RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada Republican Governor Joe Lombardo has strongly criticized his state party’s decision to hold a caucus just two days after the primary election. Many state GOP officials are concerned that this move will confuse voters in an important early nomination state.
In an episode of the “Nevada Newsmakers” podcast that aired on Tuesday, Lombardo expressed widespread concerns about the parallel election processes. His main objection is that it will cause confusion and inconvenience for Republican voters in the swing state. Lombardo specifically criticized the state party’s rule that prohibits any candidate who participates in the presidential primary from taking part in the caucus.
“I find this unacceptable for the voters and our understanding of how things should be done,” said Lombardo.
Another concern among Republicans, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, is that the caucus rules may favor former President Trump in the nomination process. Chairman Michael McDonald, who served as a fake elector for Trump during the 2020 election, introduced Trump at a recent rally and promoted both Trump and the caucus process.
Lombardo did not explicitly address the criticism that the caucus rules are biased towards Trump. However, he did imply that there are underlying reasons behind the decision. When asked about it, Lombardo said, “I think we can all speculate on the motives.” Spokesperson Elizabeth Ray did not provide further clarification.
This podcast episode marked the first time Lombardo publicly spoke out about the party’s plan. During a press conference last month, Lombardo avoided questions about the primary versus caucus situation, stating that it was not the topic of discussion.
However, in this week’s episode, Lombardo mentioned that the conflicting processes highlight internal divisions within the Republican party, both in Nevada and nationally, which reflects poorly on the party. He referred to the chaotic process of replacing the House Speaker in Washington.
“It’s unfortunate,” expressed Lombardo. “I’ve had numerous conversations with party officials and others involved. Unfortunately, it seems like our concerns are being ignored.”
McDonald has consistently stated that the state party is proceeding with the caucus because the Democratic-controlled Legislature has not considered any of Lombardo’s election-related bills, particularly those advocating for voter ID. McDonald believes that the caucus, which will require voter ID, paper ballots, and in-person voting, is a more secure process than the Nevada primaries.
In an interview on Tuesday, McDonald referred to Lombardo as a “dear friend” and stated that “all the things the Governor wanted in the legislative session are present in our caucus.”
“I appreciate the Governor’s concerns. However, until we have voter ID and address the issues with mail-in ballots, a caucus is the only reliable method,” McDonald declared.
A state law enacted in 2021 mandates that state and county election officials hold a primary if at least two candidates from each party file.
The Nevada GOP plans to only allocate delegates, which presidential candidates strive to accumulate in each state for the nomination, based on the results of its caucuses. This renders the state-run primary purely symbolic. Nevertheless, some prominent candidates, such as former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, and formerly Vice President Mike Pence (before dropping out), engaged in the primary, likely aiming to gain media attention and momentum from winning it.
The remaining major candidates have filed for the caucus, including Trump, DeSantis, Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.
“The caucus offers each candidate the opportunity to perform and mobilize their supporters. It’s about getting their people out there,” said McDonald last month. “My job, and my goal, is to ensure that all the candidates engage with voters in every county in Nevada.”
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Stern is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Follow Stern on Twitter.
