Las Vegas’s Impact on the Election
Mike Muller | Tue, Nov 20th, 2007 | Category: Commentary | Tags: mike muller, republican, las vegas, nevada, democrat, hispanic voters, las vegas impact on election
PBS’s NewsHour has kicked off an election series called ”Big Picture Cities.” In it, they will travel to various cities around the country to delve into the issues there and discuss how they will affect presidential elections. The series starts off with Las Vegas, which recently hosted the latest Democratic debate.
The Republican and Democratic parties decided to advance the Nevada caucuses so they are the second state in the nation to hold them, increasing the importance of the state (and the city) in the 2008 election. Although this played a role in the choice of Sin City to launch the series, the diversity of its population and the issues it faces do well to represent the Western states, NewsHour reporters said.
The first “Big Picture Cities” takes a look at the diversity of Las Vegas’s workforce and the prominence of Hispanic voters in its electorate, noting how these demographics may hurt the Republican’s chances in the area this year. The series also explores the impact of the city’s growth on its economy, environment, and social services.