Wig Under That Wig

Pay attention, hunties. There's a reason why our favorite philosopher has said, "Do not remove your wig... Unless there is another wig underneath your wig!"

Now watch... And learn.



Since we all know reading is fundamental, we must ask this question: When did the "Disney Nickelodeon Meltdown Club" suddenly morph into the Nevada Republican Party? We can't help but wonder. And come on, there's no way we could have missed the hot mess on Twitter that managed to ensnare Ray Hagar and Jon Ralston!

So what happened? Once again, Chuck Muth is f**king it up. Apparently when he's not slandering people he doesn't even know, race baiting to new extremes, or simply lying through his teeth about The Education Initiative, he's "The Campaign Doctor".



And this week, "The Campaign Doctor" has been busy promoting his candidates on various shady corners of the internet. But when he started throwing shade in all the wrong directions, he turned out to be the one left in the dark. (Yet even in the dark, we could still see that bad paint job on that mug.)

And once again, we're left to wonder why the Nevada Republican Party allowed Chuck Muth & his cohorts to conquer the party and remake it in their own image in the first place. Once upon a time, it was the party of Kenny Guinn, Bill Raggio, and Sue Wagner. It was the party of #winning. And even though it was a conservative party, it was also a party that stood for some sort of sound governance.

But now, the Nevada Republican Party has devolved into nothing more than a crazy clown car circus. And gawddammit, grrrl, they can't even lip sync for their lives!

We saw again this week who their true leader is, so we're not surprised that there's still no @NVGOP rebuke of the sh*tshow Chuck Muth starred in online. If anything, they're reveling in it. But in putting on such a show, they forgot a critical rule of engagement: If one truly wants to impress the judges, one best not remove the wig... Unless there's another wig under that wig.

Drop the Kool-Aid

They can't say we didn't warn them. We did. In fact, we did multiple times. We distinctly remember this somber warning from May 2012.

[... W]inning elections doesn't happen by just demanding "purity" and throwing a temper tantrum when that doesn't happen. Believe it or not, temper tantrums don't win elections. This is something we often have to grapple with on the left, but now we're seeing this unfold on the right at a level that I've never seen before. [...]

Ron Paul's supporters care deeply for their libertarian beliefs, and they're set to accept nothing less than full fealty to those beliefs. But in pursuing complete ideological purity, they're also set to lose a whole lot of elections because they simply don't care about that stuff. This is why Nevada Republicans are in such dire straits. And it should serve as an important lesson to all the rest of us trying to balance ideological wishes with political reality.

Hey, we tried. It just sucks for them that they refused to listen to us. Instead, the Nevada Republican Party keeps doubling down on crazy.

We've said it before, but we must say it again today. Sharron Angle likely has more control over the Nevada Republican Party than anyone who's actually supposed to be a "leader" in Carson City or DC. As much as Brian Sandoval would like to deny it and John Boehner would like to hide it, that's the awful and crazy truth that we saw unfold over the course of this year. 

Never mind that Sharron Angle currently holds no elected office and has no official position with the Nevada Republican Party. She and her "TEA Party, Inc." BFFs have provided the ideology that's now the heart and soul of today's Republican Party. And as a result, many Republicans are still defending their crazy actions.

This is why we weren't surprised by the debut of the new Nevada Republican Party pre-primary endorsement questionnaire. This is also why we weren't surprised by the decision of Neena Laxalt and Sue Wagner to leave the Nevada Republican Party. And this is why we're not surprised by the newest episode of "Republicans Eating Their Own".

As the state and national Republican Party continue to fracture into "a million little pieces", Republican "leaders" keep trying to find hot new ways to put all those pieces back together. They've tried new technology. They've tried new "principles". They've tried "rebranding". They've tried "reinvention". And it probably won't be long before they try an "intervention from Jesus".

Have they ever thought about trying to quit their addiction to Sharron Angle's Kool-Aid? No matter how hard they try, no amount of meaningless cosmetic changes can cure the illness that's been caused by the poison they've been drinking for far too long. If they want to survive, let alone heal, they need to drop the Kool-Aid.

Bloody Consequences

It's happening again. It's like clockwork. It goes on and on. And Senator Harry Reid (D) once again had to deliver the predictable bad news today.

.@SenatorReid on gun safety bill: "I would love to bring it back up. But I can't do it until I have the votes."

And he won't have the votes until more politicians on Capitol Hill develop the courage to kick their NRA habit. So what else is new?

Sadly, another shooting is. This time, it was at a mall in Northern New Jersey.

People forced to take cover inside the mall posted to Twitter throughout the night as they waited to be evacuated. One woman, Kathryn Jean Lopez, posted: “Folks are nervous in here please just say a prayer. ... There is screaming.” She posted a dark photo from inside the Nordstrom store showing several people seated on the floor checking their phones.

Jonathan Astacio, a manager at the Brookstone store at the mall, said he heard what sounded like four gunshots near the store around 9:20 p.m. Mr. Astacio said he saw police officers searching the mall.

He and other employees at the store moved into a back stockroom, he said.

Alexa Tom, 28, a sales associate who works at Neiman Marcus in the mall, said that she saw security guards running through the store locking down all the doors after 9 p.m. The store’s security team brought the more than 50 people left in the store to the first-floor shoe department, where they stayed for about an hour.

Fortunately, no one was injured this time... Except for the shooter himself, Richard Shoop. This was his planned suicide. And he apparently wanted a host of witnesses to it.

At least no one else was hurt... This time. But as we know all too well these days, that isn't always the case. Just don't try explaining that to G-O-TEA icon Ron Paul. He thinks this is all about "freedom".

“Jefferson obviously was a clear leader on the principle of nullification,” the former Texas congressman said of the third president. “I’ve been working on the assumption that nullification is going to come. It’s going to be a de facto nullification. It’s ugly, but pretty soon things are going to get so bad that we’re just going to ignore the feds and live our own lives in our own states.” [...]

...He stressed that the constitutional “right to keep and bear arms” was not for hunting, but to allow rebellion against tyrannical governments. “The Second Amendment was not there so you could shoot rabbits,” he said. “Right now today, we have a great threat to our liberties internally.”

Ron Paul said this at a campaign rally for Virginia G-O-TEA Gubernatorial Candidate Ken Cuccinelli... But he might as well have said it on the stage with his ideological soulmate, Sharron Angle. After all, they share the same affinity for "Second Amendment Remedies". And they both fail to see the bloody real world consequences of their dangerous rhetoric and equally dangerous policy prescriptions.

Every so often, Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA) and Rep. Joe Heck (R-NRA) will say something about the need to do something about gun violence. Yet when push comes to shove, they vote the NRA-Sharron Angle-Ron Paul party line. And in turn, Harry Reid doesn't have the votes to pass anything. And we all continue to live with the bloody consequences of inaction.

10 of 12: Caucus Fracas

Around this time last year, we reflected on "The Rise & Fall of the 'New' Nevada GOP". Early on in 2011, everything seemed to be going so well for Nevada Republicans. They had finally ridden themselves of "top of the ticket troublemakers", and they seemed to be turning a corner with fresh faces in leadership.

