Hillary Clinton Sweeps Casino Caucuses in Las Vegas
She took a gamble with Las Vegas union workers -- and it paid off.
-- In a last-minute push in Nevada, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton took a gamble with Las Vegas union workers -- and on Saturday night it paid off.
Clinton, who ABC News projected will win the Nevada caucuses, pulled off wins at six Clark County caucus locations at Las Vegas hotels connected to casinos including New York New York, Rio, Paris, Harrah’s, Wynn Resort and Caesars Palace, according to the Nevada Democratic Party.
In the final week before caucus day, Clinton was a frequent casino campaigner, making multiple trips to Caesars Palace and Harrah’s. She even made a middle-of-the-night venture into the Caesars Palace laundry room to surprise cleaning personnel.
"I know you do a hard job," Clinton told them.
But Sanders also aggressively courted hospitality workers and union members too, crossing paths with Clinton more than once.
Tonight, alongside her husband, former President Bill Clinton, she celebrated her victory at Caesars Palace and said thank you.
"You turned out in every corner of this state with determination and purpose, hotel and casino workers who never wavered," she said.
Over the past week, Clinton surrogates -- including Bill Clinton, who is still very popular in the Silver State, as well as actor Will Ferrell -- were also out in full force visiting union workers.
The Caesars Palace caucus site had many hotel workers in line to cast their ballot. Among them was Alvaro Gonzalez, a Clinton supporter, who wore a tall, white chef's hat.
Gonzalez, 48, is a member of the Culinary Union and has been a cook at the hotel for 23 years.
He immigrated to the United States from Mexico in 1990 and said he met Clinton twice this week during her visits to the hotel's employee cafeteria. He said Clinton's visits persuaded many of his colleagues to caucus for her as well.
The at-large casino precinct caucus locations allowed hospitality employees who are usually working during caucus time to vote outside of the districts where they live.