LAS VEGAS -- As Republican presidential candidates are making headlines in Iowa, Democrats across the country, including those in Nevada, are mobilizing their base to re-elect President Obama in November.
The staff at President Obama's campaign office in Las Vegas, along with the Nevada Democratic Party, are watching what's happening in Iowa very closely. While no one will say who they would like Obama to run against in the next presidential election, one name did come up.
"It's going to be a clear choice between President Obama's commitment to getting Nevada back to work and fighting for the middle class security and Republicans, like Mitt Romney, who think middle class tax cuts are little band-aids and want to kill Medicare by turning it over to private insurance companies," said Zach Hudson, Nevada Democratic Party.
Hudson says this year's Nevada Caucus will be quite different from 2008 because it involves a sitting president who faces no challenge from within the party. He says the goal, within the campaign office, is to reach out to critical volunteers to energize the base and attract new voters come November.
UNLV political science professor John Tuman says, in his opinion, Democrats have reasons to fear Mitt Romney the most. He says voters may be looking for someone with a business background to turn around the economy.
"I think what he (Obama) needs to do here in Nevada is to show some improvements in the economy, we are beginning to see signs of that," said Tuman.
Tuman believes Newt Gingrich is probably the candidate whom Obama's supporters see as most beatable, given his controversial background and his unlikeliness to attract Independent voters. He also said Obama can't forget union members and Latinos, two groups that can make or break his shot of getting re-elected.
