Nevada Democrats want to break tradition. In presidential years, everyone flocks to Iowa, then New Hampshire, and things are usually made clear candidate-wise after Nevada and South Carolina. Nevada liberals want to be the first to cast their votes in 2024. In their eyes, it's time to erase old systems and look to the future. Also, it's another way for the Democrats to focus on their nonwhite supporters. It also provides a foundation from which Democrats can tout their supposed working-class union ties (via Axios):
Nevada Democrats are making an aggressive final push to have their state cast the first ballot in the 2024 presidential primary — arguing it's time for the Democratic National Committee to abandon tradition and refocus on voters of color.
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The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee met over the weekend to consider any significant 2024 calendar changes before members take an official vote in early August.
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After decades of an unchallenged status quo, Democrats are grappling with the reality that their diverse base isn't properly represented when two small, overwhelmingly white and rural states have outsized influence in picking the party's nominee.
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Cecia Alvarado, who runs a Latino civic engagement group in Nevada called Somos Votantes, told Axios Latino that voters have been "the growing force in this country" for years.
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Beyond racial diversity, advocates say Nevada's strong union influence offers Democrats a chance to fortify a crucial voting bloc — especially at a time when they're eager to rebrand as the party of the working class.
This won't work. Yes, Nevada has strong ties with unions, but as many have noted—the working class isn't a debate concerning economics. It's more grounded in culture and identity. Democrats still don't get that they need white men to win elections. That's a fact. I don't think Democratic voters care about changing things up regarding the caucuses and the primaries, but the ethos is the same. The left's penchant for saying "screw cisgender white males" isn't a winning formula. A good share of these voters could support various Democratic Party initiatives. That was evident in 2008 and 2012. Obama was able to win enough of these voters in both elections to win.
Health care is an especially salient topic that brings a host of voters from across the board together. That's not evident in things like defunding the police. When the left declared war on cops, it was another swipe at working-class America. I'm not the first to note that law enforcement is one of the few areas of employment where one without a college degree can obtain a decent salary package and benefits for their family. The Democrats' attacks on cops were rightfully seen by these rural communities as the coastal elites spitting on the faces of people who aren't like them. To take things further, nonwhite voters who support Democrats, blacks, and Latinos, weren't so keen on this anti-police trend either. They want safe communities.
Hispanic voters are fleeing the Democratic Party. It's a sprint right now. We saw counties in Florida flip by double-digits in 2020. Rep. Mayra Flores (R-TX), the first Mexican-born member of Congress, retook a district that hadn't elected a Republican in 150 years. In 2020, Donald Trump quintupled his support in Latino-majority border counties in Texas. The red flags are everywhere for Democrats. Their plan is falling out of favor with Hispanic voters muy rápidamente.
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