Trump poised to secure overwhelming victory in Nevada GOP caucuses

Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Former President Donald Trump was posed to overwhelming win Nevada's Republican Party caucuses Thursday night, inching him closer to being named the GOP presidential nominee.

Twenty-six delegates were up for grabs in the state where Republicans cast ballots Thursday for who they want to challenge presumed Democratic candidate President Joe Biden in November for the White House.

As of early Friday, Trump had a commanding 98.4% lead over Create Church founder and businessman Ryan Binkley, both NBC News and CNN reported.

Binkley was the only other name on the ballot, as former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley opted to participate earlier this week in the GOP's Nevada primary instead where she finished in second behind "none of these candidates."

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were all originally on the card but were removed as they dropped out of the race, leaving Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, as his main rival.

"A bad night for Nikki Haley," Trump said on his Truth Social platform following her Tuesday night finish in the Nevada primary.

The Nevada Republican Party ruled that candidates cannot participate in both the primary and caucus.

Trump was positioned to take the state Thursday despite six Nevada Republican Party members, including its chair, Michael McDonald, having been indicted in December by a state grand jury on allegations of having illegally and falsely posed as Nevada presidential electors as part of the former president's attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Nevada was the third state to hold a GOP nominating race, following Iowa on Jan. 15 and the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 23. The Virgin Islands on Thursday also held its caucuses. Trump handily won all of them.

"Great news! As we are landing in Nevada, getting ready to go to Caucus, word just came that we overwhelming won the Virgin Islands Caucus," Trump said in a statement published on Truth Social. "I have just called to thank those involved. They are celebrating, and having a great time -- They deserve it!

"This has been a very Big Day for your Favorite President, the Republican Party and Democracy!"

South Carolina, Haley's home state, is scheduled to have its primary on Feb. 24, followed by Michigan on Feb. 27.

There are a total 2,429 delegates, of which one needs 1,215 to secure the presidential nomination of their party.