Inflation, prices of gasoline and housing: as it is time to go to the polls to elect the new president of the United States on Tuesday, voters in Las Vegas, in the key state of the American West, Nevada , place the cost of living at the center of all their conversations.
“Here, since Covid, the cost of living has been out of control”confides Lee Lovett, who works in an audiovisual equipment store.
Las Vegas is the main city in the state of Nevada, one of the seven key states considered decisive in the race for the White House.
Ultra-dependent on tourism and events with its casinos, its major sports competitions and its conferences, the city has been completely paralyzed by the Covid pandemic.
Even though the party has resumed, the inflation that has hit the rest of the country has been felt very hard here, with soaring rents and prices leaving many residents in a difficult economic situation.
This is the case for Michael Pidding, who moved to Las Vegas seven years ago. His goal at the time: to buy a large house thanks to the low price of real estate. For him, Donald Trump must return to the White House.
“I lived through the four years he was in power and everything was cheap” assures the 79-year-old veteran.
“Gasoline prices were low, food, everything. The economy was booming”he adds.
An observation that Amy Rivera, an 18-year-old student, does not share. For her first election, she decided to give her vote to Democrat Kamala Harris.
“Promises”
“It promises advantages for those who are going to buy a house for the first time”explains the young woman, the American flag on her shoulders.

A voter at a polling station in Las Vegas, November 5, 2024 in Nevada / Ronda Churchill / AFP
“Something my brother and I want to achieve one day, but also help students with college loans”she adds.
A recent Emerson College survey found that for 37 percent of likely voters in Nevada, the economy was the most important issue this election, ahead of housing.
The Democrats have won the state of Nevada in the last four elections, but by increasingly narrow margins.
In 2020, Joe Biden won the state’s six major electors with a narrow lead of some 33,500 votes.
This year, the result will also be close.
Polls give Kamala Harris and Donald Trump almost tied in this state after several months of intense campaigning including several meetings of the two candidates.

Voters at a polling station in Las Vegas, November 5, 2024 in Nevada / Frederic J. Brown / AFP
During these multiple campaign events, they notably pledged to eliminate taxes on tips, a very popular measure in a state where the service industry is a major employer.
For Gina Sanders, who works in a casino and voted for Kamala Harris on Tuesday, it is essential that whoever wins keeps this commitment.
“The most important thing is that each candidate keeps their promises”she said.