John Edwards’ campaign is facing serious financial troubles and the decision to scale back staff in Nevada is proof. He is choosing to not compete in the most diverse state of the early primary contest. While John Edwards scales back, his rivals: Bill Richardson, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton are opening up offices and expanding their staff in Nevada. To add insult to injury, Bill Richardson announced hiring 7 Nevada staff on the same day, Edwards campaign made the strategy shift.
Yesterday, I asked Elizabeth Edwards if the Edwards campaign have given up on Nevada. This was her response:
John and I have been to Nevada more than anyone. (57+ / 0-)
John has been more than any other candidate. I have been more than any other spouse. Staff gets shuffled all the time, and frankly, the shifting calendar (which is not yet set in stone) will probably result in more shifting from various places. John will win Nevada.
by Elizabeth Edwards on Wed Aug 15, 2007 at 02:58:25 PM PDT
In all honesty, if he plans to win Nevada then he needs to play in Nevada. And if they're shifting staff to reflect changes in the calendar, why don't they hire more staff in the early states instead of pulling staff from Nevada? Jennifer Duffy of the Cook Political Report addresses it in an interview with the Las Vegas RJ: "if all they need is more bodies in Iowa, if they had the resources, they'd just hire them. That they are moving people shows that they don't." The "four states and $40 million" strategy is not working.
In Nevada, Hillary Clinton leads with her name recognition, Barack Obama has the most volunteers, and Bill Richardson is a Western Governor. The Edwards campaign’s strategy in this state was to put all their hedges into an endorsement from the Culinary Workers, Local 226.
The Culinary Workers, Local 226 is the fastest growing union and represents Las Vegas casino workers. The union endorsement is the most sought after endorsement in the primary campaign because it can basically guarantee you a victory in Nevada’s caucuses. All the Democratic candidates have met with them, and the top tier candidates have promised to march the picket lines with them if an agreement is not reached with MGM Mirage.
A little background on the union, from the New York Times
The Culinary's extraordinary success at delivering for its 48,000 members beckons newcomers from far and wide. By many measures, the Culinary is the nation's most successful union local; its membership has nearly tripled from 18,000 in the late 1980's, even as the rest of the labor movement has shrunk. The Culinary is such a force that one in 10 people here is covered by its health plan, and more than 90 percent of the hotel workers on the Strip belong to the union. The union is also unusual because it is a rainbow coalition, 65 percent nonwhite and 70 percent female. It includes immigrants from Central America, refugees from the Balkan wars and blacks from the Deep South.
Las Vegas' top political journalist has a column on the candidates' efforts to win the union's endorsement. The union is getting a lot of attention from the candidates and are in no hurry to make an endorsement while their negotiations with MGM Mirage are ongoing.
It also appears that John Edwards' pro-union rhetoric could not seal the deal to an early endorsement from the Culinary Workers. Jennifer Duffy, in the same interview with the RJ:
"Even nationally, it's a false assumption that John Edwards is labor's candidate. Labor is absolutely shopping, and they are not going to sign on (to a candidate) anytime soon," Duffy said. "If Edwards came into Nevada thinking he would have Culinary and (the Service Employees International Union) all wrapped up, he quickly found out that wasn't true."
Marc Ambinder gives us an inside look:
Think that John Edwards has the Local 226 endorsement locked up? Not so fast. Obama has been courting its members furiously (as has Sen. Hillary Clinton), and knowledgeable union political sources say that an endorsement of Obama is as likely (if not more likely) than an endorsement of Edwards.
Barack Obama is campaigning hard for the union's endorsement. Here is a video of Barack with the Culinary Workers on August 10 in Las Vegas.
I tried to embed but was unable to, so click here to see video.
Nevada is an important state and should not be ignored. Senator Harry Reid put it best -- "Any candidate who chooses to ignore Nevada and its rich diversity does so at their own peril." Iowa or bust is not going to cut it in this primary. This primary is very different from '04 when Iowa saved John Kerry. A diverse state like Nevada, and one of the fastest growing states in the Nation has joined the mix -- and a national primary will take place on February 5th. If John Edwards can’t compete in purple Nevada, how can we expect him to win a general election?