Well, that grand old elephant honeymoon didn't last long. And as 2012 began, that became crystal clear. What was supposed to be Nevada Republicans' special moment in the spotlight instead became a total train wreck. And what was supposed to be "Mitt Romney's big night" instead became #CaucusFracas2012.

Funny enough, he unintentionally pointed out the greatest weakness of Nevada Republicans. Ever since 2008, they've been obsessing over ideological purity instead of even attempting to show any real interest in governing. We saw it in 2010, when they embraced extremism and tried to shove the most radical US Senate candidate we've ever seen down our throats. And we saw it again last year, when they were more interested in playing political games than solving our state's problems. It's really all about their radical "tea party" ideology for them. And by making Mitt Romney embrace it, they're only sowing the seeds of their own defeat this fall.

Oh, and by the way, NBC News now officially projects Mitt Romney to win the G-O-TEA Caucus tonight. Wow. What a surprise! ;-)

But again, this "victory" is looking increasingly pyrrhic. As we talked about yesterday, President Obama is proving that his vision of economic recovery and rebuilding is one that really works. So what does Mitt Romney have to compete with this? Lies? Radical right extremism? Donald Trump?

My prediction actually did come true. For one, Rick Santorum managed to upstage Romney by turning a trio of supposedly "meaningless beauty contests" into a "game change" moment that forced Romney to actually compete for the Republican nomination. And while that ultimately wasn't enough to keep Romney from claiming the nomination, what happened in February forced Romney to run so far to the radical right that he made himself unelectable in the general election.

And if that didn't add enough insult to injury, this most certainly did.



The caucus process itself melted into pure chaos as voters were being turned away, counting turned into controversy, and out-of-state media looked in horror as the Nevada Republican Party began to unravel. But perhaps above all else, this was a major turning point for Nevada Republicans... As we saw the beginnings of "The Second Ron Paul Revolution.



So they succeeded in hijacking the Nevada Republican Party. They then failed at actually leading it somewhere (other than abject failure). We saw the writing on the wall back in May.

[... W]inning elections doesn't happen by just demanding "purity" and throwing a temper tantrum when that doesn't happen. Believe it or not, temper tantrums don't win elections.

This is something we often have to grapple with on the left, but now we're seeing this unfold on the right at a level that I've never seen before. As much as some grassroots folks on the left and the right love to see epic ideological battles unfold at party conventions and purge all "unsavory moderates" out of their respective parties, the fact of the matter is that doing that gets us no closer to winning elections. (If anything, that HURTS efforts to win elections.) While it's always important to promote the values we believe in and hold fast to them, we can't punish political parties for focus[ing] on party building while perhaps shirking "ideology enforcement" duties. After all, the first responsibility of a political party is to build the infrastructure necessary to win elections.

At times, we on the left have not seen eye to eye with Nevada State Democratic Party leaders. And yes, we sometimes get irritated when they seem to favor moderate candidates over "BOLD PROGRESSIVES!!!" However, most of us also realize that getting 70-90% of what we want is far better than getting nothing, so we leave Fantasy-land behind and return to the real world & return to working the field to win elections.

And this is why Orrin Johnson is panicking. Ron Paul's supporters care deeply for their libertarian beliefs, and they're set to accept nothing less than full fealty to those beliefs. But in pursuing complete ideological purity, they're also set to lose a whole lot of elections because they simply don't care about that stuff. This is why Nevada Republicans are in such dire straits. And it should serve as an important lesson to all the rest of us trying to balance ideological wishes with political reality.

Again, we could see what was coming. So while "The 'New New' Nevada GOP" focused on such important matters as worshipping at the altar of Ron Paul, the top money people, the "consultant class", and even the entire Washoe County Republican Party proceeded to obtain a "divorce" from "The Real Nevada Republican Party" in order for the RNC to "make it rain" on them. And while the Ron Paul Party succeeded in revering their "dear leader" in their own special way, Dean Heller and other top Nevada Republican politicians just ran away from the entire party.

That's why they could not stop this from happening. And that's ultimately why they could not stop this from happening. And that's why Nevada Republicans may be resigned to this for a while (longer).

Back in September, we noticed Nevada Republicans' glaring lack of field. The "power player" consultants ultimately opted to spend more on media advertising while "the real Nevada Republican Party" continued its increasingly time-honored tradition of extraordinary infighting. The few victories Republicans enjoyed on November 6 were more despite the party, not because of it.

So what will Nevada Republicans do to move forward? The above mentioned consultants are floating around the idea of some sort of "permanent Team Nevada" to circumvent the real state party. Others want to continue plotting a plan to finally wrest control from the Ron Paul acolytes who have been spinning the party out of control (perhaps because they're ideologically opposed to any kind of central control?). Meanwhile, the Ron Paul acolytes and their teabagger allies are already threatening primary challenges to Brian Sandoval and all other Republicans they deem "impure". So basically, get ready for another cycle full of G-O-TEA mayhem. [...]

But can Republicans ultimately remain relevant with this level of chaos continuing indefinitely? I have my doubts. It's just not sustainable to set up a "shadow party" to get out the vote, outsource other party functions (like sending mailers and producing yard signs) out of state, and allow "top of the ticket" candidates to continue running their own operations completely separated from the party while avoiding the actual party like the plague. Something's got to give. We'll just have to wait and see what happens in the coming months as the Nevada Republican Party nears its final implosion (and first chance of actual rebuilding).

And this, my dears, is the sad and sordid tale of the Nevada Republican Party in the 2012 Presidential Cycle. We can only sit back, grab some popcorn, and see what kind of spectacular drama unfolds in G-O-TEA Land in 2013.

How Much Longer Can Nevada GOP Continue Its Self-destruction?

So the election has been over for nearly three weeks. And here in Nevada, all the races have been called. So why is there still so much drama brewing in the Nevada Republican Party?

Yesterday, the local "newspaper" had a(nother) story on the Nevada GOP's latest episode of soul searching, finger pointing, and primal screaming. Apparently, they're just starting to get the memo that Nevada is (still) a Blue State. And they have to figure out a way to avoid losing relevancy.

Earlier in the month, Ralston called them out on their epic dysfunction this cycle.

The Republicans were left with presenting fantasy math that the Flat Earth Society would have rejected and claiming they had made billions of voter contacts (I think that was the number) that would counteract the vaunted Democratic machine, an amazing integration of OFA and Team Reid.

Gentlemen, you should be embarrassed.

The Republican Party is irrelevant: Perhaps irrelevant is too mild. They may as well put up a “vacancy” sign outside the party’s headquarters. His father’s illness notwithstanding, Chairman Michael McDonald was an absentee landlord – nearly every release from the party was from Vice-Chairman James Smack.

The Romney campaign and the RNC tried a workaround, but the Ron Paul folks nipping at their heels, a Clark County GOP run by loons and a Washoe party that seceded and became a subset of the National Republican Senatorial Committee were too much to bear. When mailers started appearing from the Idaho and Colorado Republican parties in mailboxes here, the comedy show had devolved to pure farce.

They either adopt a long-term plan or even Sandoval should be worried.

