Often overlooked in the early primary battle for delegates is the caucus contest in Nevada, which in the last two presidential cycles has gone easily to Mitt Romney given the states disproportionately large Mormon population.
But with Romney now officially out of the running, the state is up for grabs. Though its delegate count is relatively small, Real Clear Politics’ Scott Conroy speculates they could be a deciding factor between a continuing primary campaign and one that is flaming out.
The state is also well known for its libertarian bent which offers specific appeal to candidates like Rand Paul and Ted Cruz who can play to Tea Party sentiments still very alive and well.
According a recent poll conducted in Nevada by Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, the race reflects a similar lay of the land in Iowa and New Hampshire with Scott Walker leading the pack at 18% followed by Jeb Bush at 12% and Rand Paul at 9%.
