Tuesday, July 25, 2006 | 7:45 a.m.
W hen people think of the states that can make or break a presidential bid out of the starting gate, Iowa and New Hampshire quickly come to mind, but Nevada? Well, that could change very soon.
Nevada already has become a highly prized swing state in the presidential sweepstakes, and a recent decision by Democrats could make Nevada an even bigger player in determining who goes on to capture the White House. Over the weekend a committee of national Democrats recommended that in 2008 the party's presidential caucus in Nevada be held right after the Iowa caucus, which holds the first nominating contest in the nation.
If the Democratic National Committee ratifies this recommendation, Nevada's caucus would occur even before the fabled primary in New Hampshire, something that politicians in the Granite State are none too happy about. (Caucuses, unlike primaries that are decided by secret ballot at the polls, involve party gatherings where individuals listen to speeches by the candidates' spokesmen and then openly declare their preference for a candidate.)
Democrats at the national level have been looking at altering the presidential nominating process because of concerns that Iowa and New Hampshire have held too much sway in determining the party's nominee. The Democrats also wanted to add another state early in the process that was more representative of the nation and of the party. The ethnically and racially diverse state of Nevada, which also has a sizable unionized workforce, fit the bill perfectly.
Nevada, the fastest-growing state in the nation, also has a nice mix of both urban and rural areas. Along with the advantages of offering an early presidential contest for the Democrats that better represents what America truly looks like, the influence of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in persuading the Democratic National Committee's rules committee to make its recommendation can't be overstated.
Our state also stands to gain with its new prominence. Issues that are paramount to Nevada, such as water and the state's opposition to the federal government's plan to bury nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, certainly will get the attention of those candidates seeking the Democratic nomination.
For years we have called for a major overhaul of the presidential nominating system, which has given too much clout to Iowa and New Hampshire. Adding a contest in between these two states, especially from a diverse state such as Nevada, certainly would be a step in the right direction.
Republicans typically don't follow the lead of Democrats, but we would love to see national Republicans make a similar move and provide a needed jolt to their presidential nominating process. For that matter, we can't think of a better place for the Republicans to start than giving thought to adding Nevada to the early mix of primaries and caucuses.
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