Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. Ron Paul and businessman Herman Cain have been present in the Silver State for months, hiring campaign staffs, opening offices and assembling a small army of volunteers, according to the AP. Now the rest of the field is following their lead: Former Utah Gov. Jon Hunstmen hired a Nevada casino owner to join his team. Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachmann are expected to visit the state. On Oct. 18, Las Vegas will host a debate.
Nevada's Republican party altered its primary format this year in hopes of enticing candidates to pay more attention to the state, the news agency reports. Instead of holding a "winner-takes-all" election, as in 2008, delegates will be awarded proportionally to the number of votes a candidate earns.
Nevada currently holds the highest unemployment rate in the nation, making job creation the major talking point for the candidates, according to the AP.