And he's correct. Back in September, we noticed Nevada Republicans' glaring lack of field. The "power player" consultants ultimately opted to spend more on media advertising while "the real Nevada Republican Party" continued its increasingly time-honored tradition of extraordinary infighting. The few victories Republicans enjoyed on November 6 were more despite the party, not because of it.

So what will Nevada Republicans do to move forward? The above mentioned consultants are floating around the idea of some sort of "permanent Team Nevada" to circumvent the real state party. Others want to continue plotting a plan to finally wrest control from the Ron Paul acolytes who have been spinning the party out of control (perhaps because they're ideologically opposed to any kind of central control?). Meanwhile, the Ron Paul acolytes and their teabagger allies are already threatening primary challenges to Brian Sandoval and all other Republicans they deem "impure". So basically, get ready for another cycle full of G-O-TEA mayhem.

Of course, this is no reason for Democrats to become complacent. After all, Dean Heller was able to eke out his legendary 46% win by mostly keeping his distance from the Nevada GOP FAIL-o-rama. But on the other hand, he only managed to net 46% despite smearing his opponent in mud on the airwaves. Still, this may be a model for other prominent Republican politicians looking to circumvent "Dysfunction Junction" and overcome "The Reid Machine" at Nevada Democrats' disposal.

But can Republicans ultimately remain relevant with this level of chaos continuing indefinitely? I have my doubts. It's just not sustainable to set up a "shadow party" to get out the vote, outsource other party functions (like sending mailers and producing yard signs) out of state, and allow "top of the ticket" candidates to continue running their own operations completely separated from the party while avoiding the actual party like the plague. Something's got to give. We'll just have to wait and see what happens in the coming months as the Nevada Republican Party nears its final implosion (and first chance of actual rebuilding).

Why Ron Paul's "Movement" Still Matters

Remember when we discussed this back in May?

As much as some grassroots folks on the left and the right love to see epic ideological battles unfold at party conventions and purge all "unsavory moderates" out of their respective parties, the fact of the matter is that doing that gets us no closer to winning elections. (If anything, that HURTS efforts to win elections.) While it's always important to promote the values we believe in and hold fast to them, we can't punish political parties for focus on party building while perhaps shirking "ideology enforcement" duties. After all, the first responsibility of a political party is to build the infrastructure necessary to win elections. [...]

And this is why Orrin Johnson is panicking. Ron Paul's supporters care deeply for their libertarian beliefs, and they're set to accept nothing less than full fealty to those beliefs. But in pursuing complete ideological purity, they're also set to lose a whole lot of elections because they simply don't care about that stuff. This is why Nevada Republicans are in such dire straits. And it should serve as an important lesson to all the rest of us trying to balance ideological wishes with political reality.

So far, this truly has come to full fruition. And it's happened in a way that's truly scared Nevada Republican "elites". And now, we're set to finally experience the climax of this epic saga.

Putting a candidate’s name up for nomination is not the same as voting for the ultimate nominee. Paul’s supporters would have to persuade 1,144 delegates to switch their vote to take the nomination away from Romney.

Given the fact that Romney has won an overwhelming majority of the delegates, and given the party’s requirement that results in early states are binding, that’s unlikely.

In Nevada, for example, 20 of the 28 delegates are required to vote for Romney as the ultimate nominee, even if the individual delegate personally supports Paul.

Still, Paul supporters will not acknowledge defeat.

“We’ve been communicating with some other Ron Paul delegates. ... Anything’s possible,” said Carl Bunce, Paul’s former Nevada campaign chairman. “That’s the way conventions work. Right now, the Romney campaign is making sure his (Paul’s) name doesn’t get on the ballot. But if his name gets on there and Rand speaks, and Ron speaks, people wake up. I’ve seen it happen.”

Oh yes, that's right. Ron Paul's intensely devoted fan club still can't give up their fantasy of Ron Paul becoming this year's Republican Presidential Nominee. Never mind that RNC leaders have already set up next week's GOP Convention in Tampa to be one giant coronation ceremony for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.

Yet even though Ron Paul has no realistic chance of wresting the G-O-TEA nomination away from Mitt Romney, Romney's campaign keeps running scared. Romney and RNC staffers have had to negotiate with Ron Paul loyalists, giving them a prime time speaking role for US Senator (and son of Ron) Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), "The Most Conservative [National Party] Platform in Modern History", and even more concessions, just to convince them not to "ruin Willard's big moment". Yet despite all this, Ron Paul's Nevada troops refuse to concede this fight. And depending on how far they intend to take their quixotic quest in Tampa next week, it may cause yet another political headache for an ailing Romney campaign.

After all, a good chunk of the G-O-TEA base never really warmed up to Romney. They're only backing him now in hopes that "Favorite Son" Paul Ryan will end up serving as "The De Facto President" if Romney wins... Or becomes the favorite for the 2016 GOP Nomination if Romney doesn't. Even though Ron Paul's devotees represent "the fringe of the ('tea party') fringe", they may nonetheless remind America of just how brutal the G-O-TEA primary season was... To Mitt Romney's political fantasies and ambition.

And this is how Ron Paul and his "movement" have managed to remain relevant all this year.

What a Fool Believes: Nevada GOP to Do Voter Registration?

I guess the latest voter registration statistics are really starting to sink in. The "Real" Nevada GOP will be receiving $166,000 to contract out voter registration. Wow.



"Real" Nevada GOP Chair Michael McDonald says this is a sign of recovery from "The May-lee" that pretty much sealed the deal in ripping the party apart. Yet just as McDonald proudly announces this and enhanced "cooperation" with the Washoe County GOP, the Washoe GOP is continuing its legal divorce from the state party. And while McDonald claims he has a great relationship with the RNC, that hasn't stopped the RNC from funneling more money to the "Team Nevada" "Shadow GOP".

So what's the real story here? That's what I'm trying to figure out. And remember, we're talking about Michael McDonald here. This is the guy backed by the "tea party" loons who supposedly hate bailouts, yet he continues to milk the City of Las Vegas for more bailouts. And this is the same guy who let Ron Paul's campaign hijack the state GOP convention, yet he's now to be trusted with RNC money meant to help Mitt Romney?

Perhaps there's some kind of reasoning behind this. After all, that "Shadow GOP" isn't looking all that great now. Just look at what's happened to AFP since it started that bus tour. Maybe the "Real" Nevada Republican Party isn't looking all that bad by comparison?

Whatever the case, the Nevada GOP is back in the news. And whenever that happens, Republican consultants start crying into their coffee. Oh, what a fool believes.

Wherein the Washoe GOP Files for Divorce from Nevada GOP

Did you see this yesterday? I'm still catching my breath.

Long story short: The Washoe County Republican Central Committee filed with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) for its own federal committee. And this is relevant because typically county party committees refrain from filing for their own federal campaign committees, choosing instead to leave that to the state party. Pay close attention to this excerpt from the Washoe GOP's request to the FEC.

