Nevada seen as 'critical' state by GOP

WASHINGTON -- When the Republican Party held its first convention in 1856 in Philadelphia, Nevada wasn't even a state.

Now Nevada is flourishing as a dynamic international tourist attraction -- as well as a draw for money-grabbing political candidates. But as Republicans gather again in Philadelphia 144 years later, does Nevada really matter as a player on the stage of presidential politics?

Some observers say the state is emerging as a hot piece of political property, despite its mere four electoral votes (neighboring California offers 54). Nevada already is the target of early George W. Bush television spots and grass-roots campaigning.

"If the race is close at all in November, it's a state that Bush needs to win," said UNLV political science professor Ted Jelen. "He's got to pretty much sweep the Mountain West."

Nevada is a "critical state" for Bush and Democratic opponent Al Gore, said Nevada Republican Party executive director Ryan Erwin.

"This is a state that four times running chose a Republican for president, then voted twice for Clinton," Erwin said. "It's a battleground."

About 60 Nevada Republican leaders join roughly 45,000 convention attendees today settling into Philadelphia hotels for this week's convention.

Among them are Nevada's 17 delegates and 17 alternates, chosen at the state Republican convention held in May. Officially, it will be the job of the delegates to represent the state's Republicans on the raucus convention floor to nominate Bush for president.

The nominating process is now ceremonial -- Ted Koppel once called it an "informercial" -- because presidential nominees have been determined well before the conventions for several decades.

The carefully scripted made-for-TV conventions now serve to energize participants and viewers, to give the candidates a post-convention "bounce" in the polls and to introduce the candidates in a favorable light to Americans who have paid little attention to the races.

"Most of the swing voters so far have been watching 'Survivor' and 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,' which most of the time are a lot more fun," Jelen said.

The political conventions also are about raising money, lobbying, schmoozing and partying -- important parts of the political process.

"Mostly what you do at the Republican convention is you make your contacts, and you try to rev up everybody so they really go to work when they get back," said Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn, a first-time delegate.

Among those pumping hands and bending ears this year will be the gaming industry's chief lobbyists in Washington from the American Gaming Association. Others will include nuclear energy industry officials who eagerly await a Republican president. They hope a new chief executive will hurry along a proposal to bury the nation's high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

The Nuclear Energy Institute, along with several other energy groups, are planning an "America's Energy Texas Barbecue" for one of the Yucca plan's strongest supporters, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas.

Some observers say corporations have taken over the conventions. The events are more about wealthy special interests wining and dining powerful politicians than nominating a candidate, said Jeff Cronin of Washington watchdog group Common Cause.

"It's unseemly," Cronin said. "People look at the conventions as some giant party to which they are not invited. And that is literally the case."

Cronin said special interests will be a bigger presence this year than ever.

"In 2000, you schmooze or lose," Cronin said.

Businesses and Republican donors paid for the convention itself, coughing up cost an estimated $50 million. And there's more where that came from.

The convention will be a flurry of fund-raising for candidates, although the Nevada Republican Party's "Las Vegas Night" fund-raiser was canceled because gambling games -- even with fake money -- are illegal in Pennsylvania, the state's attorney general ruled. That forced Nevada Republicans to scrap their fundraiser and join a nonfund-raising event held with California and Florida.

"It was very disappointing," Erwin said. "It would have been a lot of fun."

But Nevada candidates will have plenty to keep them busy.

"I plan on spending a lot of time campaigning, via phone, fax, keeping in contact with Southern Nevada," said Jon Porter, who is challenging Democrat Shelley Berkley for her House seat. "My plan is to meet as many members of Congress as possible."

Senate contender and Nevada delegate John Ensign will hold two fund-raisers of his own during the week seeking about $50,000, campaign chairman Pete Ernaut said.

Ernaut, a Nevada delegate, also is a Bush campaign adviser for Nevada. He said Nevada Republicans are looking for some specific commitments from Bush during the week on improving education, protecting Medicare and Social Security benefits, and defense.

Ernaut said Nevada is a "very important cog" to Bush, crucial if he loses in California, where Bush and Gore are running a heated campaign.

"If he doesn't win in California, the aggregate count of Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah -- become very important to offset that," Ernaut said.

Ernaut said it was likely Bush would make "whistle stops" in Las Vegas and Reno in the months before the election.

Most observers say that after both conventions Bush and Gore will have to wage fierce fights to walk away with Nevada.

"The race is going to certainly get closer," said Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., a Nevada delegate. "The next several months are going to be extremely exciting."

Bush spokesman Tucker Eskew said he didn't know if Bush soon would be making any policy statements on issues that specifically affect Nevada, like gambling and nuclear waste storage.

But "when the governor has something new to say there is nothing that constrains him from saying it," Eskew said.

Eskew added, "We view Nevada as a state worth working hard in to win."

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