Veteran Nevada journalist: ‘Machine won’ with Hillary

Veteran Nevada political journalist Jon Ralston argued Saturday that Hillary Clinton’s victory in Nevada’s Democratic caucuses are a win for the Democratic establishment and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who remained publicly neutral in the race.

“The machine won and Harry Reid won,” Ralston said.

Ralston pointed to Reid’s admission to The New York Times that he called the head of the Culinary Workers Union to help thousands of casino workers to make the caucuses. Clinton swept all six of the major caucuses held in casinos on the Las Vegas strip.

{mosads}”Harry Reid asserted again today … that he really can change the dynamic of an election in this state,” Ralston on MSNBC.

“I think Harry Reid was very worried about Hillary Clinton losing the Nevada caucus.”

News outlets called the race for Clinton at about 5 p.m. EST as she held about a 4 percent lead. She racked up a substantial lead in Clark County, which houses three-quarters of the state’s registered Democratic voters as well as Las Vegas.

Clinton’s victory comes after her organization spent months more in the state than Sanders. Her campaign manager, Robby Mook, had led her efforts in the state in 2008. Clinton also hired members of President Obama’s Nevada team for her 2016 campaign.

“This was always the Hillary Clinton machine versus the enthusiasm that clearly was building here” for Sanders, Ralston added.