Beyond ‘Showgirls and Slot Machines’

Many Democrats think the early caucuses will help Democrats win Nevada in the fall. "We're miles and miles ahead of where we would normally be in January in terms of organizing for the fall," party spokeswoman Kirsten Searer said. "I don't think you can put a price on what this caucus has done for the Nevada Democratic Party." Others are less sure that the caucuses will help Democrats in November. "I don't think the two are connected at all," said University of Nevada at Reno political scientist Eric Herzik. He expects the state to be competitive, as "we are a true swing state" that has voted for the presidential winner in every election since 1912, with the exception of 1976. The state's 1 million registered voters are evenly split: 40.5 percent Democrats, 39.7 percent Republicans, with almost a fifth independent or Libertarian.

Nevada voters are seeing another facet of early-primary politics: nasty political infighting. Last week the Nevada State Education Association (NSEA), the state's teachers union, filed suit challenging the creation of nine "at-large" precincts in meeting spaces in Strip casino resorts designed to enfranchise hotel employees who can't leave work to caucus in their home precincts.

While the NSEA hasn't endorsed a candidate, some of the group's top officials are Clinton supporters, so the lawsuit is seen as an effort to suppress the turnout of members of the state's largest union, the 60,000-member Culinary Workers Union Local 226, which endorsed Obama last week. The union's secretary-treasurer, D. Taylor, is furious. "I never thought we'd have people in the Democratic Party try to disenfranchise women, people of color and large numbers of working people in this state," says Taylor. "I am sure every single elected official in Nevada will renounce it, and so will the Clinton campaign. If there's not renouncing of it, then there's an agreement with it."

So far, none have done so, although U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, who represents Las Vegas and endorsed Clinton, said, "If I were the Culinary, I'd be madder than a hatter right now too." Clinton has made only perfunctory statements about allowing the courts to decide. But former president Bill Clinton, campaigning for his wife in Henderson, Nev., on Monday, said he supports the lawsuit. Court action on the lawsuit is expected Wednesday.

"If you didn't believe me that this internecine Democratic warfare would be as nasty as any in state annals, this is more evidence," Ralston wrote in an e-mail blast in which he broke the news of the lawsuit late Friday. "By Jan. 20, friendships, alliances and relationships will be destroyed by this high-stakes game."

© 2008