As results of the Nevada Democratic caucuses started rolling in Saturday, a Bernie Sanders supporter at the ReBar tavern in downtown Las Vegas screamed out what was quickly becoming evident: “We won.”
Other backers of the independent senator from Vermont cried and hugged as a band playing at a caucus watch party mixed the candidate’s name into its lyrics.
“You really feel you’re part of the movement,” said supporter Kara Hall, who worked as a precinct captain for Sanders in the first-in-the-West Nevada Democratic presidential caucuses.
Far before the final results were reported, Sanders was projected the winner, jumping out to a wide lead over his caucus runners-up, former Vice President Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
As of about 6 a.m. Sunday, with a 60 percent of the votes counted, Sanders was leading with 46 percent of the vote, followed by Biden with 19.6 percent and Buttigieg a distant third at 15.3 percent.
“Let me thank the people of Nevada for their support,” said Sanders, who had already departed the state and was at a rally in San Antonio, Texas.
“Nevada, we have just put together a multigenerational, multiracial coalition which is not only going to win in Nevada, it’s going to sweep this country,” Sanders said as his supporters at ReBar watched on TV.
Shortly after his Texas rally, Sanders telephoned his supporters in Las Vegas, pledging to win the Democratic nomination and beat President Donald Trump in November’s general election.
“We are going to win because we’re bringing our people together,” while Trump’s campaign depends on winning by dividing people, Sanders said.
Sanders campaign spokesperson Bianca Recto said the win in Nevada — the first test for the candidates in a more racially diverse state — foreshadows more good showings in states like next-up South Carolina.
“We’ve proven tonight that Bernie can win a diverse coalition of Nevadans, and that’s really important going into South Carolina and Super Tuesday,” Recto said.
Sanders also overcame opposition from labor unions to his “Medicare for All” proposal for government-run health care instead of private insurance.
Caucus sites on the Las Vegas Strip, designed to offer unionized casino workers a place to vote, had good turnout for Sanders. At the Bellagio site, Sanders bested Biden 77-51 votes.
Sanders supporters at the downtown party said the candidate’s victory in Nevada shows he can win minority and organized labor votes.
“Bernie’s up by 3 points (in South Carolina) right now. With a big win in Nevada, that only swings upward,” said Sanders supporter Eric Dean.
The Nevada results leave Biden and Warren still looking for a boost in their campaigns after multiple middling finishes. And in his post-caucus talk to Nevada supporters, Buttigieg took jabs at Sanders, claiming Sanders would hurt the chances of Democrats down ballot in November by being too focused on “ideological purity.”
“I believe the only way to truly deliver any of the progressive changes we care about is to be a nominee who actually gives a damn about the effect you are having — from the top of the ticket — on those crucial, frontline House and Senate Democrats running to win, who we need to win, to make sure our agenda is more than just words on a page,” Buttigieg said.
Buttigieg’s campaign, meanwhile, was still upbeat about the Nevada results, saying it looked likely he would overperform his polling like he did in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Trump also tweeted about the Nevada results.
“Looks like Crazy Bernie is doing well in the Great State of Nevada. Biden & the rest look weak,” Trump tweeted. “Congratulations Bernie, & don’t let them take it away from you!”
Saturday’s caucuses are likely the start of a political pause in Nevada, as candidates move staff out of the state until the nomination is locked up.
The Silver State, however, will be a battleground in the 2020 general election.
Sanders voiced confidence in the rest of the primary season. “Let’s win the nomination, let’s defeat Trump, let’s transform this country,” Sanders told his supporters in Las Vegas.