13 candidates to vie in Nevada’s Democratic caucus next month

Thirteen candidates will appear as possible options for Nevada Democrats when they caucus next month, the Nevada State Democratic Party announced Thursday.

Candidates in the crowded field had until midnight Thursday to file necessary documents with the state party for its Feb. 22 caucus.

The list had two key omissions: former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, who dropped out of the race Thursday morning; and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a late entrant into the race who plans to skip the first four early states.

“We are confident we can win in states voting on Super Tuesday and beyond, where we will start on an even footing,” Bloomberg spokeswoman Galia Slayen told the Associated Press.

Most of the early frontrunners, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders, had staff members in Nevada at the beginning of 2019, and about 10 current and departed challengers have spent significant time and effort in the Silver State.

The 13 candidates who will appear on caucus preference cards are: Sen. Michael Bennet, former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Cory Booker, former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Rep. John Delaney, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former Massachussetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Sanders, billionaire entrepeneur Tom Steyer, Warren, author Marianne Williamson and businessman/author Andrew Yang.

Biden, Sanders, Warren and Buttigieg — the group topping most national and early state polls — have built significant operations of 50 or more employees in Nevada.

Booker, whose mother lives in Las Vegas, had staff on the ground early and has spent much of his campaign time in the state.

Steyer, another late entrant into the presidential race, has poured money into quickly building a staff and flooding Nevada airwaves and mailboxes with campaign advertisements.

Yang has turned part of his two recent eight-figure fundraising quarters into a growing Nevada staff, and he ramped up his personal appearances within the state in the final months of 2019.

Klobuchar has also added staff in Nevada, but she’s focused most of her personal time on campaigning in first-in-the-nation Iowa.

Bennet and Patrick have made a few appearances within the state but have not built serious operations.

Williamson appeared in Nevada sporadically in 2019. However, it was widely reported Thursday that she laid off her entire 2020 campaign staff.

Gabbard and Delaney have not actively campaigned in Nevada.

Contact Rory Appleton at rappleton@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0276. Follow @RoryDoesPhonics on Twitter.