5 things to know about the Nevada caucus

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Credit: Getty Images

Credit: Getty Images


The presidential race heads out west for the Nevada caucuses, which get underway this Saturday. Here's what you need to know.

1. When is the Nevada caucus?

The Democratic caucus will be held at 11 a.m. PST Saturday and the Republican caucus will be held Tuesday.

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2. What's at stake in the Nevada caucus?

Democrats have 43 delegates, and Republicans have 30 delegates. Hillary Clinton has secured three of Nevada's eight superdelegates, according to The Hill.

3. Who is leading according to the polls?

The latest polls indicate that the Democratic race is in a virtual dead heat between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, while Donald Trump has a commanding lead over the five other Republican candidates. According to pundits, limited polling in the state may lead to surprising results.

4. What are the top issues in Nevada?

The economy is the driving issue for voters in Nevada. The state was hit hard by the nation's financial crisis and unemployment remains high. The concerns of Latino voters are also a top priority.

5. What is Nevada's primary record?

Clinton won in 2008 for the Democrats and Mitt Romney won the last two Republican caucuses. There has been some discussion of Nevada losing its "first in the West" status due to low voter turnout in recent caucuses. Republicans have been unhappy with the low voter turnout, but Democrats claim that Nevada is the most diverse state on the early voting calendar, and should keep its current caucus dates.