How Hillary Clinton Won Nevada
Clinton pulled out a victory in a very tight race.
— -- ABC News projects Hillary Clinton will win the Nevada Democratic caucuses, but Bernie Sanders kept the race tight in more ways than one.
So how did Clinton do it? Here are five factors that mattered:
1. The Gender Gap
The gender gap was a sharp divide in the Silver State, with Clinton winning the votes of women and Sanders winning the votes of men.
Fifty-seven percent of Clinton’s supporters were women and 53 percent of Sanders’ supporters were men, according to entrance poll data.
2. Minority Support
It was the black vote that boosted Clinton’s lead.
Clinton trounced Sanders among blacks, with 76 percent support compared to 23 percent for Sanders.
Despite winning 64 percent of the Hispanic vote in Nevada during her first run for the White House in 2008, this time around Sanders garnered 54 percent of the Hispanic vote and Clinton trailed with just 43 percent.
Take note: Clinton’s success among black voters in Nevada could bode well in South Carolina, where blacks make up a much larger share of voters.
3. Obama Loyalists
Half of Nevada voters said they believe the next president should generally continue President Obama’s policies, according to entrance polls, and that turned out to be very strong group for Clinton, who won 75 percent of their votes.
4. The Old and the Young
Older voters made up a significant portion of caucus-goers in Nevada.
Clinton continued to attract voters age 45 and up, drawing the support of this group by a two-to-one margin over Sanders.
But younger voters are most definitely feeling the Bern. Seventy-six percent of caucus-goers in Nevada under the age of 45 supported Sanders today.
5. Hearts and Minds
The battle for hearts and minds was on full display in Nevada.
Clinton, for example, beat Sanders among voters who focused on qualities like “experience” and “electability,” according to the entrance polls.
But Sanders crushed Clinton among voters who were looking for a candidate who’s “honest and trustworthy” or who “cares about people like me.”