LAS VEGAS - Over the weekend, Las Vegas was teeming with visitors who had descended on the city ahead of the biggest sporting event of the year, the Super Bowl. This provided a good reason to throw a party and, of course, to gamble. But these visitors enjoyed an added bonus: the Nevada GOP caucuses, which were held Saturday. Perhaps only Indianapolis, which hosts the game, outnumbered the city in football fans. Yet the race provided one of the most captivating political cliffhangers of the year, as the states delegates are awarded proportionally based on the candidates share of the votes. But unlike the Super Bowl, the final match in the Republican contest is still months away, and it will only be upstaged by the real match on Nov. 6, 2012. There are still three protagonists in this mad dash, each of whom is determined not to cede ground to frontrunner Mitt Romney. For the overwhelming number of tourists who have flocked to Las Vegas, the city is synonymous with its famous 6.8 km-long (4.2 miles) Strip, formally known as Las Vegas Boulevard. But on Friday, with the caucus a day away, GOP contenders chose a different venue for their final pitch, away from the luxury hotels, upscale restaurants or casinos. This was particularly true for Romney, whose Mormon faith prohibits the consumption of alcohol or gambling. Eighty-nine percent of Mormons across the country view him favorably, so why rock the boat? While Arizona Senator John McCain frustrated Romneys 2008 presidential bid, the latter still managed to win 51% of the vote in the Nevada caucuses that year. In the run-up to the vote this year, polls projected a similar result: Romney with 50% and Gingrich with 25% due in part to the fact Mormons comprise some 28% of the GOP caucus-goers in the state. Texas Representative Ron Paul and former Senator Rick Santorum trailed behind in the polls with 15% and 8%, respectively. Santourm even preferred to stump in Missouri on Saturday, where polls show he leads the pack. I saw the large crowds that had amassed at one of Romneys campaign events: They packed the venue, were proud of their candidate and confident he would prevail. Romney chose to spend Saturday in Reno, in Nevadas Washoe County city, an eight-hour drive from Vegas. He arrived there by plane. The primary process is grueling as it is, but to have to repeat the ordeal from 2008 is something else entirely. And then he has to look beyond August, when the Republican race is finished, to the general election. But, as previously noted, there are other contestants in the ring. Gingrich held at least three campaign events in three separate venues in Las Vegas. One can assume that the former house speaker knows full well that February doesnt exactly bode well for him. Saturdays Nevada caucuses, with its 28 delegates up for grabs, is to be followed by four additional caucuses: Maine (24 delegates), Colorado (36 delegates), Minnesota (40 delegates), Washington (43 delegates), and two primaries, in Arizona (29 delegates) and Michigan (30 delegates). All this culminates on Super Tuesday (March 6), during which a whopping 466 delegates will be awarded in a single day. For Gingrich, March cannot come soon enough. The key issues that Republican voters consider when backing a certain candidate are his chances of beating President Obama and the economy. This is especially true for a state like Nevada, which has been the hardest hit by high unemployment. The impressive gains in the job market released over the weekend failed to impress a single voter in the Silver State; Nevadans blame their economic woes on the incumbent president. Obamas achievements have somehow not made their way to us, says David, a supporter of Ron Paul who works at a gas station just outside Las Vegas. But with the U.S. medias extensive reporting on a possible Israeli strike on Iran, and with the massacre in the Syrian city of Homs dominating the headlines over the weekend, foreign policy and national security are no longer a non-issue in this election. The two top GOP candidates, Romney and Gingrich, once again reiterated the U.S. commitment to Israels security and its determination not to let Iran acquire nuclear weapons. Nevada always adds some flavor to the primary race, not just because of its famous gambling scene. Even beyond Las Vegas, in the majestic and desolate desert, some delusional characters can make for good election imagery in the run-up to the vote. But the person who adds the most color to the campaign here - and creates a headache for the Republican establishment - is Paul. He seems to be enjoying every moment and his support base is growing by the day. His new recruits view the Libertarian candidates desire to disengage the U.S. from the rest of the world as the remedy to their ills. The media has obviously chosen to highlight the fact that the working girls at Nevadas famous brothel, the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, endorsed Paul, as did their boss. Perhaps in an effort to draw a contrast with Paul, Gingrich held an event in the International Church of Las Vegas just before the vote; he not only vowed that he would win, but also that he would protect religious values. Nevada has a good track record when it comes to successful wagers. The last three presidents, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama all carried the state in past general elections. But we are still in the qualifying round and the finish line is miles away.
