Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Timely Solidarity: Nevada Democrats Join Silver State Republicans by Moving Caucuses to January 14 Date

In a move to bolster the place Nevada holds on the presidential primary calendar, Nevada Democrats joined their Republican counterparts in choosing Saturday, January 14 for the presidential caucuses next year. What impact this has on the Nevada Republican Party battle with New Hampshire over the timing of their respective contests is unknown for the time being, but Nevada Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Tarkanian did not give Laura Myers of the Las Vegas Review Journal a ringing endorsement of the "Nevada staying on January 14" option today.
"As of today we are on the 14th," Tarkanian said in an interview after touring the CNN debate hall. "As of today."
Regardless of whether one or both Nevada parties drops back a few days on the calendar or not, both the Democratic and Republican parties are doing now what was either not done earlier in the year or was a quietly held belief. Earlier in the year during the initial wave of panic caused by Florida's then-January 31 primary not changing (Yes, it is now scheduled for January 31, but it was scheduled for that date before it wasn't. ...before it was again.), all of the party chairs in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina were vocal about either the RNC making sure that threat did not come to fruition and/or letting the world know that each state would jump Florida if it did stay in January. Both parties in Nevada, but particularly the Republicans were quiet on the issue until Florida actually moved back to January 31 at the end of September.

As FHQ said, however, Nevada -- better late than never -- has made a strong case for keeping its spot at the beginning while also challenging New Hampshire's position to an extent that has not been matched in the post-reform era.



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