Poll: Crowded Nevada GOP Primary Still Wide Open as Candidates Fail to Consolidate Support

A straw poll taken at the first Nevada GOP primary debate last week found the crowded field is still wide open, setting up a brutal race to earn far-right support.

The poll placed Joey Gilbert on top with 27% of the vote, followed by Fred Simon at 25% and Michele Fiore at 19%. Former U.S. Senator Dean Heller and Joe Lombardo couldn’t crack the top three. Lombardo didn’t even bother showing up for the debate, leaving his opponents to throw harsh criticism at the newly-dubbed “No Show Joe.”

The Nevada Independent reports, “Several candidates jockeyed to pay tribute to former President Donald Trump” in the debate. Fiore has proven she’s willing to go all-out for Trump’s support, investing thousands to air her ads in Palm Beach, where Trump spends his winters.

Fiore also announced this week that she’d raised nearly $700,000 for her campaign thus far. Her Trump-first platform is sure to drag the entire field to the right and make for an expensive race.

“The GOP candidates for Nevada governor will do whatever it takes to out-Trump each other, but this poll proves not a single candidate is breaking through,” said DGA Senior Communications Advisor Christina Amestoy. “This race is still up in the air, and the Republicans will continue to go further right to appease extremists. Whoever comes out on top will be bruised, and the base will be divided heading into the general election.”

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