Connect with us

Nevada

GOP’s early Nevada voting surge could doom Harris’ chances in the swing state

Published

on

GOP’s early Nevada voting surge could doom Harris’ chances in the swing state


LAS VEGAS — Nevada’s early-voting numbers show Democratic presidential-election dominance in the swing state could come crashing down next month, making former President Donald Trump the first Republican to win the state’s six Electoral College votes in 20 years.

A 2020 Democratic lead of 47,000 ballots returned by this point in the cycle has been erased, with a swing of close to 53,000 Republican ballots, GOP campaign strategist Jeremy Hughes tweeted Tuesday.

It’s given Republicans a nearly 6,000-vote lead in the Silver State. 

Las Vegas Strip-themed “I Voted” stickers are placed on a table where voters turn in mail-in ballots at the Meadows Mall on October 21, 2024,in Las Vegas, Nevada. Early voting in the battleground state began on October 19 and continues through November 1. On the first day of early voting, Nevada recorded the most in-person voters since adopting universal mail voting for the 2020 election. Getty Images

The changing ballot numbers come as a new AARP poll shows the ex-prez ahead of Kamala Harris in Nevada by 2 points, with independent voters over 50 preferring Trump 41% versus 27% for the vice president.

Advertisement

A Trump win here would seriously dent Harris’ chances of keeping the White House in Democratic hands. The veep’s team had former President Barack Obama in North Las Vegas Saturday and will bring in First Lady Jill Biden and Gov. Tim Walz during the next week in an attempt to juice turnout.

Early voting in Nevada ends Nov. 1, while mail-in ballots can be received up to Nov. 9 by 5 p.m. — four days after Election Day — provided they are postmarked by Nov. 5.

Mail-in and early-voting totals the secretary of state’s released show 263,410 ballots cast as of Monday, representing 13.1% of statewide turnout. The 101,231 GOP ballots cast so far lead the 95,392 Democratic ballots by 5,839, or 2.2%. A further 66,787 ballots were cast by unaffiliated voters or those registered with other political parties.

What those early ballots — in-person and postal — contain won’t be known until the polls close Nov. 5. But pundit Jon Ralston, CEO and editor of The Nevada Independent, said Monday night the GOP hasn’t seen a statewide ballot lead here since 2008, and it “could signal serious danger” for the Harris campaign.

RealClearPolitics’ Nevada polling average gives Trump a 0.7-point lead over Harris, down one-tenth of a point from the weekend.

Advertisement
Clark County poll workers check in voters Monday at Las Vegas’ Meadows Mall. Getty Images

At issue is the so-called “Clark County firewall” Democrats supposedly have in the state’s most populous county, which includes Las Vegas and boasts 1.4 million registered voters. That amounts to 70% of the state’s 1.98 million “active” and registered voters. 

Election officials reported 72,969 Clark County Democrats have voted early as of Tuesday, versus 66,481 Republicans and 49,893 “other” voters. That gives the Democrats a margin of roughly 6,500 votes, but Washoe County — the state’s second-largest by population — and several rural counties are seeing strong turnouts.

Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Victor Joecks tweeted Democrats “need to run up the score in Clark [County]. They haven’t done it so far.”

Silver State Republicans say the early results are encouraging and a result of hard work on the ground. 

“We’re seeing a strong turnout from Republicans who understand the importance of banking their vote ahead of time,” Nevada GOP Chairman and Trump senior adviser Michael J. McDonald told The Post.

Advertisement

“This enthusiasm reflects the confidence voters have in President Trump’s leadership and his ability to solve Nevadans’ top concerns: rising costs, stagnant wages, and affordable housing.”

Early returns show a Republican advantage in the Silver State. Getty Images

GOP combat veteran Sam Brown’s Senate campaign is also heartened by the early-voting numbers.

“There is incredible energy on the ground,” said Raegan Lehman, campaign communications director. “Nevadans have made it clear they are ready for a change and the momentum is on our side.”

Democrats, meanwhile, believe targeting the state’s nonpartisan voters will deliver them a victory, albeit slim.

