Cain files to compete in Nevada GOP caucus

Herman Cain's campaign on Tuesday paid the $10,000 filing fee to compete in the GOP presidential caucus in Nevada, insisting he won't quit in the face of accusations that he had an affair.

Elicia Huffaker, the Nevada director for Cain, said she was assured by headquarters that he would stay in the race, although he told top aides earlier Tuesday that he is reassessing his campaign.

"The check would have been canceled," Huffaker said outside Nevada Republican Party headquarters. "We are staying in the race. You don't part with $10,000 that easily."

Friday is the deadline for filing with the Nevada Republican Party to compete in the GOP caucus on Feb. 4 to choose a favorite candidate. So Cain had to file this week to keep his hopes alive while he reassesses his chances after a Georgia woman accused him of a long-term affair.

Cain has denied the accusations just as he has disputed accounts from several other women who said the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza had harassed them. Cain sent a fundraising email Tuesday evening to backers titled "stand by me," denying the affair and asking "for your prayers and support."

Most of the other major GOP contenders paid the filing fee to the party this month, including front-runner Mitt Romney, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.

Newt Gingrich's check is expected to arrive today via FedEx, GOP officials said. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania have not yet paid to file, the party said.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, who won the 2008 GOP caucus in Nevada, has the deepest organization in the state and is considered the man to beat, both here and nationally.

Perry's campaign has been gathering voter information to reach out to potential Nevada supporters, but there is not a lot of activity on the ground yet. Gov. Brian Sandoval has endorsed him.

Paul, who finished second in Nevada in 2008, has a group of loyal supporters who have been promoting voter registration outside Department of Motor Vehicle offices, GOP officials said.

Gingrich has been inquiring about potential office space in Las Vegas and Reno since the former House speaker began rising in the polls as Cain has fallen, according to GOP insiders.

"Things are starting to get interesting here," said David Gallagher, executive director of the Nevada GOP. "Anything can happen."

Cain, a conservative favorite and popular speaker in Nevada, has visited the state several times. His staffers were the first to launch caucus training events in a serious effort to compete here.

Huffaker said she had a conference call Tuesday with staffers and volunteers across the state to assure them that media reports that Cain might drop out weren't true. She said that reassessment is a normal part of a growing and changing campaign and that this isn't the first time Cain has paused to reboot.

"We're here today to show that Nevada is 100 percent behind supporting Mr. Cain, and Mr. Cain is also 100 percent committed to winning Nevada," Huffaker said.

She dismissed the fresh campaign troubles, telling about 10 supporters inside GOP party headquarters that she is proud the troops brought Cain this far, from near unknown to a leading contender.

"Yeah, we're at a point where we're struggling a little bit, but it's nothing that we haven't overcome in the past and we'll overcome in the future," Huffaker said, toasting volunteers with sparkling cider.

Huffaker said Cain is planning a bus tour of Nevada focused on Las Vegas and Reno in late January or early February, just ahead of the caucus.

But most of January will be spent in the early voting states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida, which jumped ahead of Nevada.

The Cain campaign said he has qualified to compete in 10 states: Nevada, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, Missouri, Michigan, Georgia, Texas, Kansas and Alabama. He is set to qualify next week in Louisiana, Colorado and Oklahoma, where Cain plans to file in person. In Iowa, candidates are nominated from the caucus floor by precinct captains.

It may become clear after the weekend whether Cain stays in the race.

Cain told aides in a conference call Tuesday morning that he is assessing whether the latest allegations against him by a woman he said was his friend make it too difficult to go forward.

"Now, with this latest one, we have to do an assessment as to whether or not this is going to create too much of a cloud in some people's minds as to whether or not they would be able to support us going forth," he said, according to a transcript of the call made by the National Review.

"If a decision is made, different than to plow ahead, you all will be the first to know," he said.

Cain backers in Nevada are sticking with him for now.

"I see the value of a business mindset in running our country," said Candyce Wehrkamp , a volunteer who celebrated the Cain filing in Nevada. "I think we need to bring ethics back."

Asked whether she is bothered by the accusations of unethical behavior by Cain, Wehrkamp said that there's no evidence he did anything wrong and that the women were all seeking attention.

"I think they're all lying," she said.

Cain campaign staffers and supporters seemed to be taking the turmoil in stride. In the parking lot outside Nevada GOP headquarters, one volunteer joked that he heard Cain was accused of having an affair with former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary.

"I deny the allegations," Huffaker said with a laugh.

Contact reporter Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal. com or 702-387-2919. Follow her on Twitter @lmyerslvrj.