Under Commission regulations at 11 CFR 110.3(b)(3), the WCRP is not affiliated with the Nevada Republican State Central Committee (NRSCC). Specifically, the WCRP confirms to the Commission that it is not funded by the NRSCC; is not under the management or control of the NRSCC; and does not conduct its activity (including making contributions) in cooperation, consultation or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of the NRSCC, or any other political committee established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the NRSCC.

Accordingly, the WCRP will conduct its activity as a federal local party committee that is unaffiliated with its state party committee

Come on, we all know what they're talking about! Back in May, we noted the strong tension brewing within the Nevada G-O-TEA. And just last month, we saw the chaos intensify. With the Nevada Republican Party already falling apart, we shouldn't be too surprised that the Washoe County Republican Party wants a divorce.

After all, a good portion of the state party still believes Ron Paul is the "REAL Republican nominee"...

"The Ron Paul Revolution" That Won't Go Away

Remember when Ron Paul followers finally succeeded in conquering the Nevada Republican Party? Not much longer after that, Ron Paul had to suspend his campaign... But Ron Paul's incredibly loyal Nevada followers wouldn't. Now, we're starting to really see why they've refused to give up.

Bottom line: They seek respect for their leader.

The Texas Republican and former presidential hopeful said that he had not asked convention organizers or Mitt Romney for a speaking slot, even as it was clear during the interview that he would like one.

“I have not asked specifically, and he hasn’t invited me to,” said Paul.

The libertarian crusader said his goal is to prove that there are advantages to including his supporters and viewpoints in the Republican Party.

“If I’m not going to the be the nominee, the goal is to show that there’s a political benefit toward accepting some of the views that we have,” he said. “All I want to do, if I don’t get a speech on the floor in the convention, all I want to do is have a meeting and say, ‘Look, we have numbers, we have people, we have enthusiasm, we believe in something. Why don’t you pay a little attention?’ And actually I think they are. They don’t know quite how to handle it.”

Yet even as the RNC has snubbed "Ron Paul's Revolution", it can't afford to ignore this revolution at its doorstep. Why? Well, do you really need me to explain again? This time, I'll let Rachel Maddow explain.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This is the problem now facing Nevada Republicans. Most in their grassroots still want to stand with their dear leader, but the establishment is furiously trying to thwart them in every possible way. That's why they've erected a "shadow party" to circumvent them. But as long as they're still around and threaten chaos at the Republican National Convention in Tampa this August, they will still be relevant... Much to Mitt Romney's detriment.

Nevada Republicans... Are Still Not Helping Mitt Romney.

What on earth is Jim Messina talking about?



Remember when Jim Messina came here last August? Now think of all that's happened since then. Now, do you get it?

Certainly, there are many challenges that lie ahead. But as we've discussed before, it seems like Nevada Republicans aren't hesitating to lend President Obama's campaign a helping hand. Their latest hire serves as another reminder of that.

Former Utah state Rep. Carl Wimmer will become the new political director for the Nevada Republican Party — a key battleground state in the 2012 election.

Wimmer will continue to live in Herriman (Utah) and commute to Nevada "on a weekly basis."

"My primary goals for the Nevada Republican Party are to help Republican candidates get elected — including a Nevada win for Mitt Romney —aggressive fundraising and unification of the party," Wimmer said in a statement.

Wimmer was elected three times to the state House and was co-founder of the Patrick Henry Caucus, a group of conservative lawmakers focused on state sovereignty. He sponsored numerous pieces of pro-life legislation, gun rights bills and was the lead sponsor of legislation challenging federal health reform.

He was considered the frontrunner to win Utah’s new 4th Congressional District and resigned his legislative seat to campaign, but was soundly beaten at the state GOP convention in April by Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love, who won the nomination.

Oh, yes. Nothing screams #WINNING like hiring a new political director from out of state, then learning that the new political director won't even be moving into the state where his new job is! Oh, and this new political director showed his #winning skills by losing a Congressional race he was "expected to win"! So why did Carl Wimmer get this gig in the first place? Oh yes, that's right. He endorsed Ron Paul for President.

Come on, they have to remember their priorities! (And really, winning in November isn't one of them.)

This is why Mitt Romney is worrying about Nevada. And this is one big reason why Jim Messina colored Nevada light blue in his map today.

Explaining Nevada Republicans' Existential Crisis

The Nevada G-O-TEA's reenactment of "Lord of the Flies" is turning out to be quite the stunning performance. In fact, it's so convincing that it's scaring Republican insiders in DC. And it's making them find ways to circumvent their own state party.

To hear some Republicans tell it, the disarray of their state party apparatus isn’t much to worry about.

After all, they’ve got the cavalry coming in the form of nearly unlimited spending from outside political nonprofit groups, which can blanket the airwaves with ads and even pinch hit in the all-important ground game.

The money part is true. Crossroads GPS, the Karl Rove-founded political organization, just launched an expensive, monthlong ad blitz in Las Vegas.

And Americans for Prosperity, funded by billionaire industrialists David and Charles Koch, has been busy knocking on doors, identifying voters and building the turnout machine that’s usually run by the state party.

But can a patchwork of unaffiliated political groups — which by law cannot coordinate with any candidate’s campaign — run as efficient an operation as the joined efforts of a candidate and the party?

That's where they run into trouble all over again. After all, it's taken a whole lot of time and a whole lot of "sweat equity" for Harry Reid and his allies to build up "The Nevada Democratic Machine" that's become famous for turning Nevada Blue and dramatically reshaping the political calculus in this state. Can Sheldon Adelson and a handful of other right-wing billionaires really swoop in and save Mitt Romney & the entire G-O-TEA ticket by pumping up their Super PACs for the next five months?

“At first impression, [Harry] Reid has been very successful and Adelson hasn’t,” said Dan Hart, a Nevada Democratic strategist. “If it comes down to turnout, in a close race, Democrats win because of that foundation that’s been built by Sen. Reid. He’s a master of the science of politics, versus the art of politics. Sheldon Adelson’s more about the art of politics — you know, let’s toss a (money) bomb in the room, see what we can blow up.”

There’s a limit, though, to how much money can do in the state.

“Nevada’s a cheap date, in that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a big impact here,” said Robert Uithoven, a Republican strategist. “Statewide, you have two media markets, one larger than average and one smaller than average, and those two media markets hit 95 percent of our population — and that’s 95 percent of our voters.” [...]

The Nevada Republican Party has lagged, desperate for a similar Reid-like sherpa to infuse the organization with, well, organization.

Ever since Gov. Kenny Guinn left office, the Nevada Republican Party has lacked a central, formidable figure capable of keeping it in line. Things have descended into such a state of disarray in recent months that national party officials are importing reserves to set up a “shadow” state GOP — a move that may smooth coordination of the 2012 campaigns but, with few roots in Nevada, won’t likely flourish beyond November.

The confusion has left Adelson — an emergent force in 2012 but historically a deep-pocketed political dilettante — as the most influential Nevada Republican almost by default.

“There’s not, in a sense, a single godfather for the Republican party, in the way Reid performs that role for the Democrats,” said Eric Herzik, professor of political science at UNR. “Adelson plays at politics. When there’s an issue he cares about, he’s got the money, and he can walk in and get attention. Harry Reid plays for keeps and plays every day. ... He’s there in every election.”

