Nevada Dems seek bid for 1st primary stop

RENO, Nev. – Nevada’s Democratic congressional members in a Friday statement urged the Democratic National Committee to make the Western swing state the first stop of primary season and pointed to a strong midterm showing as evidence for why it should be in the top slot.

It’s the latest in a growing debate over who should gain the political clout of being first in the nation as Iowa’s half-century run stands on shaky ground. For months, that state’s delegates have fended off criticism that it does not have a diverse enough electorate and that it is not predictive of which candidate will win the primary.

The Nevada congressional members said the outcome of the midterm election – including Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s reelection after many deemed her the most vulnerable incumbent – “cemented why we should hold the first presidential primary.”

Nevada is mainly competing alongside New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina. The party’s rules committee is set to meet in December to decide the new calendar.