Analysis of Nevada
Democrats
Hillary Clinton
Nobody is impressed when Clinton wins. Sometimes they’re surprised, like in New Hampshire, but they’re never impressed. It’s hard to build momentum and get good media coverage when everyone is so ho-hum about a victory.
Barack Obama
Obama actually gets more delegates out of Nevada even though he got fewer votes. However, he’s not going to beat Clinton in a delegate race. He needs actual victories—and the resulting glowing news coverage and bandwagon effect—if he’s going to win. Close doesn’t cut it.
John Edwards
He couldn’t muster the mandatory 15% in a union-dominated caucus? This should decimate his fundraising efforts. At this point, it’s clear he’s running for some other reason than to win and become president. And as his supporters realize this, they’ll start to get very angry with him.
Thus, all three Democrats came out of Nevada looking bad. But don’t fret. All that will be quickly forgotten as we head into South Carolina this weekend.
Republicans
Mitt Romney
He played this one just right, winning an overwhelming victory that almost completely overshadowed his fourth-place finish in South Carolina. And as the economy becomes the dominant issue in the campaign, Romney will continue to surge.
Ron Paul
The only two candidates to campaign in the state came in first and second. Huh, I guess campaigning works. This has got to feel great for the Paul crowd, but is completely irrelevant to the nomination process.
John McCain
Since Paul is dismissed as a novelty candidate by the media and the general public, McCain’s third-place finish in Nevada looks like second—and helps re-enforce the perception that this is becoming a two-man race between Romney and McCain.
- Rick Lewis
Comments