With less than a full week before the caucuses in Nevada, the political nightmare of Hillary Clinton arrived at a restaurant close to the Strip in Las Vegas.
Over 100 activists packed between a buffet of curry and a sign that supported Bernie Sanders. They made commitments for the caucus, they talked and they cheered as speakers representing different ethnicities asked them to leave behind the longtime presidential front-runner of the Democratic Party.
One speaker said that Clinton received the same information that Bernie Sanders did, but she voted for going to war against Iraq. She supported a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
Until very recently, the campaign of Clinton saw Nevada as its chance to safe face with a victory after an anticipated loss in New Hampshire.
However, the loss in New Hampshire was a trouncing and the Sanders campaign is attempting to prove Clinton is beatable anywhere.
Nevada is where Sanders will face off against the allies of Clinton amongst organized labor and the Hispanic heavy electorate, which will be the first big test to see how much actual momentum he took from Clinton.
Clinton has held an overwhelming advantage amongst the voters of color, which is part of the so-called “firewall” aide of hers, claimed in a number of states that followed the overwhelming white New Hampshire and Iowa.
However, Sanders is betting his appeal amongst the working-class and young voters revealed dramatically in the New Hampshire vote will be strong enough to transcend the race.
Nevada is an opportunity to disprove the firewall fantasy the Clinton campaign has talked about, said campaign manager Jeff Weaver. If we have a strong showing, it destroys the firewall myth.
Sanders’ aides have said that there is evidence in its internal polling that working class and young Hispanics are leaning toward him.
