Biden wins Nevada primary

President Biden is projected to win the Nevada Democratic primary Tuesday, according to Decision Desk HQ, handing him his second official primary win.

The president’s win could further help energize Democrats ahead of November, especially in battleground Western states such as Nevada.

Biden traveled to Nevada on Sunday for a rally in Las Vegas and to raise money in the area.

The day prior, he easily won the South Carolina primary following the unprecedented move to make that the state the first to vote, usurping New Hampshire. He won New Hampshire in January through a write-in campaign launched by his supporters but did not receive any actual delegates there.

Biden narrowly won Nevada in the 2020 general election, beating then-President Trump. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton beat Trump in Nevada in 2016, also by a tight margin.

The Biden campaign is looking ahead to the general election, which will likely pit him once again against Trump. Nevada will be a critical state in November, with recent polls showing the incumbent trailing Trump in seven swing states, including Nevada, in a hypothetical head-to-head match-up.

Biden’s win also further undercuts arguments from his primary challengers, author Marianne Williamson and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who have criticized him about the lack of enthusiasm from the base over his lingering challenges, such as his age and approval rating.

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) is backing Trump in the GOP primary after saying in September that he would not make an endorsement in the race.

Nevada is holding both a Republican caucus and primary after a protracted legal battle between the state and the Nevada Republican Party. Trump will run in Nevada’s Feb. 8 caucuses — where delegates will be won — while Republican Nikki Haley is running in the Tuesday primary.