Gaming part of presidential campaign
By J.D. Morris, Las Vegas Sun
Casinos and gambling have been on the minds of presidential candidates at several key moments during the 2016 campaign.
Even when not debating at a big Las Vegas casino-resort, which Republican contenders will do Tuesday night, gambling references have worked their way into the campaign rhetoric multiple times. And there’s evidence that such moments matter, particularly to Nevada voters.
The American Gaming Association touted a poll Monday indicating that 80 percent of Nevada gaming employees were more likely to vote for a candidate who supports their industry. The results of the poll, based on 320 interviews, also suggested that most workers in the state gaming industry are closely following the race and plan to vote next year.
Workers favored Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, who were seen as understanding the gaming industry better than any of the other candidates. The poll prompted the association’s president, Geoff Freeman, to call gaming employees “an electoral force to be reckoned with” in Nevada.