Romney Wins Nevada Caucus

 　　U.S. presidential contender Mitt¹ Romney decisively won Republican Party caucuses³ in the western state of Nevada Saturday, confirming his lead in the race to choose his party's nominee⁴ for the presidential election in November.

　　Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich placed second in the Nevada race, and Texas Congressman⁵ Ron Paul came in third.  The former senator from Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum trailed the group.

　　Nevada's Republican preference vote is the first in the western United States, and takes place in a state that is likely to be a key battleground in November.

　　As the votes were counted in caucuses around the state, Romney cruised to victory in the Nevada contest, helped in part by an estimated one-in-four Republican caucus² voters who share his Mormon faith.  Network polls show that more than 90 percent of Mormon caucus voters supported Romney.

　　Romney's win follows his decisive victory in Florida Tuesday, and was his third in the presidential party preference votes.

　　Polls indicate the economy was the major concern among caucus-goers.  In his victory speech to supporters, Romney noted⁶ that Nevada has the nation's highest rate of unemployment and home foreclosures, and that President Barack Obama had promised to help.

　　Romney said, “I've walked in Nevada neighborhoods blighted⁷ by abandoned homes where people wonder why Barack Obama failed them.  Well Mr. President, Nevada has had enough of your kind of help.”

　　Caucus voter Michael Dugan supported Romney because of the candidate's business experience.  He said, "We need somebody who has done something in the private sector⁸ and knows how to get things done. More importantly knows how to bring people together, not tear them apart."

　　Caucus voter John Ryan is less enthusiastic, but believes Romney would make an acceptable president. "I voted for Mitt Romney.  My opinion he was the least worst choice. I just don't see Newt Gingrich or Ron Paul as presidential material," said Ryan.

　　Candidate Newt Gingrich called a news conference late Saturday, saying he wanted to quell⁹ rumors¹⁰ that he plans to quit the race.  Gingrich promises to keep campaigning until the Republican nominating convention in Tampa, Florida, in late August.

　　The forner House speaker said, “I am a candidate for President of the United States.  I will be a candidate for President of the United States.  We will go to Tampa.”

　　Gingrich says he could catch up with frontrunner Romney by April.

　　Ron Paul and Rick Santorum, who finished third and fourth in the Nevada contest, concentrated their efforts Saturday on Minnesota and Colorado, which have Republican caucuses, and Missouri, which has a non-binding Republican primary election, all on Tuesday.

1 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

2 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

3 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

4 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

5 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 blighted   

adj.枯萎的，摧毁的

参考例句：

• Blighted stems often canker.有病的茎往往溃烂。
• She threw away a blighted rose.她把枯萎的玫瑰花扔掉了。

8 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

9 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

10 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》