by John McCormick and Michael Martinez, updated
LAS VEGAS – Sen. Hillary Clinton won the Nevada caucuses Saturday, her second victory in as many weeks, as the Democratic nomination battle now moves to South Carolina and more than 20 states that will hold contests on Feb. 5.
In a colorful display of democracy, including voting in casinos and hotels along the Strip, the New York senator and former first lady was projected the winner by several television networks only about an hour after the Nevada caucuses convened.
The Nevada Democratic Party said more than 114,000 people (the totals are still being calculated) participated statewide in the precinct meetings.
With 87 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton had about 51 percent of the support of Democrats, compared to 45 percent for Sen. Barack Obama. Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, once expected to do well among Nevada’s union members, looked to receive less than 4 percent.
It was Clinton’s second win in as many weeks, following her surprise victory in the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 8. Obama won the Iowa caucuses as the nomination contests kicked off in early January.The Illinois Democrat had received a significant boost just 10 days before the caucuses when the 60,000-member Culinary Workers Union of Nevada endorsed him and offered free help on the ground.
On Thursday, a federal judge ruled that nine caucus locations in casinos or hotels on or near the Strip, sites thought to favor Obama, should stay open as originally planned.
But even at those locations, Clinton managed to generally stay even with Obama.
At the Wynn Las Vegas casino, for example, Clinton won support from 189, compared to 187 for Obama.
Obama won the at-large precinct at the Luxor Hotel, gathering the backing of 211, compared to 162 for Clinton.
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In a ballroom at the hotel, nearly 400 people – primarily African Americans and Latinos — gathered to pick their presidential favorites. Throughout, instructions were read in English and Spanish.
Clinton’s victory was partly attributable to her continued strong showing among women. That was important because about six in 10 Democrats who caucused were women, according to exit polls conducted by The Associated Press and the television networks.
Obama had edged out Clinton among women in Iowa, but she won them over again in New Hampshire.
The exit polls showed Clinton also did well among white voters, while Obama won support from roughly four-fifths of the black voters.
As the caucus meetings were held in the casinos and hotels, tourists and gamblers went about their normal business mostly oblivious that the voting was even taking place.
The fact that Nevada imported many experienced hands from Iowa to help run the caucuses was obvious.
Not only did Jean Hessburg, a former executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party, oversee the caucuses for the party here, other faces from Iowa were here as well.
Matt Paul, a veteran of Iowa caucuses campaigning and a former spokesman for Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, ran the caucus meeting at the Luxor.
Paul told caucus participants that it would cost the Democratic Party in Nevada $2 million to run the caucuses, so he asked from contributions from those gathered.
When it came time to gather by presidential preference groups, Palm told supporters for Obama and Clinton to stand by two different palm trees in the room. “I believe that is the first time I have ever said caucus and palm tree in the same sentence,” he said.
Edwards was not viable at the Luxor, nor were those who were uncommitted, so Obama and Clinton supporters lobbied them with cheers and other encouragement.