Backers of rivals to gather in Reno

RENO -- Four months after their presidential caucuses drew a record-smashing 118,000 participants, Nevada Democrats gather today to complete the process that will send the state's delegation to the Democratic National Convention.

The state convention in Reno will determine how many of the state's 25 elected delegates each candidate gets. With both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton still in contention for the nomination, every delegate counts.

The convention is scheduled to feature an appearance by President Clinton, speaking this morning as the representative of his wife's campaign. The Obama campaign did not reveal its speaker.

With no nominee of their own to rally around at this late date, Democrats hope they can achieve unity by focusing on their common enemy.

"This is going to be the largest state convention we've ever had," said Kirsten Searer, deputy executive director of the state Democratic Party. "We're going to get together and talk about why we're working so hard. America can't afford another Bush term, and that's what (presumptive Republican nominee John McCain) represents."

The current political season in Nevada has been marked by convention disasters on both sides, as surging voter enthusiasm has overwhelmed the parties' modest traditional apparatus.

First the Clark County Democratic convention on Feb. 23 had to be postponed after thousands flocked to it to support their candidate, be it Clinton or Obama. A delegate vote on April 12 went more smoothly.

On April 26, the state Republican convention fell apart after supporters of presidential candidate Ron Paul helped pass a rule change that dramatically prolonged the delegate election process. Nevada Republicans still do not know when or how they will meet to elect their delegates to the national convention in St. Paul, Minn., in September.

Nevada Democrats send 25 elected delegates to their national convention in Denver in August.

Although Clinton won more precinct delegates on Jan. 19, 51 percent statewide to Obama's 45.5 percent, Obama probably will emerge today with more national delegates.

The national delegates will be allocated to the presidential candidates based on who shows up today out of the more than 3,000 delegates who were elected at their county conventions.

Delegate attendance for the candidates could be a marker of whether Clinton supporters have become discouraged as their candidate's national hopes have dimmed.

Of the 25, 16 are to be elected from the state's three congressional districts. Because Obama was stronger in rural and Northern Nevada, he probably would get nine of those if delegates attended in the same proportions as Jan. 19.

Six delegates are to be elected at-large from the entire convention, while another three are party leaders and elected officials elected at-large. Whichever candidate draws more supporters to today's convention would get the majority of those.

These are separate from the so-called superdelegates, Democratic National Committee members and certain elected officials who are automatic national convention delegates. Nevada has eight superdelegates.

Clinton's Nevada campaign chairman, Rory Reid, said her delegates would be at the convention in force.

"People are incredibly loyal to Hillary," he said. "Those that have been through this entire process with her continue to feel very strongly about her. They want to stand up and have their voices heard at the last step of the process, and many of them want to be national delegates."

However, Reid said, since the first, abortive Clark County convention effort, the Clinton and Obama campaigns have been working closely together to make sure the process goes smoothly.

"I think Nevada is an example of how we as a party will unify once we have a nominee," he said. "On February 23, the campaigns were still acting like rivals. Since then, we've been working well together so that whoever the nominee is, we'll be ready to go."

Obama's Nevada campaign leader, Steven Horsford, said Obama's supporters also were flocking to the convention.

"Based on where the race is today, the fact that Barack Obama is as close as he can possibly be to being the presumptive nominee, our supporters are very motivated to follow through on ensuring he receives all the support he has earned at the caucus and county conventions," Horsford said. "People are excited about representing him at the national convention."

Horsford wouldn't say who is to speak for the candidate today.

The campaign originally had planned to send actor Kal Penn, of the "Harold and Kumar" movies, but may have been looking for a higher-wattage surrogate after President Clinton's appearance was announced.

Horsford also said he hoped for a not-too-contentious convention.

"The theme I hope to have come out of this convention is that we are one Democratic family in Nevada and we are united in our mission to defeat John McCain and ensure Nevada turns blue, for Barack Obama and Democrats up and down the ticket," he said.

In addition to the delegate election, some party infighting is expected at the convention as national committee members and the party's executive board are elected.

Horsford is seeking another term as national committeeman, while state Sen. Dina Titus is stepping down as national committeewoman as she runs for Congress.

Meanwhile, some party insiders are promoting a slate of board members to replace the current executive board, which has been critical of the party leadership.

The convention continues Sunday with platform discussions.

Contact reporter Molly Ball at mball@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.