* At last count, 47,075 Nevada voters chose “None of These Candidates” in the Republican Presidential Preference Primary on Tuesday, thoroughly embarrassing Nikki Haley, who has only racked up 22,610 votes so far (late mail-in ballots still being counted).
* But what if…
* What if turnout is so low for tonight’s ham-handed Nevada GOP caucus – rigged from the get-go for Donald Trump – that Trump also ends up with fewer votes than “None of These Candidates”?
* What an “yuge” embarrassment that would be, as well.
* Meanwhile, caucus apologist and Washoe County GOP pooh-bah Bruce Parks told ProPublica reporter Anjeanette Damon that the party supported going with the caucus because, and I quote, “it is more secure and more transparent.”
* So “transparent” that he’s trying to ban the media from covering it!
* “Until ProPublica raised the issue with the state party, Parks said he wouldn’t allow the news media into Washoe County sites,” Damon reported on Monday. “Now, he said he will allow a few reporters into a single caucus site.”
* When Damon asked why, Mr. Parks, who clearly hasn’t taken my training course on “Dealing with the Media,” replied…
“For obvious reasons. There seems to be a shortage of honest reporters. We’re not going to open the doors and allow a particular narrative to be put out there that is not truthful. That is just not going to happen.”
* He told her if she wanted “to make sure everything is above board” to “change your registration and become a Republican.”
* Oy, vey.
* I’ve worked with Anjeanette often over the years. She’s never been anything but professional and fair in my dealings with her. So that dog won’t hunt.
* Neither, apparently, will Parks’ press ban. The Reno Gazette-Journal reported yesterday…
“The Washoe County Republican Party can’t ban the general public or media from Thursday’s caucus sites at 16 public schools, according to school district policy. Washoe County School District policy states that using public schools is subject to specific conditions, including ‘the use is not for closed (as opposed to open) political meetings.’”
* The RGJ notes that “At past caucuses, the media and the public were free to observe,” and that in regular primary and general elections, Washoe County “allows the public, including the media, access to all voting sites and the vote counting process.”
* But apparently not in the “transparent” Nevada GOP caucus in Washoe County under Herr Parks. One can only imagine what he’s trying to hide.
* What a clown show. What a mess. Even Inspector Clouseau would be red-faced over this.
* And finally, Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee tweeted the following earlier today…
“You can score only so many points for the other team before losing your status as team captain. This is especially true when you routinely use your position to undermine your teammates and punish anyone who disagrees with you - to the point that they don’t trust you.”
* At first, I thought he was talking about Nevada Republican Party Chairman Mike McDonald. But he was actually talking about Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
* Then again, if the shoe fits…
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
“I haven’t heard anybody who is happy with this (presidential caucus) unless they are with the state party and the county parties.” - Assemblywoman Danielle Gallant (R-Clark County)
“Beliefs about unfounded voter-fraud accusations kept Republican voters home in 2020, (Assemblywoman Danielle Gallant) said, describing it as ‘oops, we screwed up.’ Polling has backed that up, with surveys showing claims of fraud have made Republicans less likely to vote.” – Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica
Mr. Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, publisher of Nevada News & Views, and founder of CampaignDoctor.com. You can sign up for his conservative, Nevada-focused e-newsletter at MuthsTruths.com. His views are his own.