Nevada Sets GOP Caucus Date for 2012

Nevada clearly wants to keep its influence in the GOP presidential nominating process. The Nevada Republican Executive Committee voted Wednesday to hold the party's 2012 presidential caucus on Feb. 18. That could put GOP voters in the ‘First in the West” state third in line to vote for presidential candidates after Iowa and New Hampshire, Politico reports.

“This is an important responsibility, because the failed economic policies of President Obama have made Nevada the nation's leader in unemployment. Nevadans cannot afford four more years of his job-killing agenda in the White House,” committee chairman Mark Amodei says in a statement. Iowa Republicans are expected to hold their caucus Feb. 6, 2012, while New Hampshire's primary will likely take place Feb. 14.

Nevada Republicans moved their 2008 caucuses to January after national Democrats, led by Sen. Harry Reid, moved the state up on their calendar.