And that's the key difference. Even if Sheldon Adelson and the pro-Romney Super PACs limit Democratic success this cycle, they don't bode well for the long term health of Republicans in this state. After all, Democrats had to learn this lesson the hard way. In 2004, the roles were reversed and the Nevada Democratic Party had the weak sauce and lack of strong organization. Many Democrats and progressives genuinely thought the party's ill condition ultimately wouldn't matter because the likes of George Soros, left-friendly Hollywood power players, and MoveOn were funding 527s to turn out votes for John Kerry. Remember how that turned out? At least their failure compelled Harry Reid and his allies to rebuild the Nevada Democratic Party and transform it into "the well oiled machine" that we know it to be today.

In many ways, the crisis facing Nevada Republicans now is far worse than the problems facing Nevada Democrats in 2004. The primary/caucus process has exposed deep divisions in the right, and no establishment Republicans have any interest in saving the Nevada Republican Party any more. So what they have left is a "revolution" that RNC leadership would rather not have televised... And a bunch of Super PACs that will close shop after November and leave Republicans with that very "revolution" at their doorstep that they refuse to let inside.

And this expalins Nevada Republicans' existential crisis.

Why Obama Has Nevada G-O-TEA Running Scared

Earlier today, Ralston highlighted on Twitter a National Journal article on OFA's field operation. Basically, President Obama is relying on a strong ground game to win both Nevada and the national election.

The Obama team’s mobilization strategy could pay dividends for Democrats down the ballot. In places like Columbus, Ohio; Orlando, Fla.; and St. Louis, Democratic strongholds in states that feature Senate contests, increased turnout will only help Democratic incumbents.

“The trend lines from 1992 to today [are] clear. When Bush ran and won in 2004, we spent a lot of time on persuasion in the suburbs. Bush didn’t. Bush simply went for his base and really got the most out of it,” said Tom Lindenfeld, a turnout specialist who worked Ohio for Kerry in 2004. “That’s the model for this year for both sides. This is not an election in which Obama needs to pull voters in who weren’t for him. This is where he’s trying to drive up the already-converted [turnout].” [...]

Not surprisingly, Obama’s campaign has spent heavily on the infrastructure required to boost turnout. Republicans have noted with barely concealed glee that Obama’s team has already blown through $172 million, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, with little to show for it—at least in terms of TV advertising or a polling bump.

Much of that money, though, has gone toward hiring staff and opening offices in key states. FEC records show the campaign employs nearly 600 staffers (at a cost of nearly $1.2 million in payroll taxes alone per month). And this week, at the same time as Romney’s campaign opened its first general-election office in Pennsylvania, Obama’s camp opened its 24th in the state. Press reports indicate Obama’s campaign has at least 15 field offices in Virginia and another 19 in Ohio.

Having staffers on the ground for a long period of time is a hallmark of the Obama campaign. During his 2008 primary battle with Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama’s team routinely left staffers in states he had already won, theorizing that their relationships with the communities would come in handy in a general election. Those staffers were no small part of his wins in states like Indiana and North Carolina.

Remember when OFA opened their newest field office near MacDonald Highlands (and Joe Heck's McMansion in Roma Hills) early last month? This is why they did it. OFA and Nevada Democrats know that this election will be won in the field. As long as Democrats turn out in big numbers, Obama wins. And as long as those Democrats turn out and remember to vote all the way down the ballot, then Shelley Berkley, Steven Horsford, John Oceguera, and a number of Democrats in competitive Legislature races win as well.



So if you're wondering why both Dean Heller and Joe Heck are running away from the teabaggers who once unlocked their political careers, you now know why. Because Mitt Romney's future in Nevada is looking increasingly bleak (largely thanks to "The Ron Paul Revolution" happening within the Nevada Republican Party, as well as Romney's own pandering to the "TEA" tinged radical right), they may be sensing that their only hope left is in snatching "split ticket" independent voters and hoping that not all Democrats go all the way down the ballot.

Just notice the stark contrast between the two parties in terms of organization. While Democrats are again retooling and redeploying the "well oiled machine" that turned this state Blue, Republicans have descended into a "Lord of the Flies" type world of madness. Again, this is why Republican insiders are panicking... And now setting up a "shadow state party" to bypass their own homegrown activists in running the coordinated Republican campaign.



So now do you understand what I've been saying all along? While Nevada Democrats certainly can't afford to be smug in this kind of environment, Nevada Republicans can't afford to be all that confident at all. So now, top Nevada Republican elected officials are running as far away from their own party as possible. Between Romney's disingenous "tea party" pandering and Ron Paul supporters continually taunting Romney within the party, Dean Heller, Joe Heck, and other electeds know their fate may ultimately lie in the kind of success President Obama's campaign reaps in this state.

The (Ron Paul G-O-TEA) Revolution May Not Be Lost, Even As It's Lost.

It's over. It's really over...



But is it? Elizabeth Crum saw this unfold at last night's Clark County GOP Central Committee meeting. Yes, this really happened.

The Clark County Republican Party (CCRP), which now consists of a majority of Ron Paul supporters, last night voted to condemn the Republican National Committee. They are also calling for Chairman Reince Preibus to resign.

The resolution says this is because the RNC is supporting Mitt Romney as the “presumptive nominee” even though other candidates are “still actively campaigning”. [...]

I guess these folks did not get the memo that Ron Paul has ceased to actively campaign.

Led by RNC committeewoman-elect Diana Orrock (reminder: both the national committeewoman and man were deposed at the state meeting in Sparks two weekends ago), CCRP also voted to condemn a United Nations initiative called Agenda 21.

I am sure the U.N. General Assembly will be very upset to learn that Clark County GOP opposes their plans for world economic development.

Yes, "The Ron Paul Revolution" continues. And that's what has longtime Nevada Republican insiders taking their money and running... To outside groups like AFP and pro-Romney Super PACs. And no, they're not apologizing for it.

“We’re a battleground state. There will still be a significant amount of money spent here,” said Robert Uithoven, a GOP consultant. “(But) the money will be spent around the state party and not through it. And that’s never a good thing.” [...]

“It has become evident after the convention that the new leadership for the party is not interested in getting Republicans elected as much as moving an ideology forward,” said Mendy Elliot, a longtime Republican and fundraiser for the Washoe County Republican Party. “The purpose of the party is to get Republicans elected and register Republicans. Until that focus is shifted back, it’s hard for mainstream Republicans to understand the purpose of the party.”

This goes back to what we discussed last Wednesday. Ron Paul's followers care deeply about their ideological priorities. And they deeply revere their dear leader (Ron Paul). However, they don't respect fellow Republicans and they don't seem to care about winning the election. And that's a problem for Nevada Republicans.

After all, remember the purpose of state and local parties. Their primary goal is supposed to be winning elections. When they stop caring about winning elections, we have to ask why they exist. So now, the Nevada Republican Party is headed right into an existential crisis as big right-wing donors and activists are switching their allegiance from the state party to pro-Mitt Romney independent expenditures and "Tea Party, Inc." groups like AFP. And yet again, Ron Paul's loyal foot soldiers prove just how influential they will be in this campaign (much to Romney's and other top Republicans' dismay).

