The glittering prize of Nevada could turn into a nugget of fool’s gold for President Joe Biden, according to a new report that says insiders are worried about a state that, on paper, looks like a win.
Biden had already won the state by two points in 2020. Additionally, both U.S. senators are Democrats. But according to Axios, the political and economic tides appear to be shifting in favor of former President Donald Trump, who lost the state by a little more than two points to Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Nevada suffers from a 5.3 percent unemployment rate, the nation’s highest, with third-in-the-nation gas prices at $4.23 per gallon and home prices that have climbed six times faster than wages since 2011.
Given that the economy is always a top issue for voters the state is “basically a jump ball right now, with a lot of undecided voters,” Axios quoted what it said was “a person familiar with the Biden campaign’s thinking.”
Although voting is months away, polls show Trump edging Biden. Not only does Trump hold that edge, the GOP is very competitive in the race between Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen and Republican challenger Sam Brown.
One of the key dynamics of the race is the substantial Hispanic vote, which has historically favored Democrats.
“In this election, the Hispanic electorate is not baked in for one party or the other,” said Wadi Gaitan, a representative of the LIBRE Initiative, part of the Koch network of conservative advocacy groups, according to NBC.
Gaitain said Republican messages on the economy, schools and crime resonate with Hispanic voters.
“It’s a level playing field now,” Gaitan said.
Will Trump win Nevada?
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Even Clarissa Martinez, vice president of the Latino Vote Initiative at UnidosUS, which is a liberal advocacy group, said the dynamics of party loyalty are changing.
“Democrats for some time rested on their laurels with these voters,” Martinez said. “Republicans have positioned themselves successfully in the eyes of many voters as being stronger on the economy, and they will benefit from that unless Democrats figure out something to do about it.”
Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s campaign press secretary, said the flight of Hispanics from the Democratic Party is a symptom of the general malaise with Biden
“Joe Biden no longer has a base, as key Democrat constituencies such as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and women are supporting President Trump because they are sick and tired of Crooked Joe’s record-high inflation, open borders, crime and chaos,” she said, according to CBS.
And there is, of course, the question of competence.
“Age is a big factor for me. Trump hides it better because he’s always just snappin’ and talking,” Paulina Flores, a Biden voter in 2020 who is now on the fence.
“Biden, sometimes he’s just standing at the podium and you can tell he just lose[s] his thoughts, or he needs help to form sentences. And you’re like, ‘Oh.’ Could we get somebody younger?’” she added.
