Balance of Power: Trump singles out Nevada at RNC as he looks to flip state he lost twice

Former President Trump singled out battleground state Nevada in his remarks at the Republican National Convention, previewing how he hopes to dominate the state he lost twice. 

"At the center of our plan for economic relief — our massive tax cuts for workers that include something else that's turned out to be very popular, actually, here. 

"It's very popular in this building and all those hotels that I saw that are so nice. I'm staying in a nice one. It's called ‘no tax on tips,’" he said in his speech Thursday night, formally accepting the Republican presidential nomination. 

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He noted he got the idea from a server in Nevada.

"And I got that by having dinner recently in Nevada, where we’re leading by about 14 points," Trump said.

"The government's after me all the time on tips," he recalled her saying. Trump said he asked her if she'd be happy to have no taxes taken from her tips. According to him, she said, "What a great idea."

"Waitresses and caddies and drivers and everybody — it's a large, large group of people that are being really hurt badly," the former president explained. "They make money. Let them keep their money."

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Trump went public with the idea as a part of his campaign last month and spent a significant amount of time touting it during a meeting with Senate Republicans, who are hoping to take the majority in the upper chamber in November. 

"What I think President Trump did sell us all on is don't tax" tips, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital at the time.  

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., noted, "He thinks it's a great example of how working people in this economy just can't get ahead."

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In a state like Nevada that heavily relies on its tourism industry, particularly in Las Vegas, winning over any workers could be the difference in the upcoming election. 

Trump was defeated in Nevada in both 2016 and 2020, but the outlook appears much better for 2024. In a June Fox News Poll, Trump was beating President Biden by five percentage points in the state, 50% to 45%. The poll was done before the presidential debate and the attempted assassination of Trump. 

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In his speech on Thursday, Trump also recognized the Republican Senate candidate in Nevada, former U.S. Army Captain Sam Brown. 

He referred to Brown being severely injured while deployed in Afghanistan.

"And, by the way, we have a man in this room who is running for the U.S. Senate from a great state, Nevada, named Sam Brown, who paid the ultimate price," Trump said.

With the increased uncertainty about Biden's candidacy, some have predicted he could prove to be a drag on down-ballot Democrats, including those in Nevada. This would mean it isn't just Trump getting an advantage in the key swing state, but Brown and other Republicans have an opportunity to turn Nevada red. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.

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