Here’s why Nevada went blue

My most recent column focused on the smashing victory by Donald Trump and the GOP at all levels of government — federal, state and local. The Republican Party is now the dominant political party in America.

There was, however, one important exception on Election Day: Nevada.

Why was the Nevada GOP defeated so badly while the rest of the country enjoyed a red sweep? Here are five clear-cut reasons for this failure.

1. You can’t win if you stand for nothing. The leading GOP politicians in Nevada stand for nothing. They are wishy-washy, moderate establishment politicians — just like Jeb Bush. We all witnessed where that image got Bush. The favorite for the GOP presidential nomination spent $150 million to get about 2 percent of the GOP primary vote. Like Bush, our Nevada Republican politicians and candidates are worried they might offend someone. Trump offended everyone — and he’s going to be president of the United States. Because he made it clear what he stood for.

2. Nevada Republicans poisoned their own brand by passing the biggest tax increase in state history during the 2015 Legislature. What a disastrous mistake. When a Republican passes a massive tax increase, it doesn’t win over one Democrat convert. Not one. But it demoralizes your own base for years to come. What’s your brand? What do you stand for? If the GOP stands for tax increases, why would anyone vote Republican? Almost every Republican associated with that massive tax increase was defeated in 2016. Politics is about enthusiasm and intensity. No Republican tax hiker will ever be rewarded with enthusiasm. Ask Jeb Bush’s father, George H.W. Bush. Republicans who raise taxes are met with defeat.

3. GOP Reps. Joe Heck and Cresent Hardy un-endorsed Donald Trump. It was the biggest mistake they could have made. This was the mother of all brand destroyers. Their mistake reverberated up and down the GOP ticket. This was exactly the same mistake as passing a massive tax increase — you’ve poisoned your own brand … you’ve turned off your own base … and you don’t gain one single vote from Democrats by abandoning a fellow Republican. In life, loyalty is everything.

4. Nevada’s GOP candidates made the tragic mistake of listening to D.C. consultants — who know absolutely nothing. The D.C. consultants counseled them not to appear as guests on conservative talk radio. They didn’t even buy ads on talk radio. Those consultants are ignorant and out of touch. Ninety percent of winning in politics is about energizing your base. The GOP base is listening to conservative talk radio. How can you win an election if your own base never sees you or hears what you believe in? The answer is you can’t.

5. Finally, here is the most important lesson of all: Nevada must institute a strict government-issued photo ID law for voters. No one can be allowed to vote without ID. The GOP is losing elections due to massive voter fraud. Democrats are winning elections with “organized voter fraud.” Illegal immigrants are voting all over this country and tipping elections against the GOP. Nevada Republicans will never win elections here again unless we put strict voter ID laws in place.

Wayne Allyn Root (wayneroot@gmail.com) is a best-selling author and host of “WAR Now: The Wayne Allyn Root Show” from 3 to 6 p.m. daily at 790 Talk Now. His R-J columns run Wednesdays and Sundays.