Why Mitt Romney's Worried About Nevada

(Also at DK Elections)



So "The Revolution" succeeded... Even though it still didn't. But even though Mitt Romney may be guaranteed 20 of 28 Nevada Republican delegates on paper, his campaign has still been shaken. Why? Look who has the energy and the passion.

This is what Ralston talked about in his column yesterday.

The RNC, represented at the Nugget and watching the Paul folks dominate similar conventions across the country, would prefer an uneventful (read: choreographed) national convention where Paul delegates don’t boo Mitt Romney as he accepts the nomination or start a resolution revolution from the floor. Similarly, they were hoping for a relatively sedate Nevada Republican Party event this weekend, with the Paul folks leaving happy and the Romney contingent fairly represented on the national delegate slate (3 of 25!).

Instead what transpired Saturday was a microcosm of the war for the soul of the Republican Party, with orange-capped Romney captains patrolling the convention floor, motivated by a desire to keep the sheep in line, while more colorfully dressed Paul delegates destabilized the convention, animated by either a love of liberty or a love of black helicopters (hard to tell percentages.).
[...]

Considering how close the election is foretold to be here and in the country, though, what the Paul folks do come November is critical to Romney’s fortunes. And that is the delicate waltz the Romney National Committee is confronted with, one that it executed with two left feet with two letters threatening not to seat the entire Nevada delegation if the Paul folks didn’t play ball. (Net impact: Zero.)

The Paul folks want to “change the party from within,” as I heard so many of them say – while Team Romney and its RNC allies want to do what Al Davis always urged: Just win, baby.

It is the bloodless mind of the GOP vs. the passionate heart that wants to beat loudly in Tampa. And over at Obama for America, they are smiling that despite the economy and the president’s numbers, knowing that at this rate, the Republicans might just beat themselves.

This is the dilemma that Romney's campaign and the RNC are facing, and the dilemma that they don't want the media to focus on. After all, it's quite embarrassing. For someone who's supposed to be "the presumptive Republican nominee", Romney still can't lock down his own base.

Now yes, we've become used to DC pundits telling us that Republicans are coalescing behind Romney and are enthusiastic about beating Obama. Yet while the Republican base does vehemently hate President Obama, and while much of that base has drifted to Romney in the last month, the view inside the GOP isn't really as rosy and peachy as those DC pundits think.

I definitely don't think it's an accident that President Obama has been on the rebound here in Nevada. However, there's more to this story than just the polls. Really, OFA has been active in the field since last summer. And Nevada Democrats are preparing to ramp up the field campaign for the entire ticket once the primary is over. When local pundits like Jon Ralston describe the Democratic Party's ground game as a "well oiled machine", they mean it. Just talk to Harry Reid about it.

Still, Democrats are not taking this election for granted. That's why we're seeing more field activity along with more media ad buys. After all, Barack Obama is not the only Democrat on our ballot. We also have an(other) US Senate race and two key US House races that may tip the balance of power on Capitol Hill. And on top of that, there's even more action down the ballot. And since elections are still won or lost in the field, that's where Democrats are doubling down.

And this is why so many Nevada Republican insiders are panicking. As this past weekend's display of unbridled insanity shows, the rank and file have still not coalesced behind Romney. Even if most of them eventually do by the summer, that's time and energy wasted on "the base" that should otherwise be spent corraling "the base" into working the field.

And even worse, Romney couldn't even count all the folks in John Ascuaga's Nugget this past weekend as his base! Even now, the bulk of Ron Paul's supporters refuse to endorse Romney... Even in the general election. And now that some of Ron Paul's biggest supporters are taking control of the Nevada Republican Party, big donors are threatening to bolt. And while that likely means money that would have gone to the Nevada GOP is instead being directed to pro-Romney SuperPACs, that still means money that can't be invested in the kind of GOTV (or "get out the vote") operation that Romney, along with down ballot GOP candidates, will need to win.

And since Ron Paul's campaign is still hellbent on causing even more trouble on the road to Tampa, it's denying Romney the chance to fully unite the base and redirect them from the primary fight to the general election. This is why Romney is in more trouble than some of the national polls suggest. With OFA building a strong field operation here in Nevada and throughout the country, Romney simply has no ground game to competently compete. And Ron Paul supporters are intent on keeping it that way.

What a Fool Believes, Nevada G-O-TEA Ready to Jump the Shark (Again)

Jeez, how did I miss this? On Monday, newly elected Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald was grilled "The Agenda" over his ethical failings and shady Las Vegas taxpayer funded bailouts senior housing developments.

(The fun starts at 10:00.)



And it looks like this is just a little taste of the rancor we may see at the Nevada Republican Party Convention in Sparks next weekend. Jon Ralston could barely contain his ecstatic glee "grief" over what's looking increasingly likely to go down next weekend.

As much as I would hate to see it, the Paul folks are intent on trying to do in 2012 what they almost did in 2008 — hijack the national convention delegation. Even though Republican National Committee rules mandate that the Nevada delegation votes proportionally to the caucus results — Romney received 14 delegates to Paul’s five — do the rules really apply to the Texas congressman’s acolytes?

It would seem any victory would be Pyrrhic, perhaps emphasizing Paul’s image in Establishment circles as the crazy uncle of the GOP. But the presumptive nominee also doesn’t want to alienate the legions of Paul sycophants.

Team Romney has sent a missive to every delegate to the state convention, trying to build the votes necessary to blunt the Paul surge. “It’s clear that now is the time to unite as Republicans to defeat Barack Obama in the fall! Attending the State Convention is a very important way for you to support the Republican Party’s efforts to turn Nevada red. We need your voice and your support at the convention,” Romney State Director Sarah Nelson wrote.

My guess is most of the Paul delegates immediately deleted the email. But, perhaps I am too cynical. Or conspiratorial.

Truly, I would hate to see chaos ensue at this hallowed event.

And I’m sure that won’t happen just because new GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, who will oversee the May 5 convention, is essentially an honorary Ron Paul person. His close allies — David Isbell and Jesse Law — are Paul guys. Bunce signed onto an endorsement list for McDonald. And Paulite James Smack, McDonald’s predecessor, endorsed McDonald. Oh, and the Romney campaign stayed out of the chairman’s election.

None of that can be good for Team Romney. But, I, of course, would hate to see any sparks in Sparks.

This goes back to Orrin Johnson's complaint that Ron Paul's campaign is out to steal national delegates from Mitt Romney. However, as I noted yesterday, Ron Paul's campaign has never really been secretive about its "delegate strategy". Remember, a senior Ron Paul campaign advisor went on MSNBC in February to boast about it! Doug Wead defended this by flatly saying, "80% of success is showing up, and our people show up", and that the Paul campaign is only playing by the very rules the RNC allegedly created to give Mitt Romney an extra advantage.

And now, some Republicans are worrying about this even more because of their new Chairman. After all, many of Ron Paul's loudest Nevada allies also happen to be big Michael McDonald supporters. Will he really be in the mood to stop another Ron Paul coup at the Nevada GOP Convention? Or might Ron Paul's campaign actually encounter more success this time than in 2008?



