red, Solidifying Lead Over Harris
President-elect Donald Trump has further expanded his Electoral College lead over former Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Nevada has officially swung in favor of the president-elect, bringing his total in the Electoral College to 301 – 226. Arizona, with its 11 electoral votes currently leaning toward Trump, remains uncalled.
In the 2020 election, President Joe Biden won Nevada by a margin of 2.4 percent. However, on Saturday at 12:15 AM, The Associated Press announced the state in favor of President-elect Trump.
Nevada has historically leaned Democratic since 1992, with the exception of two elections favoring former President George W. Bush, as noted by Fox News.
Both candidates held multiple rallies in Nevada in the weeks leading up to the election in an effort to secure the state’s vote.
“Nevada, I am here asking for your vote,” Harris said during a Reno rally in the final days before Election Day. “I am asking for your vote. And here is my pledge to you, and I got your back, as president, I pledge to you to seek common ground and common sense solutions to the challenges you face. I am not looking to score political points.”
“I am looking to make progress. And I pledge to listen to experts, to listen to those who will be impacted by the decisions I make and to listen to people who disagree with me. Because that’s what real leaders do,” she added.
During a summer campaign rally in Las Vegas, Trump garnered attention by pledging to introduce legislation to remove income taxes on tips. This proposal likely bolstered his popularity, especially given that the city and much of the state depend on tourism and hospitality, where tipping is a significant source of income.
The Republican Party executed a strategy that proved advantageous in this election cycle, one they had been more reserved about in the previous election.
To the surprise of many, Republicans surpassed Democrats in early in-person voting and almost closed the gap in registered voters leading up to Election Day.
Historically, Democrats have held an edge in Nevada turnout due to the “Reid Machine,” a formidable political network created by the late Sen. Harry Reid, former U.S. Senate majority leader from 2007 to 2015. This network focused on consolidating resources to boost Democratic support across the ballot.
This strategy went beyond traditional party infrastructure, emphasizing the support of the Culinary Union, a powerful organization representing roughly 60,000 casino employees. The union has been instrumental in voter registration, phone banking, and canvassing efforts.
The state also saw a tight Senate race, which The Associated Press called in favor of Democratic incumbent Sen. Jacky Rosen over Republican challenger Sam Brown on Saturday.
With his victory secured, the president-elect announced Susie Wiles as his White House Chief of Staff—the first woman to hold this position. Wiles, who co-chaired Trump’s 2020 campaign, brings significant experience to the role.
“Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns,” Trump stated.
“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well-deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud,” he added.