EMMA PIRHALA / CONTRIBUTOR

As USD students sought shelter from historic rains last week,  presidential candidate Nikki Haley faced a different type of   torrential  downfall:  the Nevada Republican primary. The former South Carolina governor met a staggering upset, garnering only 30.4% of the vote, while a majority,    63.4% of voters,  decided they would rather have “none of these candidates,” as reported by CBS. With such a loss, Haley became  the first presidential candidate to lose to “none of these candidates” in Nevada.

Instead  of   traditional caucuses this election cycle, Nevada’s  legislature opted in 2021   to  hold state-run primaries, to improve  voting access. Republican candidates could run in either the government-led primary   or    the   party-run caucus, while Nevadans were able to vote in both. Candidates running in the primary were ineligible to participate in the caucus. 

However, only the candidate leading in the caucus will gain the state’s Republican delegates. Nikki Haley decided to participate only in the primary. Haley’s spokesperson, Olivia Perez-Cubas, explained that Haley did not run in the caucus, stating, “We didn’t bother to play a game rigged for Trump.”

Former President Donald Trump chose to participate only in the caucus, telling voters at a recent rally, “Don’t worry about the primary, just do the caucus.”

USD first-year and Nevada native      Julian    Gonzalez revealed his opinions on Nikki Haley. 

“I don’t know a whole lot about Nikki Haley. But after  a  quick   little  research, we do have some combating views since I follow more liberal [views],” Gonzalez stated. 

Despite the loss, Haley has vowed  to  continue  her bid for the Republican    nomination. She is the  last   remaining   candidate in the  Republican field,  continuing to   challenge   Trump  for the party’s 2024 presidential nomination.

The  Republican caucus, held on Thursday, Feb. 8, awarded Trump with an overwhelming 99.1%   of votes.   The win led Trump to gain all 26 Republican delegates.

Regarding Trump, Gonzalez continued “I feel as if he doesn’t represent the quality of life for everyone,   and  [Trump] carries a lot of opinions that I don’t agree with.   So,  him  running in general doesn’t really sit right with me.” 

Trump’s win comes as his legitimacy as a candidate is being challenged in the Supreme Court along with 91 felony counts and a recent loss in a defamation civil suit, resulting in Trump owing $83.3 million to journalist E. Jean Carroll.

Amidst unease in the Republican Party, Nevada Democrats have rallied behind President Joe Biden. President Biden leads the Democratic primary with 89.4% of the votes, proving that, despite voters’ concerns about his health, he is still the front-runner of the party against the only other candidate, Minnesota  Representative Dean Phillips. However, this comes before the release of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on Thursday, which offered both good and bad news for Biden.

 The report exonerates Biden for the mishandling of classified documents, but questions his health and competency, amidst memory     problems.   It  is currently unclear how voters will react   in the next round of elections. 

USD first-year Gavin Emerzian explained, “I found the special counsel report to be very influential.  I feel like it could   really   change the election.”

Emerzian added, “I do believe that [Biden’s] health is a great concern, because if he isn’t able to carry  out his duties, then he took the potential of another  Democratic candidate being in his spot.”

Currently, Donald Trump and Joe Biden are the predicted presidential nominees for their respective parties; at the Republican  National Convention, a candidate must win 1,215 delegates to win the nomination. Trump leads with 63 delegates, and Haley  trails behind at just 17. Similarly, a candidate must gain 1,968   delegates   in    the Democratic National Convention to receive a nomination, in which President Biden holds all 91 delegates based on former primaries — further  demonstrating the party’s  support  of the incumbent. 

February’s primaries will conclude with Michigan’s Democratic and Republican primaries  and  Haley’s  home state of South Carolina’s Republican caucus. 

The upcoming South Carolina caucus is crucial in determining Haley’s  future   in  the Convention. On Super Tuesday, March 5, 2024, most of the primaries and caucuses will occur, including California’s primaries for both parties. 

Yet, many Toreros are still undecided about who they will vote for. 

“I still need to do more research on all the candidates before I make a final decision,” Gonzalez expressed.

Emerzian revealed “I’m still not sold on anyone yet.”

USD   First-year  Iggy Wozniak carries similar sentiments. 

“I’m unsure who I will vote for in  the election. I was leaning independent at one point, but now I’m not too sure,” he said.

With just nine months until Election Day on Nov. 5, each day becomes increasingly closer to when American citizens and many Toreros may determine the values which they seek in the president of their country. 

USD Votes is registering students to vote ahead of the CA primary election on March 5. Colin Mullaney/The USD Vista