....in recent months, Democratic voter registration has passed that of Republicans, and Nevada is a genuine swing state.... “It is a place that is in transition from Old West, libertarian, small-state mind-set to ‘Hey, we are a major player,’ with gaming and politics. The Democrats have made the interior West the place to win, and this is a winnable state.”

Economics, and health care in particular, are the issues of the day.

In Nevada candidates will find a booming state with a population far more concerned with infrastructure and traffic than farm subsidies and family values, and one bedeviled by some of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation.

Health care, the theme of advertising by both Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton, is the issue of the day here, along with the Iraq war.

What about John Edwards?

John Edwards, who pulled workers out of the state early in the campaign, has had a harder time getting traction.

“There are no real social services here,” said David Damore, a political scientist at the University of Nevada. “So to come here and tell people they need to care about the poor is not a winning strategy.”

My question: Who is Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman (one of my all-time heroes) supporting? As of mid-November, in this interview with CNN, he was staying mum. But he says that could change. He's met Hillary several times and at the time of the interview in November, she was very much favored in the race as she got there early. But, Oscar says, the unions will play a big role if they decide to become active in their endorsement.

Other issues of import in Nevada, according to Oscar: nuclear waste facilities and gaming laws.