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LAS VEGAS (AP) — President Joe Biden on Sunday ticked by way of a listing of causes he says a second Donald Trump presidency can be a “nightmare” for the nation as he urged Nevada Democrats to vote for him within the state’s presidential major this week and for his get together at giant in November.
Biden opened a marketing campaign swing with a fundraiser the place he targeted on Trump’s ample historical past of provocative statements — his description of Jan. 6 rioters as “hostages,” his musing a couple of former high army officer deserving execution, his branding of fallen troopers as “suckers” and “losers,” his want to be a Day One “dictator,” his vow to supporters that “I’m your retribution,” and extra.
Then it was on to a neighborhood heart in a predominantly Black part of Las Vegas, the place he advised his crowd of a number of hundred that “you’re the explanation we’ll make Donald Trump a loser once more.”
Biden mentioned the stakes had been enormous when he took on Trump in 2020 — “what made America America, I assumed, was in danger” — and they’re even bigger now as a probable rematch looms.
He advised donors on the personal dwelling in Henderson, Nevada, that in the event that they got here to Washington, he’d present them the White Home eating room desk the place Trump, in keeping with ex-aides, sat transfixed for hours in entrance of the TV because the rioters he’d fired up along with his rhetoric stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“We now have to maintain the White Home,” he mentioned., “We should hold the Senate” and win again the Home.
Accomplish that, he mentioned, and “we are able to say we saved American democracy.”
He was equally blunt in speaking up his file at his subsequent rally the place he implored voters to “think about the nightmare of Donald Trump.”
Trump marketing campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded in type, saying Biden “has been a nightmare for this nation in simply three quick years within the White Home, and no quantity of gaslighting will make Individuals neglect about all of the distress and destruction he has introduced.”
In Tuesday’s Nevada Democratic presidential major, Biden faces solely token opposition from creator Marianne Williamson and some comparatively unknown challengers. He received Nevada in November 2020 by fewer than 3 proportion factors. However he got here to Nevada to evoke voters for the autumn marketing campaign as properly.
The state recognized largely for its on line casino and hospitality industries is synonymous with split-ticket, hard-to-predict outcomes. It has a transient, working-class inhabitants and enormous Latino, Filipino and Chinese language American and Black communities . Nevada has a stark rural-urban divide, with greater than 88% of lively registered voters — and far of its political energy — within the two most populous counties, which embody the Las Vegas and Reno metro areas.
In 2022, Democrats efficiently defended their Senate seat and misplaced the governor’s workplace. The six constitutional officers elected statewide are break up evenly amongst Democrats and Republicans.
The slim victory of Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto helped Democrats get together hold management of the Senate for the rest of Biden’s present time period.
Working in Biden’s favor this yr is the huge Democratic operation constructed by the late Sen. Harry Reid. The “Reid Machine” has for years educated operatives and retained organizers and is partially why, regardless of Nevada’s standing as a purple state, Democrats have received each presidential election right here since 2008.
However early indicators present Biden may have extra floor to make up than in previous races. Voters are largely dissatisfied with the doubtless Biden-Trump rematch. A New York Occasions/Siena ballot from November put Biden’s approval score at 36% in Nevada.
“I do know from my reelection, the problems that matter to Nevadans are nonetheless these kitchen desk points,” Cortez Masto mentioned in an interview.
Biden has constructed his reelection marketing campaign across the theme that Trump presents a dire risk to U.S. democracy and its founding values. The president additionally has championed the protection of abortion rights, not too long ago holding his first massive marketing campaign rally, in Virginia, the place the problem energized Democrats who received management of the state’s Home of Delegates.
Biden additionally promotes his dealing with of the economic system, arguing that his insurance policies have created tens of millions of jobs, combated local weather change and improved American competitiveness abroad. However polls counsel many citizens aren’t giving his administration credit score.
The Democratic Nationwide Committee not too long ago introduced a six-figure advert purchase in Nevada and South Carolina, the place Biden received the leadoff major Saturday. The advertisements are supposed to enhance enthusiasm amongst Black, Asian American and Latino voters statewide, together with radio, tv and digital advertisements in Spanish, Chinese language and Tagalog, and a billboard in Las Vegas’ Chinatown.
As early voting started per week in the past in Nevada, Trump asserted with out proof throughout a marketing campaign rally in Las Vegas that he was the sufferer of the Biden administration’s weaponizing legislation enforcement in opposition to him. Trump has been indicted 4 occasions and faces 91 felonies.
Dan Lee, an affiliate professor of political science on the College of Nevada, Las Vegas, mentioned that for Biden, “the map says he has to carry on to Nevada.”
The Republican presidential major can also be Tuesday however the state GOP is holding caucuses on Thursday to allocate delegates. Trump is competing within the caucuses; rival Nikki Haley opted to remain on the nonbinding major poll.
Stern reported from Reno, Nevada. Related Press author Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.
Stern is a corps member for the Related Press/Report for America Statehouse Information Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit nationwide service program that locations journalists in native newsrooms to report on undercovered points. Observe Stern on X: @gabestern326
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