And it's not like McDonald doesn't have experience handling these kinds of issues. After all, he advised his "boyhood friend" Michael Galardi on how to bribe his way to becoming Southern Nevada's most powerful strip club owner (and extend his strip club empire to California!) and use local governments' regulatory authority to Galardi's advantage. That, of course, was the foundation of what we now know as "G-Sting".

Ron Paul's campaign has hurled a number of allegations of wrongdoing since Caucus Day. So how better for them to "fight back" than to enlist an expert in local government wrongdoing as a powerful ally! Just never mind that this powerful ally embodies everything that Ron Paul's "tea party" following supposedly reviles.

And to think, 2012 was supposed to be the year of "The Great Nevada Republican Comeback". Sure. It looks like Karl Rove is feeling awfully (NOT) confident about that.



Ah, what a fool believes...

Nightmare @ Central Committee (That Is, Mitt Romney's Worst Nightmare Come True)

Earlier this week on MSNBC, Rachel Maddow noted the still unfolding drama in the G-O-TEA primary. Even though all the rest of us consider it over and done for Mittens, Ron Paul's loyal band of followers still refuses to give up. And believe it or not, they're causing the Romney campaign more headaches than the DC pundits had originally expected.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

And the drama isn't limited to the Midwest. In fact, there's quite a bit of that right here in Nevada! Remember that lovely legal, organizational, and "small d democratic" EPIC FAIL that was the Nevada Republican Caucus?



Ron Paul's Nevada supporters haven't. And apparently, they're now out for revenge.

Apparently, Reno conservative blogger Orrin Johnson isn't just keeping track of the Nevada GOP's Michael McDonald-"G-Sting"-Real Estate Bailout scandal. (And apparently, the Ron Paul folks also had their hands in that.) He's also has some serious accusations against Ron Paul's operation.

I recently received an E-mail from a disaffected Ron Paul supporter that Nevada Paul Campaign Chair Carl Bunce recently sent out to his supporters. The long and the short of it is that it’s a battle plan which encourages Paul folks to lie to pollsters to “fool” the Romney campaign, in order to make it easier to shock-’n'-awe their way to a Ron Paul National Convention slate. It’s full of paranoia about information control (Hah! Fail!) and secrecy, with a nice dab of Personality Cult for Doctor Paul.

Well, secret’s out, you dishonest goofballs. Everyone knows your game. [...]

Don’t these people realize that if they had a winning message, they wouldn’t have the need for all the secrecy? Don’t they see what hypocrites they look like when they cry about dishonesty and lack of transparency in government? And remember, this isn’t just some independent Paul supporter. This IS the Ron Paul campaign, and Ron Paul himself is directly responsible for it. Either the Congressman is blind to these types of shenanigans, or he endorses it. Which is it, Good Doctor? Will you renounce this assault on actual liberty being perpetuated in your name? There’s certainly nothing “libertarian” about any of this.

Nevada Republicans were promised by their Central Committee that their caucus votes would be proportionally binding all the way through the first round of voting at the national convention. I have to wonder – if these Paul people wind up going to the national convention, will they honor that promise? Or will they just openly betray the Nevadans they claim to want to represent?

Just remember this – people willing to lie, cheat, or steal in order to get power will lie, cheat and steal once they’re in power. Even if you find Paul’s platform compelling, after this there’s no way you could trust he’d follow through with any of it.

Now here's the thing: This was never really a well kept secret. In fact, this was NOT a secret at all. Back in February, Rachel Maddow actually interviewed Ron Paul campaign senior advisor Doug Wead and had him explain on national TV what their campaign is doing.



The only thing that surprises me about this is that it took Nevada GOP insiders and Mitt Romney operatives this long to realize what's been happening under their noses all along. So not only does Mitt Romney's campaign have to worry about loose cannons raising hell instead of money for the Nevada Republican Party, but they now risk a major embarrassment next month in Sparks if Ron Paul operatives actually succeed in hijacking the convention. Remember, they already took over the Clark County Republican Party at its convention last month. Is the state party next (again)? And will Nevada's Republican National Convention delegation be delivering an unwelcome surprise to Tampa this summer?

Perhaps revenge really is a dish best served cold. In February, many of them were denied a chance to caucus. Now, they get to deny Mittens a clean and easy nomination.

What a Party

Around 11:30 PM last night, we arrived back in Las Vegas. And just after midnight, I landed in my front door. Wow. What a weekend... And it's not even over yet!

Yesterday's Nevada State Democratic Party Central Committee meeting in Carson City may not have had the kind of fireworks that the Republicans were shooting off down here yesterday, but party leaders certainly weren't hesitating to note the big difference in party organization. While we were hearing about all the new volunteers and donations reported at the Democratic Caucus in January, Nevada Republicans were reliving all their February caucus drama at the respective conventions for Nevada's two most populous counties. And while OFA Nevada organizers were giving Nevada Democrats updates on President Obama's campaign here in Nevada, Nevada Republicans got "updates" from some old familiar faces (that party leaders would rather forget).

Former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, R-Reno, made an appearance at the convention and was given time during the afternoon session to give a speech before the delegation about election integrity.

Angle, the Republican candidate who lost the U.S. Senate race to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in 2010, gave no indication on if she will run for office this year.

“I am still thinking, yes,” Angle said about a possible run for office this year, noting that one week remains in the time span where candidate can file for non-judicial offices.

She did not say if she would run for federal or state office: “I’m am not ruling anything out.”

Oh, yes. It's never a dull moment when Sharrrrrrrrrrrrron steps onto center stage!

Now to be fair, it wasn't all smooth sailing for Democrats yesterday. In particular, some rural Democrats rose to raise concerns about the memes spreading in their communities, as well as remind everyone from Clark and Washoe Counties that there's more to Nevada than just Las Vegas and Reno. To a certain extent, they're still frustrated about what happened in September.









However, there really is plenty of good news from Washoe and Clark Counties that shouldn't be dismissed. While Republicans are experiencing intense intraparty turmoil, many Democrats have been busy hosting house parties, making phone calls, and (now) registering voters. And though Nevada Democrats haven't been entirely free of intraparty drama, I haven't seen it reach the level of that we saw yesterday at the Clark and Washoe GOP Conventions.

Of course, we can't take anything for granted this year. And progressives would be stupid to just sit back, do nothing, and passively hope for continued G-O-TEA implosion. It really helps to get out and do something, and that's why things really seem to be looking up for Nevada Democrats this year. So hopefully the folks who I saw at Central Committee yesterday will join the OFA volunteers and the local campaign volunteers in getting out there, registering new voters, persuading more voters, and doing what Nevada Republicans seem to be increasingly incapable of doing. Infighting at party meetings may be great at attracting media coverage, but they don't help in winning elections.

Wherein Nevada Is Positioned to Remain a "Blue State" in 2012, Part III

Will #NVGOP finish counting #NVcaucus votes by the time @BarackObama wins reelection in November?

