It’s Crunch Time

                After an exhausting experience at the chaotic convention in Clark County, I am pleased to announce that there is still no winner in Nevada!  Both campaigns urged supporters to attend the convention held at Bally’s Hotel in Las Vegas, and boy did they ever!  Volunteers, supporters, party officials, delegates, alternates, and media turned the event into a cacophonous frenzy. Obama and Hillary chants from supporters drowned out Congresswoman Shelley Berkley’s speech, several hundred delegates were stranded at the check-in line which wound around the ballroom entrance, and things did not go well from there.  However, in smaller county conventions, matters moved in a swift motion to an accurate delegate count that will continue to the state convention, where delegates from county levels will be elected to move on to the national convention.

                Smaller Nevada counties brought a clear message of hope and change with them to their county conventions.  Keep in mind that Clark County has an estimated population of over 1.7 million people, and the second largest county, Washoe, has an estimated population of only 396,000.  There were six key counties to win outside of the all important Clark County, and Obama won four of those contests, tying in one.  His major victory coming from Washoe County, where Reno is located, winning 329 state delegates to Clinton’s 232. These results come as no surprise as Obama’s campaign did fairly well in northern Nevada during the Nevada caucuses, where he claimed victory of Washoe County with 50% of the vote to Clinton’s 41%. 

                But will trouble brew as the recessed county convention comes into play?  During the January 19 caucuses, Hillary Clinton crushed Obama in the largest county in Nevada with 54% to his 44%.  This could be a factor that helps us predict who will win Clark County.  Obama won 512 of the 900 state delegates, as Hillary finished up second with 388.  However, Clark County has a staggering 2,463 state delegates!  Only at the Clark County and state convention will we see if these numbers translate to more national delegates for Hillary from Nevada. 

                After the democratic Nevada state convention in May, one of these candidates will be awarded a portion of the 25 pledged national delegates Nevada has.  Eight superdelegates, one confirmed for Obama and one confirmed for Clinton, will also vote for the next president at the national convention.  With all this talk about delegates and democrats, what is happening to the GOP in Nevada?

                Romney won with overwhelming support from Nevada, but now that he is out, are his supporters going to vote for John McCain, the assumed Republican nominee?  The Clark County Republican convention will take place this Saturday, and yours truly will be there interviewing young Romney and McCain supporters to hear their thoughts and feelings on these latest developments in the GOP race.