Good afternoon,

Nevada is holding its primary elections for both Democrats and Republicans today. Of course, for a party that has been plagued by disarray, that's too simple for the GOP. Nevada is also holding a Republican caucus on Thursday.

In 2021, Nevada switched from party-run caucuses to state-run primaries. The Nevada Republican Party, however, protested that the caucuses are more secure and the primary is illegitimate. Candidates who appear on the primary ballot (like Nikki Haley) are not allowed to appear on the caucus ballot (like Donald Trump). Only the winner of the caucus will receive delegates. So to the 59,000 Republicans who cast mail-in ballots for the primary: the dysfunctional GOP won't hear you call.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is expected to follow up his tidy sweep of South Carolina with another win in the Nevada Democratic primary. That's to be anticipated from an incumbent during primary season, so we're looking ahead to the general election. Last week, we talked about how rural voters' perception of the economy will be a major factor in this year's election cycle. This week, we're looking at how Americans' feelings about their finances are beginning to align with topline economic indicators.

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE AT THE TOP OF 2024

• Some people stay up late for midnight album releases so they can be among the first to listen in the wee hours of Friday. For some people, that's just the prelude to ecstasy – ecstasy being then waking up early to eagerly await the drop of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly employment report.

• This past Friday, those in the latter category were pleased to see that 353,000 new jobs were added to the labor market in January. These opportunities, paired with the 0.6 percent hourly wage increase and the second straight year of unemployment below 4 percent, are creating a worker-friendly environment for Americans.

• Consumer confidence has increased dramatically, climbing 29 percent since November – including a 13 percent leap in January alone. There's still room for improvement, but if this trend continues, it could buoy Biden's polling numbers. Read OCP's full statement on the January jobs report here.

BOOSTING CHILDREN'S BENEFITS

• Last year, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a universal school meal bill into law. While many Minnesotan students already qualified for free and reduced meals, the law expands eligibility to all, which supports families who don't meet USDA household income requirements for free and reduced meals but still struggle to afford to feed their children – and have accumulated tens of thousands of dollars in lunch debt.

• Providing free meals reduces not only food insecurity, but also alleviates children and families' stress and stigma around mealtime, and increases children's health and improves their learning outcomes.

• Roseville, Minnesota is taking it a step further: the high school is making sure that high schoolers not only have a free meal, but one that is cooked from scratch using locally-sourced ingredients. These nutritious meals will supplant the mass-produced, processed meals of the past to help students eat healthier and support the local economy through partnerships with small farmers.

• Historic levels of hunger ballooned after pandemic-era food assistance programs ended and inflation drove grocery costs higher. Universal school meal policies have been gaining traction to cut child hunger back down, but critics point out that such programs are costly.

• The costs, however, are offset by the increased participation rates. More and more children are taking advantage of the program: high schoolers have seen an 11 percent increase in the number of kids eating lunch and a 26 percent increase in kids eating breakfast.

• When school isn't in session, the new federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) will help 21 million kids afford food. Strangely, Republican governors in 15 states have chosen to forgo $1.2 million in federal benefits. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds stated that Summer EBT "does nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic." If only there was evidence that Summer EBT has increased food security and positive nutritional outcomes for children!

• Feeding hungry kids should not be a partisan issue. Republicans cannot hold eight million children from fulfilling their basic need to eat. Families need solutions that expand access to nutritious food – improving their health, their school performance, and supporting their local economy.

LOOKING AHEAD

• The child tax credit, another tried-and-true method of providing families relief – passed with broad bipartisan support in the House. Now it needs to survive the Senate. Stayed tuned!

• The Gazette: Inspiring turnout in Iowa despite voter fatigue

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