Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Big names in politics visit Nevada prepping for 2012

Obama Speaks in Vegas

President Barack Obama delivers a speech outside Orr Middle School at a Launch slideshow »

Newt Gingrich-Sharron Angle Rally

Sharron Angle blows kisses to the crowd at Newt Gingrich's Jobs Here, Jobs Now tour Oct. 21, 2010, at the JW Marriott in Las Vegas. Launch slideshow »

Sarah Palin in Reno

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin speaks to the crowd during the kickoff of the nationwide Tea Party Express bus tour in Reno on Monday, Oct. 18, 2010. Launch slideshow »
Click to enlarge photo

Mitt Romney, from left, Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki and Joe Heck, candidate for U.S. Congress, tour Las Vegas Color Graphics on Oct. 6, 2010.

Sun Coverage

The race between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican challenger Sharron Angle has attracted a steady stream of big-name politicians to Nevada: President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich.

The political heavyweights have endorsed and raised money, given speeches and campaigned. These efforts, however, have been as much for the headliners as for the candidates they’re supporting. All are expected to be key players in the 2012 presidential race, and their swings through Nevada — an early presidential caucus state — can help those ends.

Certainly, Obama and Biden have the current elections at the forefront of their minds. They are fighting to secure Congress for the Democrats before worrying about keeping their jobs two years from now. Still, rallies with supporters offer a friendly forum to highlight achievements and try to counter the anti-incumbent attitude sweeping the nation.

“There’s a reason (Obama) is coming to Nevada. It’s because the state did very well for him in 2008,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine said.

The Republicans who have streamed through the state are largely free agents with presidential ambitions. By stumping in Nevada, they can test and build on their political popularity. They can also build relationships with local political players that might be useful to their campaigns.

“People realize you have to get an early start and establish relationships,” said Jennifer Duffy, a senior editor for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. “It’s not an ineffective strategy. There’s no downside.”

Palin and Romney, both former governors, and Gingrich, former speaker of the House, are on the shortlist of potential 2012 GOP nominees, and all have endorsed Nevada’s Republican slate.

Palin hosted a Tea Party rally for Angle last week in Reno. Gingrich stumped Thursday for Angle and congressional candidate Joe Heck in Las Vegas. Romney, who has visited Nevada several times this election cycle, made appearances and hosted fundraisers last month for all of Nevada’s top-of-the-ticket Republicans.

“We’d like to see you in the White House,” Ara Depoyan, an account manager at Las Vegas Color Graphics, told Romney as he toured the facility with Heck and Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, who is running for re-election. Romney won Nevada’s 2008 Republican caucus with slightly more than half the vote despite a crowded field of contenders.

“We’ll see,” Romney said.

A man in the crowd during Gingrich’s speech yelled “Newt in 2012!” Later, several people asked about his political ambitions.

Like Romney, Gingrich said he is waiting to get through Nov. 2 midterm elections before announcing any decision. Palin also hasn’t said whether she will seek the White House, but has hinted she will.

Romney denied targeting Nevada for his benefit.

“I’m only going to 25 states in two months,” he deadpanned. He hopes to hit 30 by Election Day.

Still, those states include New Hampshire, South Carolina and Arizona, which, along with Nevada, will play key roles in the upcoming presidential race.

“In some ways, Romney never stopped campaigning,” Duffy said. “He called it a book tour for a while.”

Gingrich — who has played presidential chicken for years, hinting at, then foregoing bids — has taken his message nationwide as well, both with book tours in states such as Iowa and Florida and with a 10-city blitz billed as a job-creation tour.

Palin, who prefers to headline large news-making events, has made appearances for conservative and Tea Party candidates in California, Minnesota and Alaska.

“There’s a whole bunch of 2012 campaigning happening in 2010,” Duffy said. “This has definitely become a 50-state effort.”

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