OK, maybe it didn't exactly work like this... But it might has well have. The damage has already been done. We may now know the final results, but we also know that Nevada Republican turnout actually plummeted from 2008 levels, not even reaching 33,000 caucus-goers last Saturday. And while we still don't know for sure what caused the exceptionally slow vote count, it definitely doesn't look good for Nevada Republicans.

“It didn’t need to happen this way. With more planning, more process — more space for observers ... people being in close quarters added to the tension,” said Carl Bunce, Paul’s Nevada campaign director. “A couple of changes and you won’t have national staffers breathing down the necks of county people. Cause we’re in different worlds.”

Republican Party officials held a tense meeting with lawyers from each of the presidential campaigns early Sunday. Uneasy campaign officials gave the county party room to continue counting before issuing public comments on the process.

But as the counting stretched past the 24-hour mark, political reporters from around the nation mocked Nevada’s inability to quickly finalize its results.

“The biggest loser in Nevada’s Republican caucuses? The state’s feckless GOP,” wrote Politico.

The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza tweeted: “Nevada not helping their case to hump further up in calendar with this sloooooow count.”

Even some of the volunteers counting ballots seemed to be aware that Nevada’s political stock was sinking as the count dragged on.

Indeed, it has. Politico (which has never had a reputation for being "progressive friendly") has a scathing article that holds nothing back in its declaration of the Nevada Republican Caucus as an EPIC FAIL. And it's not like the coverage in the local media has been any better for them.



Wow.



Wow. What a train wreck.

We already know the actual G-O-TEA candidates and their policies have been turning off voters, and the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll confirms this as President Obama has a solid lead over "Mr. 1%" Willard Romney for the first time in this poll for nearly a year. Yet again, as the economy improves along with the voting public's attention paid to the Presidential Election, Obama keeps looking better and better. But if that weren't bad enough for Republicans, their whole process is also hurting their electoral prospects. After all, who likes hearing that something they were led to believe was a fair election is now "not an election"? And who likes being turned away because one wasn't told the correct time, or because one couldn't sign a religious waiver?

And of course, this whole fiasco over the actual vote count isn't helping Nevada Republicans, either. How else can one explain their sudden embrace of "BIG GOVERNMENT SOCIALISM!!!" as they start making noise over switching back to a state run primary?

Well, at least we now know the big winner of Nevada's Republican Caucus: President Obama.

#NVCaucus: "Not an Election"?

OK, I just can't help it. And frankly, I think I have to bring this up again... Especially since Clark County GOP boss Dave Gibbs actually said his caucuses were "not an election". Just as many of us were suspecting all along, the Nevada G-O-TEA's last minute decision to placate their #1 Mr. Moneybags, Sheldon Adelson, hold an evening caucus at the Adelson Educational Campus in Summerlin is now causing a whole lot of controversy... And possibly future legal headaches, as well.

Michael Dicicco, 23 and a Paul supporter, said he was unable to attend the morning caucus because he was working and came out to the Adelson school after receiving a call from the Paul campaign.

"I thought this was a second opportunity to vote," said Dicicco, who was turned away after refusing to sign the declaration. "I don't understand why I wouldn't be able to vote if I'm not Jewish." [...]

Metro Police were called to remove Stephen Melancon, who was obstructing the entrance while trying to question a Clark County GOP official about the declaration.

Melancon, a high school teacher who said he was a Republican delegate in the 2008 elections, missed the morning caucus because he had to cover a shift at an adult mental health group home where he also works, he said.

"It makes the whole thing a sham," he said of the declaration. "It bothers me that in a process like this they're requiring people to lie (in order to caucus). I didn't come here to do anything other than cast my vote for Ron Paul."

Even some who were attending the evening caucus because they had been honoring the Sabbath were uncomfortable with the form.

"I don't think it's any of their business why I'm here," said Donna Fisher, who is Jewish. "They should just be glad I'm out here to vote."

The Nevada Republican Party required all Adelson Campus caucus-goers to first sign a declaration stating that they couldn't participate at their regularly scheduled neighborhood caucus due to religious reasons. Yes. That's right. You read me right. These caucus-goers essentially had to sign a pledge addressing their religious beliefs in order to vote.

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if federal election laws were violated last night. And no, I wouldn't be surprised if at least one of those angry caucus-goers is on the phone with an election law attorney right now. This is about to get awfully ugly.

But then again, it's already looking awfully ugly now. No, really. Look at the headline of this Sun story by Anjeanette Damon.

Nevada GOP dealing with “trouble box” of questionable ballots

And if that wasn't bad enough, there's even more explosive material in the actual story!

Party officials have confirmed that ballots in multiple precincts exceeded the number of voters who signed in. The “trouble box” also includes ballots on which two candidates were marked and other irregularities.

David Gallagher, executive director of the state party, could not confirm or even give a rough estimate of the number of ballots in question.

“It’s a small number,” he said.

Party officials spent much of the morning in a closed-door meeting with campaign officials to discuss the process for counting the ballots and determine what to do with the ballot box.

A procedure for dealing with the “trouble box” will be agreed upon by party and campaign officials, Gallagher said. He and other party officials acknowledged that some of the precincts may be “thrown out.”

“Obviously we want to count as many ballots as possible,” Gallagher said. “We want people’s voices to be heard.”

Wait... HUH??!! So Clark County Republicans want "people's voices to be heard", so they're actually considering throwing out votes from entire precincts? Weren't they supposed to honor the votes of participants who suffered in caucus locations plagued with mass confusion and improper ballot distribution?

And apparently, the chaos wasn't limited to Clark County. There were problems up north as well.



And again, this is leading to talk of making Nevada a primary state (again). After all, if we're supposed to believe Dave Gibbs of the Clark County GOP, "This is NOT an election. This is a caucus." Well, guess what, Dave Gibbs? Nevada voters want an election, not a chaotic hot mess and farcical fracas of a "caucus".

And we're wondering why the "snooty East Coast big media elite" were taken aback by the Nevada G-O-TEA's amateur hour?

Dave Gibbs may sound cruel, but maybe he has a point. This really doesn't look like an election... And that's the problem here. It's looking increasingly clear that people trying to caucus at the Adelson School in Summerlin last night were disenfranchised. And if Clark County Republicans just throw out ballots despite promising voters (who suffered "caucus irregularities" like not being given official ballots) that their ballots would be counted, then even more Nevada Republican voters will be disenfranchised.

Oh, and it wasn't just the "East Coast Big Media Elite" that snickered as the local G-O-TEA faltered. Their "Left Coast" West Coast colleagues were also appalled.





Sure, Ron Paul's fanatical band of fringe followers are harping on this issue and already crying foul. But you know what? Those "crazy Ron Paul people" may be right about this. Sure, they're wrong about all their other wackadoodle conspiracy theories involving everything from the gold standard to JFK's assassination to "the illuminati" to the "9/11 inside job" to raw milk. But when it comes to the Nevada G-O-TEA flagrantly violating voters' rights, putting up these ridiculous barricades to voter participation, and doing nothing to reassure Nevadans that the vote count they're releasing is honest and accurate, the "crazy Ron Paul people" may ultimately prove to be right on the money.

If this is "not an election", then why do we allow this to happen?