Anjeanette Damon

Reno Gazette-Journal

RENO, Nev. — Former president Bill Clinton delivered a final caucus-eve pep talk to supporters at his wife's Reno campaign headquarters Friday, touting Hillary Clinton's plans for the environment, student debt and solar energy.

"Look, this whole election may come down to whether you can get everybody in this part of Nevada committed to her already to caucus and whether you can still turn some people," Bill Clinton said.

Volunteers from Nevada and California packed the small Midtown office eager to do just that as Nevada takes its turn in the early state presidential contest lineup.

"I feel like she is going to win," said Myra Caputi, who traveled to Reno from Los Angeles to help the campaign deliver voters to the caucuses on Saturday. "It's just a matter of how long it takes people to really look at the issues and listen to the plans and look at who can beat the Republicans and not just listen to all the general talk. Hillary is the only real candidate."

What Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton need in Nevada to win

On stage for about 15 minutes, Bill Clinton tried to deliver a message to each bloc of voters Hillary Clinton is hoping to amass in her tight primary fight against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

"Hillary says this is our time to dramatically grow the economy together, with more jobs, higher incomes and a sustainable future that uses our commitment to become the clean-energy superpower of the world," he said.

He then directed his remarks to the millennial generation, saying legions of young voters are upset because they are saddled with debt that will prevent them from buying a house or starting a business.

"Her (plan) is light years better for the millennial generation," Clinton said.

He said Hillary Clinton supports reforms that would allow students to refinance their student debt and in order to lower payments to a certain percentage of income.

"If you did that, everybody could move out of their parents' basement," he said.

Nevada, which is awash in sunshine, should be 100% energy-independent "with clean energy," Clinton argued.

"Hillary is opposed to what your utility did walking away from supporting solar energy," he said, referencing an ongoing fight between NV Energy and the rooftop solar energy over rates paid by solar customers.

Why is the outcome in Nevada such a mystery?

Christa Myers of Tahoe City brought her two daughters, Kiele, 11, and Sky, 8, to the rally. A longtime supporter of Hillary Clinton, Myers said she is "nervous" about the campaign going forward.

"The attention (Donald) Trump is getting is terrifying to me," she said. "It is so important that a Democrat win."

Myers said she's not surprised the primary race is close between Clinton and Sanders.

"He's espousing wonderful views," she said. "I'm being lured by him, but I will vote for Hillary."