A new poll commissioned by the Las Vegas Review-Journal had Romney with 45 percent of likely caucusgoers, compared with 25 percent for Gingrich, 11 percent for former senator Rick Santorum, and 9 percent for Representative Ron Paul.
The vote tomorrow is binding, and the state’s 28 delegates will be distributed proportionally.
Romney has several advantages in Nevada. His organization is much stronger than his rivals and has been in place for weeks. Also, the state’s GOP electorate is one-quarter Mormon, which he benefited from in 2008.
The state is still staggering under a housing and construction crisis, with the highest foreclosure and jobless rates in the country. Romney’s background in business and his prescriptions for turning around the economy have special appeal here.
Although Nevada has a strong Tea Party presence, activists remain splintered. Sharron Angle, the Tea Party-backed candidate who lost to Democrat Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, in 2010, endorsed Santorum yesterday, which stymied Gingrich’s efforts to consolidate conservative support.
But it was the Trump endorsement of Romney that seemed to capture the day yesterday.
At times, the endorsement seemed to be more about Trump than Romney. The event was held at Trump’s hotel, just off the Vegas strip, and Trump made the media rounds while Romney quickly left the stage.
“It’s my honor, real honor, and privilege to endorse Mitt Romney,’’ said Trump, who belittled him last year by calling him a “small businessman.’’
“Mitt is tough,’’ Trump said. “He’s smart, he’s sharp. He’s not going to allow bad things to continue to happen to this country that we all love. So Governor Romney, go out and get ’em. You can do it.’’
Romney took the microphone and expressed a bit of befuddlement. “There are some things that you just can’t imagine happening in your life. This is one of them,’’ he said. “Being in Donald Trump’s magnificent hotel and having his endorsement is a delight.’’
