Along picket lines, coveted Nevada union lures candidates after denying critical endorsement

On Saturday, Nevada’s Democrats will caucus. Many candidates — including former vice president Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) — need to finish strong here to jump-start their campaigns before Super Tuesday.

The Culinary Union, which represents 60,000 hotel and casino workers across Nevada, is key to electoral success here. It’s members are mostly female, and many are not white.

Maria Magana, a member of the Culinary Union, is exactly the kind of voter candidates are courting. The 44-year-old grew up in Mexico and has lived in Las Vegas for two decades, working at the MGM Grand as a housekeeper and casino porter.

An endorsement from the Culinary Union has long been viewed as a major advantage in mobilizing Latinos and women. But this year, the union’s leaders decided not to endorse anyone, saying they would focus instead on getting their members out to vote. So candidates are showing their support in other ways. Many candidates, including former South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg, spent some time on a picket line.

Another X factor for the candidates is how early voting will affect this year’s race. For the first time, Nevada Democrats had the option of voting early. The state party hoped it would give more people an opportunity to participate in the process. More than 70,000 people voted early. On caucus day, those votes will be woven into the broader count in each precinct.