Nevada GOP nears moving caucuses (Politico)

After two days of negotiations in Las Vegas with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, Nevada Republicans have scheduled a vote Saturday that is likely to move the state?s caucus date to February, Nevada RNC delegate Heidi Smith said Wednesday.

Smith, who opposed the state party executive committee?s decision to place the caucus on Jan. 14, said the far larger central committee ? which she said numbers some 200 members ? will determine the caucus date.

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Smith said support is growing among the rank-and-file to move the caucus to Feb. 4. Priebus, in Las Vegas for Tuesday night?s debate and the Western Republican Leadership Conference, is in favor of that date, according to a GOP source.

?We are trying to work something out,? the source said. ?We?re trying to get them to go on the 4th.?

Doing so would allow the state to maintain its full slate of delegates to the Republican National Convention. A January date would cost Nevada half its 29 delegates.

But it will also move Nevada far from the beginning of the presidential calendar action, putting the state after Florida. That change could have an impact on the dynamics of the race itself ? Nevada is seen as a stronghold for Mitt Romney, though Rick Perry was digging into the state with an effort that included an endorsement from Gov. Brian Sandoval.

A date shift would end the showdown with New Hampshire, which has been eager to get Nevada off of its current date so that the traditional first-in-the-nation primary would go on Jan. 10. Half the GOP presidential field has pledged to boycott the caucus if it does not move.

?I think we will change it,? Smith said. ?Whatever is compatible with the other states, that would be our best course. It?s me versus the rest of the executive board right now.?

The Las Vegas Sun reported Wednesday that Priebus shared breakfast Wednesday with former Nevada Gov. Bob List. List told the Sun the RNC chairman told him that Nevada would be ?assured early status going forward? if it moves off Jan. 14 to assuage New Hampshire.

In practice, there is little the RNC can offer Nevada to get it to move. Rules for the 2016 cycle ? when there most likely won?t be a competitive Republican primary if the 2012 nominee defeats President Barack Obama ? won?t be set for another two years, and even then RNC leadership can?t impose new dates and rules without a membership vote.

RNC spokesman Sean Spicer said Priebus is ?continuing to try and create an orderly process to the nominating calendar.?

New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner had asked Nevada to move to Tuesday, Jan. 17, but Nevadans say they need to go on a Saturday because many caucus sites are in schools, which are not available on weekdays.

South Carolina?s caucus is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 21. Jan. 28 is considered too close to Florida?s rogue Jan. 31 primary.

Nevada GOP Chairwoman Amy Tarkanian, who initially favored a Feb. 4 caucus date before donors and grass-roots activists objected, did not immediately return phone calls Wednesday.

Smith lamented that the communication taking place this week between state and national GOP officials did not happen sooner.

?Here?s really what?s coming down,? she said. ?This is difficult for everybody. There should have been a meeting of the minds before, a national phone call, but things got confused and there wasn?t. Now they?re having a national phone call.?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories1011_66413_html/43319255/SIG=11muct2ic/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/66413.html

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