Republicans push back against Nevada Democrats move to upend 2024 nominating calendar

We’re not even half way through 2021, but the battle over the 2024 presidential primary and caucus schedule is already well underway.

Nevada Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak on Friday signed into law a bill passed through the legislature by members of his own party that would change the state’s presidential caucus into a primary. And the measure – AB126 – would move the contest to the first Tuesday in February in presidential nominating years. Nevada is currently third in the Democrats' nominating calendar, trailing Iowa’s caucuses and New Hampshire’s primary. It’s fourth in the Republican schedule, trailing Iowa, New Hampshire, as well as South Carolina’s primary. For years, the knock against Iowa and New Hampshire – among some Democrats – has been that the states are too White, lack any major urban areas and aren’t representative of the Democratic Party, which has become increasingly diverse over the past several decades. Nevada and South Carolina are much more diverse and have larger metropolitan areas than either Iowa or New Hampshire.