“Nevada is consistently won by a field margin. As we’ve said all along, this election will be close. We know nonpartisan voters will play a major role in deciding this election, which is why we invested early in a ground game focused on both turning out Democrats and earning support from nonpartisans and moderate Republicans,” Nevada Democratic Party spokesman Nicholas Simões Machado told The Post.

Advertisement

“Nevada Democrats have been laser-focused all cycle on talking directly to the growing number of registered nonpartisans and making sure we mobilize the broad and diverse coalition we need to win statewide.”



Source link

Nevada

Desert state booms as workers flock from California amid game-changing discovery: ‘Remarkable’

Published

on

Desert state booms as workers flock from California amid game-changing discovery: ‘Remarkable’


A desert state known for its casinos and scorching temperatures is seeing a jobs boom as workers and businesses increasingly flock from neighboring California.

Nevada’s game-changing lithium reserves are fueling the surge, with the mineral becoming increasingly valuable as demand for artificial intelligence technology grows.

“Economically, Nevada is a relatively small state being mentioned in the same breath as California, Texas, Florida,” David Schmidt, chief economist for Nevada’s Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, told CNBC.

Nevada’s game-changing lithium reserves are fueling the surge of Californians fleeing to the desert state. rsgphoto – stock.adobe.com
Nevada’s roughly 110,000 square miles of open land have made it an attractive location for AI-related infrastructure. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The jobs market is posting “really remarkable numbers that we’re seeing,” he added.

Advertisement

Nevada’s workforce grew 1.9% between April 2025 and April 2026, the fastest rate in the nation and well ahead of the 0.2% increase recorded nationally, the outlet reported, citing Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

The growth was so strong that roughly 12% of all new jobs created in the United States during that period were added in Nevada, despite the state accounting for only about 1% of the country’s population.

Economic leaders say the gains are the result of years of efforts to diversify Nevada’s economy beyond gambling and entertainment.

Professional and business services jobs led Nevada’s growth over the past year, followed by education and health services positions. Schmidt attributed some of that growth to Nevada’s favorable tax policies.

The Nevada hiring boom comes as the state’s gaming industry, centered in Las Vegas, has softened. USA TODAY Sports

Nevada has also become increasingly attractive to companies pursuing new or expanded mining projects because of its bountiful lithium supplies, he said.

Advertisement

Lithium is a key component in batteries used to help run AI models, while Nevada’s roughly 110,000 square miles of open land have made it an attractive location for AI-related infrastructure, including data centers.

The hiring boom comes as the state’s gaming industry has softened — Nevada’s economy is becoming less dependent on gambling and tourism.

An analysis of federal data found that about 60% of new jobs added in the Las Vegas region between 2016 and 2025 came from industries outside hospitality, construction and government.

LV Petroleum CEO Kris Roach told CNBC he has hired hundreds of workers over the past year to staff the company’s restaurants and travel centers.

Roach said recruiting has been “very easy,” with some management openings drawing more than 100 applications.

Advertisement
About 60% of jobs added in Las Vegas came from industries outside hospitality, construction and government. Joshua Resnick – stock.adobe.com

He also pointed to a strong pool of white-collar workers, including former casino employees, for positions in finance and human resources.

“It’s a great state to operate in,” Roach said. “There’s so much untapped talent.”

Nevada’s population growth has also helped fuel the hiring boom.

Economists have linked part of that growth to the state’s proximity to California, with federal data showing Nevada’s population increased more than 62% between 2000 and 2025, compared with roughly 21% nationwide.

The state also remains less expensive than neighboring California, Idaho and Arizona.

Advertisement

Emma Keserich, who moved to Las Vegas from the Washington, DC area last year said many newcomers are surprised by what they find.

“People think Las Vegas is just the Strip,” Keserich told CNBC. “There’s just more than what meets the eye.”


Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!






Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Nevada

The nation’s data center debate has reached Southern Nevada

Published

on

The nation’s data center debate has reached Southern Nevada












Advertisement





National AI data center backlash reaches Southern Nevada as Henderson weighs moratorium | Environment | News





















Advertisement





Advertisement